Title: NIST Develops Advanced Remote Sensing Methods for Accurate Radiation Dose Measurement
Summary:
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is developing innovative remote sensing methods for precise radiation dose measurement in water, which is crucial for cancer treatment and general radiation dosimetry. The project explores the use of ultrasound and laser interferometry to image dose distributions in irradiated water phantoms.
Ultrasound Method:
– A single-transducer, pulse-echo system was developed to detect sub-milliKelvin temperature changes in water irradiated by Co-60 beams
– A circular transducer array was created for tomographic imaging of temperature distributions under high-dose irradiation from accelerators and medical linear accelerators
– Current efforts focus on improving data acquisition and image processing rates
Laser Interferometry Method:
– Initial estimates showed laser interferometry could be an order of magnitude more sensitive than ultrasound for detecting radiation-induced temperature changes
– A simple Michelson setup was used to measure temperature rise in water exposed to 12 MeV electron beams
– Current efforts focus on improving signal stability and noise reduction through interferometer setup modifications and image processing algorithm improvements
The development of these advanced remote sensing methods has the potential to significantly improve the accuracy and reliability of radiation dose measurements, benefiting cancer treatment and other applications requiring precise dosimetry.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/programs-projects/basic-metrology-remote-sensing-methods-imaging-dose-water
Keywords: Temperature dependence, Ultrasound, Laser interferometry, Remote sensing, Phase-sensitive detection
