Preliminary results from a polymer gel dosimeter for absorbed dose imaging in radiotherapy

The reliability for radiotherapy applications of a normoxic-polymer gel dosimeter, analysed by means of optical methods, was studied. The optical transmittance was measured with a spectrophotometer and imaged with a CCD camera. The characteristics of sensitivity, spatial resolution, image stability, linearity of the response and reproducibility were investigated and analysed. Radiation induces a radical polymerisation in the gel matrix and the resulting macromolecules remain fixed in space making therefore possible the absorbed dose imaging.