Radiation interaction impact on environment and technology

Abstract

One of profiles of our group is scientific, technological and medical applications of ionizing radiation. Currently we are focused on the development of the new methods for patient dose assessment in radiation therapy and new nanostructured materials for commercial application in radiation detectors and Pb free radiation protection equipment. We are pioneering in starting verification of in vivo doses in interstitial catheter based high dose rate brachytherapy when catheters are preimplanted direct into the cancerous tumor. For this purpose we are using a complex of (well-known and new developed ) experimental dosimetry methods: Metal – Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor detectors, thermoluminescent dosimeters (special „pin worms“ and rods, having diameter ~1mm or less, to fit into catheter), film dosimetry (radiographic and Gafchromic films and special method for their evaluation), gel dosimetry and simple pixel based method for dose evaluation in irradiated gels. It is also to point out that the reliability of all methods is validated performing uncertainty evaluation tests. Experimental verification of theoretical patient doses calculated using standard treatment planning system alow avoiding certain patient irradiation mistakes. Now we are working on development of new polymeric gels for dosimetry that provide visual information on radiation induced polymerisation due to irradiation doses applied, are sensitive to small (0.01 or 0.1 Gy) dose variations, are stable for at least one year. In paralell we are developing optical methods for dose assessment since gel evaluation in MRI modality, which is usual for this assessment, is time consuming and expensive. [...].