Dose rate dependency of micelle leucodye 3D gel dosimeters

Abstract

Recently a novel 3D radiochromic gel dosimeter was introduced which uses micelles to dissolve a leucodye in a gelatin matrix. Experimental results show that this 3D micelle gel dosimeter was found to be dose rate dependent. A maximum difference in optical dose sensitivity of 70% was found for dose rates between 50 cGy min-1 and 400 cGy min-1. A novel composition of 3D radiochromic dosimeter is proposed composed of gelatin, sodium dodecyl sulphate, chloroform, trichloroacetic acid and leucomalachite green. The novel gel dosimeter formulation exhibits comparable radio-physical properties in respect to the composition previously proposed. Nevertheless, the novel formulation was found to be still dose rate dependent. A maximum difference of 33% was found for dose rates between 50 cGy min-1 and 400 cGy min-1. On the basis of these experimental results it is concluded that the leucodye micelle gel dosimeter is still unsatisfactory for clinical radiation therapy dose verifications. Some insights in the physico-chemical mechanisms were obtained and are discussed. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.