Effect of inorganic salts and glucose additives on dose-response, melting point and mass density of genipin gel dosimeters.
Genipin gel dosimeters are hydrogels infused with a radiation-sensitive material which yield dosimetric information in three dimensions (3D). The effect of inorganic salts and glucose on the visible absorption dose-response, melting points and mass density of genipin gel dosimeters has been experimentally evaluated using 6-MV LINAC photons. As a result, the addition of glucose with optimum concentration of 10% (w/w) was found to improve the thermal stability of the genipin gel and increase its melting point (Tm) by 6 °C accompanied by a slight decrease of dose-response. Furthermore, glucose helps to adjust the gel mass density to obtain the desired tissue-equivalent properties. A drop of Tm was observed when salts were used as additives. As the salt concentration increased, gel Tm decreased. The mass density and melting point of the genipin gel could be adjusted using different amounts of glucose that improved the genipin gel suitability for 3D dose measurements without introducing additional toxicity to the final gel.
School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Penang, Malaysia. Electronic address: aljarrah8@yahoo.com.
A M
AM
Al-jarrah
School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Penang, Malaysia.
Azhar
A
Abdul Rahman
School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Penang, Malaysia.
Iskandar
I
Shahrim
School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Penang, Malaysia.
Nik Noor Ashikin Nik Ab
NN
Razak
School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Penang, Malaysia.
Baker
B
Ababneh
School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Penang, Malaysia.
Ehsan Taghizadeh
ET
Tousi
D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005782:Gels; D005947:Glucose / Q000737:chemistry*; D039823:Iridoids / Q000737:chemistry*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D017785:Photons; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D012492:Salts / Q000737:chemistry*; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D005782:Gels; D039823:Iridoids; D012492:Salts; D014867:Water; C007834:genipin; D005947:Glucose
Additives; Genipin gel dosimeters; Mass density; Melting point