Coralie Le Deroff1, Anne-Marie Frelin-Labalme1,2, Xavier Ledoux1. 1. 1 Grand Accélérateur National d'Ions Lourds (GANIL), CEA/DRF-CNRS/IN2P3, Boulevard Henri Becquerel, 14076 Caen, France. 2. 2 Advanced Resource Centre for HADrontherapy in Europe (ARCHADE) Program, Caen, France.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Small animal image-guided irradiators have recently been developed to mimic the delivery techniques of clinical radiotherapy. A dosemeter adapted to millimetric beams of medium-energy X-rays is then required. This work presents the characterization of a dosemeter prototype for this particular application. METHODS: A scintillating optical fibre dosemeter (called DosiRat) has been implemented to perform real-time dose measurements with the dedicated small animal X-RAD® 225Cx (Precision X-Ray, Inc., North Branford, CT) irradiator. Its sensitivity, stem effect, stability, linearity and measurement precision were determined in large field conditions for three different beam qualities, consistent with small animal irradiation and imaging parameters. RESULTS: DosiRat demonstrates good sensitivity and stability; excellent air kerma and air kerma rate linearity; and a good repeatability for air kerma rates >1 mGy s-1. The stem effect was found to be negligible. DosiRat showed limited precision for low air kerma rate measurements (<1 mGy s-1), typically for imaging protocols. A positive energy dependence was found that can be accounted for by calibrating the dosemeter at the needed beam qualities. CONCLUSION: The dosimetric performances of DosiRat are very promising. Extensive studies of DosiRat energy dependence are still required. Further developments will allow to reduce the dosemeter size to ensure millimetric beams dosimetry and perform small animal in vivo dosimetry. Advances in knowledge: Among existing point dosemeters, very few are dedicated to both medium-energy X-rays and millimetric beams. Our work demonstrated that scintillating fibre dosemeters are suitable and promising tools for real-time dose measurements in the small animal field of interest.
OBJECTIVE: Small animal image-guided irradiators have recently been developed to mimic the delivery techniques of clinical radiotherapy. A dosemeter adapted to millimetric beams of medium-energy X-rays is then required. This work presents the characterization of a dosemeter prototype for this particular application. METHODS: A scintillating optical fibre dosemeter (called DosiRat) has been implemented to perform real-time dose measurements with the dedicated small animal X-RAD® 225Cx (Precision X-Ray, Inc., North Branford, CT) irradiator. Its sensitivity, stem effect, stability, linearity and measurement precision were determined in large field conditions for three different beam qualities, consistent with small animal irradiation and imaging parameters. RESULTS:DosiRat demonstrates good sensitivity and stability; excellent air kerma and air kerma rate linearity; and a good repeatability for air kerma rates >1 mGy s-1. The stem effect was found to be negligible. DosiRat showed limited precision for low air kerma rate measurements (<1 mGy s-1), typically for imaging protocols. A positive energy dependence was found that can be accounted for by calibrating the dosemeter at the needed beam qualities. CONCLUSION: The dosimetric performances of DosiRat are very promising. Extensive studies of DosiRat energy dependence are still required. Further developments will allow to reduce the dosemeter size to ensure millimetric beams dosimetry and perform small animal in vivo dosimetry. Advances in knowledge: Among existing point dosemeters, very few are dedicated to both medium-energy X-rays and millimetric beams. Our work demonstrated that scintillating fibre dosemeters are suitable and promising tools for real-time dose measurements in the small animal field of interest.
Authors: P E Lindsay; P V Granton; A Gasparini; S Jelveh; R Clarkson; S van Hoof; J Hermans; J Kaas; F Wittkamper; J-J Sonke; F Verhaegen; D A Jaffray Journal: Med Phys Date: 2014-03 Impact factor: 4.071
Authors: G Delpon; A-M Frelin-Labalme; S Heinrich; V Beaudouin; C Noblet; M Begue; C Le Deroff; F Pouzoulet; S Chiavassa Journal: Cancer Radiother Date: 2016-02-05 Impact factor: 1.018