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Investigation of ultrasonic properties of MAGIC gels for pulse-echo gel dosimetry

Investigation of ultrasonic properties of MAGIC gels for pulse-echo gel dosimetry
Investigation of ultrasonic properties of MAGIC gels for pulse-echo gel dosimetry
Ultrasound has been proposed as an alternative 3D method to read out dosimetric gels. The ultrasonic properties of MAGIC gel are investigated in relation to producing a dosimetry system based on a pulse-echo technique. The sound speed, attenuation coefficient, and density of MAGIC gel were measured over a range of temperatures and doses. A nonlinear relationship between ultrasonic attenuation and dose was observed, with the attenuation below 10 Gy being approximately constant. The sound speed was 1550.3 ± 1.5 m s?1 at 25 °C with a dose sensitivity of 0.14 ± 0.03 m s?1 Gy?1; both properties changed with temperature and were 1535.4 ± 0.8 m s?1 and ?0.08 ± 0.01 m s?1 Gy?1 respectively at 15 °C. The density also varied with temperature and dose, and was 1028.9 ± 0.3 kg m?3 with a dose sensitivity of 0.178 ± 0.004 kg m?3 Gy?1 at 26 °C. The characteristic acoustic impedance of MAGIC gel was calculated to be 1.596 × 106 kg m2 s?1 at 0 Gy and 25 °C. The dose sensitivities measured indicate that changes to the characteristic acoustic impedance caused by irradiation are small, and therefore a reflector that has a similar characteristic acoustic impedance is required to maximise sensitivity of the pulse-echo technique. A suitable material has been developed and the reflection characteristics of the interface between MAGIC gel and the reflector are also temperature dependent. It is concluded that temperature management will be central to the development of any practical pulse-echo dosimetry system.
1742-6588
12075
Atkins, T.J.
da84ab27-8dce-4acd-8513-9c3ef7d1b0c0
Humphrey, V.F.
23c9bd0c-7870-428f-b0dd-5ff158d22590
Duck, F.A.
a1178433-533c-4547-8710-3413f044a119
Tooley, M.A.
02cf5f59-029d-4c14-96a0-5aa57d6273d5
Atkins, T.J.
da84ab27-8dce-4acd-8513-9c3ef7d1b0c0
Humphrey, V.F.
23c9bd0c-7870-428f-b0dd-5ff158d22590
Duck, F.A.
a1178433-533c-4547-8710-3413f044a119
Tooley, M.A.
02cf5f59-029d-4c14-96a0-5aa57d6273d5

Atkins, T.J., Humphrey, V.F., Duck, F.A. and Tooley, M.A. (2010) Investigation of ultrasonic properties of MAGIC gels for pulse-echo gel dosimetry. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 250 (1), 12075. (doi:10.1088/1742-6596/250/1/012075).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Ultrasound has been proposed as an alternative 3D method to read out dosimetric gels. The ultrasonic properties of MAGIC gel are investigated in relation to producing a dosimetry system based on a pulse-echo technique. The sound speed, attenuation coefficient, and density of MAGIC gel were measured over a range of temperatures and doses. A nonlinear relationship between ultrasonic attenuation and dose was observed, with the attenuation below 10 Gy being approximately constant. The sound speed was 1550.3 ± 1.5 m s?1 at 25 °C with a dose sensitivity of 0.14 ± 0.03 m s?1 Gy?1; both properties changed with temperature and were 1535.4 ± 0.8 m s?1 and ?0.08 ± 0.01 m s?1 Gy?1 respectively at 15 °C. The density also varied with temperature and dose, and was 1028.9 ± 0.3 kg m?3 with a dose sensitivity of 0.178 ± 0.004 kg m?3 Gy?1 at 26 °C. The characteristic acoustic impedance of MAGIC gel was calculated to be 1.596 × 106 kg m2 s?1 at 0 Gy and 25 °C. The dose sensitivities measured indicate that changes to the characteristic acoustic impedance caused by irradiation are small, and therefore a reflector that has a similar characteristic acoustic impedance is required to maximise sensitivity of the pulse-echo technique. A suitable material has been developed and the reflection characteristics of the interface between MAGIC gel and the reflector are also temperature dependent. It is concluded that temperature management will be central to the development of any practical pulse-echo dosimetry system.

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Published date: 2010

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 172737
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/172737
ISSN: 1742-6588
PURE UUID: b5cdbf46-c1e1-443d-96c6-29e5fa5f5990
ORCID for V.F. Humphrey: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3580-5373

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Date deposited: 28 Jan 2011 11:43
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:48

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Contributors

Author: T.J. Atkins
Author: V.F. Humphrey ORCID iD
Author: F.A. Duck
Author: M.A. Tooley

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