Fibre Optic Dosimeter
OwnerSimon Fleming, Justin Elsey +4inventors
InventorsSimon Fleming, Justin Elsey, Susan Law, Natalka Suchowerska, Jamil Lambert, David Robert McKenzie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dosimeter (100) for radiation fields is described. The dosimeter includes a scintillator (1) a light pipe (2) having a first end in optical communication with the scintillator (1) and a light detector (6). The light pipe (2) may have a hollow core (3) with a light reflective material about the periphery of the hollow core (3). The dosimeter (100) may further include a light source (61) that generates light for use as a calibrating signal for a measurement signal and/or for use to check the light pipe (2).
Claims27
1-61. (canceled)
A dosimeter for radiation fields, the dosimeter comprising:
- a scintillator;
- a light pipe having a first end in direct optical communication with the scintillator;
- and
- a detector to detect light output from a second end of the light pipe and to provide an output indicative of the intensity of the light signal received;
- wherein the light pipe comprises a hollow core with a light reflective material or structure about the periphery of the hollow core to reflect light within the hollow core and a barrier around the hollow core that reduces or prevents the entry into the hollow core of Cerenkov radiation generated in the light pipe.
The dosimeter of claim 2, wherein in use during measurement of a radiation dose applied for radiotherapy or brachytherapy, less than 2% Cerenkov radiation is present in a measurement signal from the scintillator.
A method of manufacturing a dosimeter, the method comprising connecting a light detector with a scintillator via a light pipe that comprises a large core, high numerical aperture light pipe with a hollow core that is bounded by a reflector, wherein the method further includes forming a barrier to the entry of Cerenkov radiation into the core of the light pipe, the barrier substantially formed by the reflector and/or by a material surrounding the reflector that exhibits a high attenuation of Cerenkov radiation, and wherein the scintillator is elongate and has a cross-sectional area approximately equal to or less than the cross-sectional area of the light pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.