ESR dosimetry with lithium, potassium, and sodium compounds

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Materials Science
• Radiation Dosimetry

Background:

• Electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry is crucial for radiation measurement.
• Developing novel materials with tissue-equivalent properties and high sensitivity is essential for accurate dosimetry.
• Existing dosimeters may have limitations in specific applications or retrospective dosimetry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate novel materials for electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry up to 5 Gy.
• To evaluate radiological properties, dose sensitivity, and signal stability of candidate materials.
• To identify potential new materials for retrospective or specialized dosimetry applications.

Main Methods:

• Analyzed 16 lithium, potassium, and sodium compounds for ESR dosimetry potential.
• Evaluated effective atomic number and mass attenuation coefficient for tissue equivalence.
• Assessed ESR signal dependence on dose, sensitivity to ~5 Gy X-ray irradiation, and signal stability over 30 days.

Main Results:

• Sodium formate, sodium acetate, sodium citrate, and sodium dithionite showed eligible characteristics.
• Sodium formate, sodium acetate, and sodium citrate demonstrated higher radiation sensitivity than other new materials.
• Sodium citrate and sodium formate exhibited high signal stability (~3% fading in 30 days), comparable to lithium formate.

Conclusions:

• Sodium citrate exhibits promising properties for ESR dosimetry, including tissue-equivalent radiological characteristics and excellent signal stability.
• Several sodium compounds, including sodium formate, sodium acetate, and sodium dithionite, show potential for ESR dosimetry applications.
• This study identifies sodium citrate as a particularly promising new material for ESR dosimetry.