Dosimetry with gafchromic films based on a new micro-opto-electro-mechanical system

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiotherapy Technology
• Dosimetry

Background:

• Traditional radiochromic film dosimetry involves time-consuming analysis.
• Real-time in situ dosimetry is crucial for optimizing radiotherapy treatments.
• Existing methods lack immediate feedback for dose verification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a new Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical system (MOEMS) for real-time, in situ dosimetry evaluation.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of using MOEMS with radiochromic films for immediate dose assessment.
• To overcome the time-delay limitations of conventional radiochromic film analysis.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel MOEMS device integrating optical sensors (LEDs, photodetectors).
• Customized electronic circuitry and graphical user interface for direct optical measurements.
• Testing the MOEMS system with Gafchromic EBT3 films in a low-energy proton cyclotron.

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of the MOEMS system's capability for in situ dose evaluations.
• Radiochromic films were effectively used as active sensors with the MOEMS device.
• Feasibility of real-time dosimetry using films and the new optical sensing technology was confirmed.

Conclusions:

• The developed MOEMS system enables real-time, in situ dosimetry with radiochromic films.
• This technology addresses the critical need for immediate feedback in radiotherapy.
• Further integration aims to create fully active detectors for enhanced clinical radiotherapy verification.