| Institution: | 1.Department of Physics,Università degli Studi di Milano and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare–Sezione di Milano,Milan,Italy;2.Medical Physics Department,Hospital ARNAS-Civico,Palermo,Italy;3.Department of Physics and Chemistry,Università degli Studi di Palermo,Palermo,Italy;4.Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare–Sezione di Catania,Catania,Italy;5.Department of Chemistry,Università degli Studi di Pavia and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare–Sezione di Pavia,Pavia,Italy;6.Department of Physics and Astronomy, PH3DRA Laboratories,Università degli Studi di Catania,Catania,Italy;7.Medical Physics Department,Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Maggiore della Carità,Novara,Italy;8.Advanced Technologies Network Center (ATeN Center),Università degli Studi di Palermo,Palermo,Italy |
| Abstract: | This work deals with the dosimetric features of a particular phenolic compound (IRGANOX 1076®) for dosimetry of clinical photon beams by using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. After the optimization of the ESR readout parameters (namely modulation amplitude and microwave power) to maximise the signal without excessive spectrum distortions, basic dosimetric properties of laboratory-made phenolic dosimeters in pellet form, such as reproducibility, dose–response, sensitivity, linearity and dose rate dependence were investigated. The dosimeters were tested by measuring the depth dose profile of a 6 MV photon beam. A satisfactory intra-batch reproducibility of the ESR signal of the manufactured dosimeters was obtained. The ESR signal proved to increase linearly with increasing dose in the investigated dose range 1–13 Gy. The presence of an intrinsic background signal limits the minimum detectable dose to a value of approximately 0.6 Gy. Reliable and accurate assessment of the dose was achieved, independently of the dose rate. Such characteristics, together with the fact that IRGANOX 1076® is almost tissue-equivalent, and the stability of the ESR signal, make these dosimeters promising materials for ESR dosimetric applications in radiotherapy. |
