title: A basic study of some normoxic polymer gel dosimeters.
abstract: Polymer gel dosimeters offer a wide range of potential applications in the three-dimensional verification of complex dose distribution such as in intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Until now, however, polymer gel dosimeters have not been widely used in the clinic. One of the reasons is that they are difficult to manufacture. As the polymerization in polymer gels is inhibited by oxygen, all free oxygen has to be removed from the gels. For several years this was achieved by bubbling nitrogen through the gel solutions and by filling the phantoms in a glove box that is perfused with nitrogen. Recently another gel formulation was proposed in which oxygen is bound in a metallo-organic complex thus removing the problem of oxygen inhibition. The proposed gel consists of methacrylic acid, gelatin, ascorbic acid, hydroquinone and copper(II)sulphate and is given the acronym MAGIC gel dosimeter. These gels are fabricated under normal atmospheric conditions and are therefore called 'normoxic' gel dosimeters. In this study, a chemical analysis on the MAGIC gel was performed. The composition of the gel was varied and its radiation response was evaluated. The role of different chemicals and the reaction kinetics are discussed. It was found that ascorbic acid alone was able to bind the oxygen and can thus be used as an anti-oxidant in a polymer gel dosimeter. It was also found that the anti-oxidants N-acetyl-cysteine and tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium were effective in scavenging the oxygen. However, the rate of oxygen scavenging is dependent on the anti-oxidant and its concentration with tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium being the most reactive anti-oxidants. Potentiometric oxygen measurements in solution provide an easy way to get a first impression on the rate of oxygen scavenging. It is shown that cupper(II)sulphate operates as a catalyst in the oxidation of ascorbic acid. We, therefore, propose some new normoxic gel formulations that have a less complicated chemical formulation than the MAGIC gel.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical, Health and Environmental Physics, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. y.dedeene@qut.edu.au
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: De Deene
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Venning
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vergote
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mather
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Healy
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baldock
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D010710:Phosphates / Q000494:pharmacology; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D010710:Phosphates; D011108:Polymers; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D010100:Oxygen; D000111:Acetylcysteine