Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Visualization of Low-Level Gamma Radiation Sources Using a Low-Cost, High-Sensitivity, Omnidirectional Compton Camera
Published on: January 30, 2020
Coumarin chemical dosimeter for radiation therapy
A K Collins1, G M Makrigiorgos, G K Svensson
1Harvard Medical School, Radiation Oncology Department, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
Abstract:
Aqueous coumarin was investigated as a possible dosimeter for radiation therapy applications. Coumarin-3-carboxylic acid in aqueous solutions converts upon irradiation to the highly fluorescent 7-hydroxy-coumarin-3-carboxylic acid. The intensity of the fluorescence signal is linearly proportional to the number of the formed 7-hydroxy-coumarin-3-carboxylic acid molecules, which in turn is proportional to the radiation-absorbed dose. Basic characterization of the dosimetric properties (linearity with dose, energy and dose-rate dependence, postirradiation stability, and reproducibility) was performed. The system exhibits nearly linear behavior with dose, in the range of 0.1 to 50 Gy, is stable for at least 166 days following the irradiation, is reproducible within the same solution (+/- 2%) and is energy independent for 6- to 15-MV x-ray energies. A reduction of 18% of the fluorescence signal was observed by changing the dose rate from 0.8 to 4 Gy/min. The origin of the dose-rate effect was investigated and attributed to impurities, predominantly transition metal ions. Removing the impurities by recrystallization of the coumarin and using ultrahigh-purity water reduced the dose-rate dependency to less than 4% in the examined dose-rate range (0.8-4 Gy/min).
Related Concept Videos
Biological Effects of Radiation
Dosage Regimen: Fixed Dose
Fixed-dose regimens can be used for various routes of administration, including intravenous (IV) injections and oral medications. For IV administration, a predetermined amount of the drug is...
Imaging Studies II: Positron Emission Tomography and Scintigraphy
Fundamental Principles of PET
Dosage Regimens: Partial Pharmacokinetic Parameters
Dose Size and Dosing Frequency: Determination Methods
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Overview and Classification

