Film dosimetry using a smart device camera: a feasibility study for point dose measurements

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Dosimetry
• Imaging Technology

Background:

• Film dosimetry is crucial for radiation dose verification.
• Conventional dosimetry systems can be expensive and inaccessible.
• Smartphone imaging technology offers a potential low-cost alternative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of using a smartphone camera as a film dosimetry system.
• To develop and evaluate a smartphone-based pseudo-densitometer.
• To assess the accuracy and reproducibility of smartphone dosimetry compared to a flatbed scanner.

Main Methods:

• A light-tight box and smartphone camera were used in reflective transmission mode.
• Gafchromic EBT3 films were irradiated to doses up to 16.89 Gy.
• Dose response curves were created using smartphone RGB channels and compared to a flatbed scanner.

Main Results:

• The smartphone system demonstrated a dose response curve for Gafchromic EBT3 film.
• The red colour channel yielded the best results with an uncertainty of 2.4% at 2.5 Gy.
• Smartphone dosimetry uncertainties were higher than the flatbed scanner but showed promise.

Conclusions:

• Smartphone-based film dosimetry is a viable proof of concept.
• This method offers a potentially affordable solution for point dose measurements.
• It is particularly useful in resource-limited settings or when conventional systems are unavailable.