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Simulation for improvement of system sensitivity of radiochromic film dosimetry with different band-pass filters and scanner light intensities

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Abstract

The delivered dose of high-energy photon beams is measured with radiochromic film. Previous studies sought to improve the system sensitivity of radiochromic film dosimetry by use of band-pass filters. However, band-pass filters reduce the scanning light intensity. To avoid a reduction of the signal-to-noise ratio, one must increase the scanner light intensity. Our purposes in this study were to develop an optical system model of GAFCHROMIC EBT2 radiochromic film dosimetry, and to estimate the system sensitivity characteristics by employing a combination of band-pass filters and scanner light intensities. The spectra of the scanner light source, band-pass filter, and irradiated EBT2 films were measured with a spectrometer. Meanwhile, the intensity of a light path from the scanner light source to the scanner detector was simulated. Then, the dose–response curves were computed with six simulated virtual band-pass filters of varying bandwidth. The simulated dose–response curves were in good agreement with the experimental values. The slope of the simulated dose–response curve was steeper when a filter of narrower bandwidth was used; however, at the same time, saturation was observed at a lower dose. For achieving the same dose response as was observed without a band-pass filter, it was necessary to increase the scanner light intensity. We proved that our proposed optical system model was valid, suggesting that a realistic simulation may be feasible with the proposed model. For improvement of the system sensitivity of radiochromic film dosimetry, it is necessary to select a well-balanced combination of band-pass filter and scanner light intensity.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (Grant No. 20229009). This study was presented at the 99th Scientific Congress of the Japan Society of Medical Physics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

    Takeshi Kamomae & Akio Itoh

  2. Division of Clinical Radiology Service, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoin-Kawaharacho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8397, Japan

    Takeshi Kamomae, Manabu Nakata, Shinsuke Yano & Toru Takakura

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology and Image-applied Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 54 Kawahara-Cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan

    Yuki Miyabe, Akira Sawada, Takashi Mizowaki & Masahiro Hiraoka

  4. Department of Systems Science, Graduate School of System Informatics, Kobe University, Rokkodai 1-1, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan

    Osamu Matoba

Authors
  1. Takeshi Kamomae
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  2. Yuki Miyabe
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Correspondence to Akira Sawada.

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Kamomae, T., Miyabe, Y., Sawada, A. et al. Simulation for improvement of system sensitivity of radiochromic film dosimetry with different band-pass filters and scanner light intensities. Radiol Phys Technol 4, 140–147 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12194-011-0113-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12194-011-0113-6

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