An investigation into the use of polymer gel dosimetry in low dose rate brachytherapy.

An investigation has been carried out into the properties of the BANG polymer gel and its use in the dosimetry of low dose rate brachytherapy. It was discovered that the response of the gel was reproducible and linear to 10 Gy. The gel was found to be tissue equivalent with a response independent of energy to within experimental accuracy (standard error of measurement +/- 5%). The slope of the calibration curve was found to increase from 0.28 +/- 0.01 s-1 Gy-1 to 0.50 +/- 0.02 s-1 Gy-1 for an increase in monomer concentration from 6 to 9%. Absorbed dose distributions for a straight applicator containing 36 137Cs sources were measured using the gel and the results compared with measurements made with thermoluminescent dosemeters (TLDs) and calculated values. Good agreement was found for the relative measurements. The root mean square residual percentage errors were 3%, 1% and 4% for the gel and the two groups of TLDs, respectively. There were some significant differences in absolute values of absorbed dose in the gel, possibly owing to the effects of oxygen. Measurements of a complex gynaecological insert were also made and compared with isodose curves from a planning system (Helax TMS), and in areas unaffected by oxygen diffusion the isodose levels from 100 to 50% agreed to within less than 0.5 mm.