Application of a diamond detector to brachytherapy dosimetry.

The feasibility of using a diamond detector for the dosimetry of brachytherapy sources has been investigated. A high-activity 192Ir source was selected for this purpose. The dosimetric characteristics measured included the photon fluence anisotropy in air, transverse dose profiles in planes parallel to the plane containing the HDR source and isodose distributions. The 'in-air' anisotropy of the photon fluence relative to seed orientation was measured at 5 and 10 cm from the source centre and compared with TLD measurements. Transverse dose distributions in planes parallel to the plane containing the source long axis were measured in a water phantom and compared with calculations performed with a treatment planning system. Isodose distributions were also measured in several planes around the 192Ir source. Measurements on two sources indicate that the 'in-air' photon fluence anisotropy measured by the diamond detector and the TLDs is very similar. Dose profiles measured at several distances from the source are also found to be in good agreement with the calculated dose profiles and isodose distributions. Results of this feasibility study indicate that the diamond detector, with its excellent spatial resolution and nearly tissue equivalent and isotropic radiation response, is an appropriate detector for dose measurements around brachytherapy sources.