Nuove frontiere per la dosimetria ESR per fasci clinici di fotoni ed elettroni: i composti fenolici IRGANOX® 1076. (Characterization of phenolic solid state pellets for ESR dosimetry with radio-therapeutic photon and electron beams)

This work deals with the dosimetric features of a particular phenolic compound (IRGANOX 1076®) for dosimetry of clinical photon and electron beams by using Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. After the optimization of the ESR readout parameters (namely modulation amplitude and microwave power) to maximise the signal without excessive spectrum distortions, basic dosimetric properties of laboratory-made phenolic dosimeters in pellet form, such as reproducibility, dose-response, sensitivity, linearity and dose rate dependence were investigated. The dosimeters were tested by measuring the depth dose profile of a 6 MV photon beam. A satisfactory intra-batch reproducibility of the ESR signal of the manufactured dosimeters was obtained. The analysis of the ESR signal as function of absorbed dose highlights that the response of this material is linear in the dose range investigated (1-13 Gy) and is independent of the beam energy. The presence of an intrinsic background signal limits the minimum detectable dose to a value of approximately 0.7 Gy. Reliable and accurate assessment of the dose was achieved, independently of the dose rate. Such characteristics, together with the fact that IRGANOX 1076® is almost tissue-equivalent, and the stability of the ESR signal, make these dosimeters promising materials for ESR dosimetric applications in radiotherapy.