Topological detector: measuring continuous dosimetric quantities with few-element detector array.

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Detection
• Quality Assurance

Background:

• Traditional detectors for radiation therapy can be complex and expensive.
• There is a need for high-resolution, cost-effective detectors for quality assurance in medical imaging and radiation therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a prototype topological detector for quality assurance of radiation-producing medical devices.
• To evaluate the detector's capability in verifying the positioning of radiation collimating devices.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a two-element topological detector from a segmented thin film strip.
• Digitization of signals from each element using a multichannel data acquisition system.
• Mathematical analysis relating signal differences and sums to collimator positions.

Main Results:

• The topological detector achieved high spatial resolution with a simple, cost-effective construction.
• Collimator positions were accurately measured with sub-millimeter precision.
• The detector demonstrated a clear relationship between signal outputs and x-ray field parameters.

Conclusions:

• A prototype topological detector is a viable tool for quality assurance in radiation-producing medical devices.
• The geometry-driven design enables high precision and cost-effectiveness.
• This technology can enhance the accuracy of radiation therapy equipment verification.