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Characterization of long-term dose stability of N-isopropylacrylamide polymer gel dosimetry

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Abstract

In this study, the detailed characteristics, including spatial uniformity, dose distributions, inter-batch variability, reproducibility, and long-term temporal stability, of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) polymer gel dosimeter were investigated. A commercial 10x fast optical computed tomography scanner (OCTOPUSTM-10×, MGS Research, Inc., Madison, CT, USA) was used to measure NIPAM polymer gel dosimeter. A cylindrical NIPAM gel phantom that measured 10 cm × 10 cm was irradiated via a single-field treatment plan with a field size of 4 cm × 4 cm. The maximum standard deviation of spatial uniformity for NIPAM gel was less than 0.29 %. The average standard deviation among the three batches of gel dosimeters was less than 1 %. The gamma pass rate could reach as high as 96.76 % when a 3 % dose difference and a 3 mm dose-to-agreement criteria were used. The long-term measurement of irradiated NIPAM gel dosimeter indicated that the dose maps attained a gradually stable value 15 h post-irradiation and remained stable until 72 h post-irradiation. The gamma pass rate could achieve a maximum value between 24 and 72 h post-irradiation. The edge enhancement effect that occurred around the irradiated region was observed 72 h post-irradiation. Thus, the results from this study suggest that NIPAM gel dosimeter should be measured approximately 24 h post-irradiation to reduce the occurrence of the edge enhancement effect.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the National Science Council of the Republic of China for financially supporting this research under Grant Nos. NSC 102-2314-B-166-003-, NSC 101-2314-B-166-005-, and NSC 99-2632-B-166-001-MY3.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management Information Systems, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, No. 666, Buzih Rd., Beitun District, Taichung City, 40601, Taiwan, ROC

    Y. J. Chang & C. H. Chen

  2. Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, No. 666, Buzih Rd., Beitun District, Taichung City, 40601, Taiwan, ROC

    Y. J. Chang

  3. Institute of Radiological Science, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, No. 666, Buzih Rd., Beitun District, Taichung City, 40601, Taiwan, ROC

    B. T. Hsieh

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  1. Y. J. Chang
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Correspondence to Y. J. Chang.

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Chang, Y.J., Chen, C.H. & Hsieh, B.T. Characterization of long-term dose stability of N-isopropylacrylamide polymer gel dosimetry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 301, 765–780 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3231-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3231-x

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