ΔOSI: a prototype microstrip dosimeter for characterization of medical radiotherapy and radiosurgery systems

As the technology for medical radiotherapy and radiosurgery evolves, there is a growing need for dosimeters capable of measuring dose distributions on-line with submillimeter spatial resolution, both for facility commissioning and patient-related quality assurance. We have designed and built a high spatial resolution dosimeter based on silicon micro-strip technology for characterization of small radiotherapy and radiosurgery fields. The aim is to provide relative dosimetry measurement with film-like spatial resolution and to be able to resolve the temporal evolution. Following the description of the prototypes, first beam test results of a 250 μm pitch, 128 channels prototype with X-rays in a clinical 6 MV accelerator are presented. The device demonstrated good dosimetric capabilities when compared to reference measurements made with ionization chambers and agrees with radiographic film in the steep dose gradient region produced by the collimator edge.