Use of water-equivalent plastic scintillator for intravascular brachytherapy dosimetry

Beta irradiation has recently been investigated as a possible technique for the prevention of restenosis in intravascular brachytherapy after balloon dilatation or stent implantation. Present methods of beta radiation dosimetry are primarily conducted using radiochromic film. These film dosimeters exhibit limited sensitivity and their characteristics differ from those of tissue, therefore the dose measurement readings require correction factors to be applied. In this work a novel, mini-size (2 mm diameter by 5 mm long) dosimeter element fabricated from Organic Plastic Scintillator (OPS) material was employed. Scintillation photon detection is accomplished using a precision photodiode and innovative signal amplification and processing techniques, rather than traditional photomultiplier tube methods. A significant improvement in signal to noise ratio, dynamic range and stability is achieved using this set-up. In addition, use of the non-saturating organic plastic scintillator material as the detector enables the dosimeter to measure beta radiation at very close distances to the source. In this work the plastic scintillators have been used to measure beta radiation dose at distances of less than 1 mm from an Sr-90 cardiovascular brachytherapy source having an activity of about 2.1 GBq beta radiation levels for both depth-distance and longitudinal profile of the source pellet chain, both in air and in liquid water, are measured using this system. The data obtained is compared with results from Monte Carlo simulation technique (MCNP 4B). Plastic scintillator dosimeter elements, when used in conjunction with photodiode detectors may prove to be useful dosimeters for cardiovascular brachytherapy beta sources, or other applications where precise near-source field dosimetry is required. The system described is particularly useful where measurement of actual dose rate in real time, a high level of stability and repeatability, portability, and immediate access to results are prime requirements.