A fibre optic scintillator dosemeter for absorbed dose measurements of low-energy X-ray-emitting brachytherapy sources.

A newly developed dosemeter using a 0.5 mm diameter x 0.5 mm thick cylindrical plastic scintillator coupled to the end of a fibre optic cable is capable of measuring the absorbed dose rate in water around low-activity, low-energy X-ray emitters typically used in prostate brachytherapy. Recent tests of this dosemeter showed that it is possible to measure the dose rate as a function of distance in water from 2 to 30 mm of a (103)Pd source of air-kerma strength 3.4 U (1 U = 1 microGy m(2) h(-1)), or 97 MBq (2.6 mCi) apparent activity, with good signal-to-noise ratio. The signal-to-noise ratio is only dependent on the integration time and background subtraction. The detector volume is enclosed in optically opaque, nearly water-equivalent materials so that there is no polar response other than that due to the shape of the scintillator volume chosen, in this case cylindrical. The absorbed dose rate very close to commercial brachytherapy sources can be mapped in an automated water phantom, providing a 3-D dose distribution with sub-millimeter spatial resolution. The sensitive volume of the detector is 0.5 mm from the end of the optically opaque waterproof housing, enabling measurements at very close distances to sources. The sensitive detector electronics allow the measurement of very low dose rates, as exist at centimeter distances from these sources. The detector is also applicable to mapping dose distributions from more complex source geometries such as eye applicators for treating macular degeneration.

Absorbed dose measurements of a handheld 50 kVP X-ray source in water with thermoluminescence dosemeters.

Absorbed dose rate measurements of a 50 kV(p) handheld X-ray probe source in a water phantom are described. The X-ray generator is capable of currents of up to 40 microA, and is designed for cranial brachytherapy and intraoperative applications with applicators. The measurements were performed in a computer-controlled water phantom in which both the source and the detectors are mounted. Two different LiF thermoluminescence dosemeter (TLD) phosphors were employed for the measurements, MTS-N (LiF:Mg,Ti) and MCP-N (LiF:Mg,Cu,P). Two small ionisation chambers (0.02 and 0.0053 cm(3)) were also employed. The TLDs and chambers were positioned in watertight mounts made of water-equivalent plastic. The chambers were calibrated in terms of air-kerma rate, and conventional protocols were used to convert the measurements to absorbed dose rate. The TLDs were calibrated at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in terms of absorbed dose rate using a (60)Co teletherapy beam and narrow-spectrum X-ray beams. For the latter, absorbed dose was inferred from air-kerma rate using calculated air-kerma-to-dose conversion factors. The reference points of the various detectors were taken as the center of the TLD volumes and the entrance windows of the ionisation chambers. Measurements were made at distances of 3-45 mm from the detector reference point to the source center. In addition, energy dependence of response measurements of the TLDs used was made using NIST reference narrow spectrum X-ray beams. Measurement results showed reasonable agreement in absorbed dose rate determined from the energy dependence corrected TLD readings and from the ionisation chambers. Volume averaging effects of the TLDs at very close distances to the source were also evident.