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Characterization of a gated fiber‐optic‐coupled detector for application in clinical electron beam dosimetry
Author(s) -
Tanyi James A.,
Nitzling Kevin D.,
Lodwick Camille J.,
Huston Alan L.,
Justus Brian L.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.3539737
Subject(s) - ionization chamber , dosimetry , reproducibility , ionization , optical fiber , detector , optics , materials science , dose profile , beam (structure) , atomic physics , nuclear medicine , physics , chemistry , medicine , ion , chromatography , quantum mechanics
Purpose: Assessment of the fundamental dosimetric characteristics of a novel gated fiber‐optic‐coupled dosimetry system for clinical electron beam irradiation. Methods: The response of fiber‐optic‐coupled dosimetry system to clinical electron beam, with nominal energy range of 6–20 MeV, was evaluated for reproducibility, linearity, and output dependence on dose rate, dose per pulse, energy, and field size. The validity of the detector system's response was assessed in correspondence with a reference ionization chamber. Results: The fiber‐optic‐coupled dosimetry system showed little dependence to dose rate variations (coefficient of variation ±0.37%) and dose per pulse changes (with 0.54% of reference chamber measurements). The reproducibility of the system was ±0.55% for dose fractions of ∼ 100 cGy . Energy dependence was within ±1.67% relative to the reference ionization chamber for the 6–20 MeV nominal electron beam energy range. The system exhibited excellent linear response( R 2 = 1.000 )compared to reference ionization chamber in the dose range of 1–1000 cGy. The output factors were within ±0.54% of the corresponding reference ionization chamber measurements. Conclusions: The dosimetric properties of the gated fiber‐optic‐coupled dosimetry system compare favorably to the corresponding reference ionization chamber measurements and show considerable potential for applications in clinical electron beam radiotherapy.