Faculty, Staff and Student Publications
Publication Date
3-1-2025
Journal
Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics
Abstract
Purpose: In vivo dosimetry is a common requirement to validate dose accuracy/uniformity in total body irradiation (TBI). Several detectors can be used for in vivo dosimetry, including thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), diodes, ion chambers, optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs), and film. TLDs are well established for use in vivo but required expertise and clinical system availability may make them impractical for multifractionated TBI. OSLDs offer quick readout, but recalls have restricted their use. The purpose of this work was to validate the newly available Gafchromic EBT4 film for TBI in vivo dosimetry.
Methods: Film calibration curves were created under standard conditions (6MV/15MV, 1.5/3.0 cm depth, 100 cm source-to-surface distance (SSD), 10 × 10 cm2 field), and films were scanned at several time points (0.5-24 h) to determine the shortest development time that yielded accurate dose measurements. 4 × 4 cm2 films were placed under 1.5 cm thick bolus on the anterior and posterior sides of a solid water phantom to measure entrance and exit dose under TBI conditions (∼600 cm SSD, 39.5 × 39.5 cm2 field, 6 MV/15 MV). These measurements were compared to ion chamber and diode readings for validation. Film measurements were also compared to OSLD measurements for three TBI patients.
Results: The shortest development time that resulted in accurate dosimetry and allowed for adequate physician review time was 4 h (± 4% dose accuracy). Film entrance and exit dose measurements were within ± 3.8% of ion chamber and diode readings for 6MV and 15MV beams. Patient film measurements were within ∼ ± 5% for the majority of anatomical measurement locations; however, film and OSLD readings for some anatomic locations deviated by > 10%.
Conclusions: These results indicate that EBT4 film can be utilized for accurate in vivo dosimetry for TBI patients and shows good agreement with diode and ion chamber measurements. Further investigation into film and OSLD differences was not possible due to OSLD recalls.
Keywords
Film Dosimetry, Whole-Body Irradiation, Humans, Phantoms, Imaging, Calibration, Radiotherapy Dosage, Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted, Thermoluminescent Dosimetry, EBT4, gafchromic film, in vivo dosimetry, TBI, total body irradiation
DOI
10.1002/acm2.14574
PMID
39611814
PMCID
PMC11905243
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
11-29-2024
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Published Open-Access
yes
Included in
Bioinformatics Commons, Biomedical Informatics Commons, Genetic Phenomena Commons, Health and Medical Physics Commons, Medical Genetics Commons, Oncology Commons