Evaluation of radiochromic formulations for dosimetry in high-energy photon and proton beams

Abstract

Radiochromic crystals have many suitable features for dosimetry across a broad range of radiotherapy modalities, yet the study of these materials within the medical physics community has been limited. Here, we study three types of radiochromic pentacosa-10,12-diynoic acid-based formulations: two analogues of commercially available materials and one newly developed. Formulations coated on polyethylene are irradiated with photon (6 and 10 MV) and proton (74 MeV) beams (0–25 Gy) using custom fibre-optic setups that enable real-time transmission measurements at 1.5–2 cm depth to maintain dosimetric accuracy. The dose response to ionizing radiation is compared between the formulations and all formulations were characterized using a variety of analytical methods. The response of radiochromic crystals to ionizing radiation is complex and influenced by factors such as monomer composition and resulting macroscopic crystal morphology. By optimizing these parameters, it could be possible to develop dosimeters suitable for a variety of clinical applications.