In vivo absorbed dose measurements in mammography using a new real-time luminescence technique

A dosimetry system based on radioluminescence (RL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) from carbon doped aluminium oxide (Al2O3:C) crystals was developed for in vivo absorbed dose measurements in mammography. A small cylindrical crystal of Al2O3:C (diameter 0.48 mm and length 2 mm) was coupled to the end of a 1 mm diameter optical fibre cable.

Owing to their small size and characteristic shape, these probes can be placed on the body surface in the field of view during the examination, without compromising the reading of the mammogram. Our new technique was tested with a mammography unit (Siemens Mammomat 3000) and screen-film technique over a range of clinically relevant X-ray energies.

The results were compared with those obtained from an ionization chamber usually used for the determination of absorbed dose in mammography. The reproducibility of measurements was around 3% (1 standard deviation) at 4.5 mGy for both RL and OSL data. The dose response was found to be linear between 4.5 mGy and 30 mGy.

The energy dependence of the system is around 18% between 23 kV and 35 kV. In vivo measurements were performed during three patient examinations. It was shown that entrance and exit doses could be measured. The presence of the small probes did not significantly interfere with the diagnostic quality of the images.

Entrance doses estimated by RL/OSL results agreed within 3% with entrance surface dose values calculated from the ionization chamber measurements. These results indicate a considerable potential for use in routine control and in vivo dose measurements in mammography.