Investigation of a TSEE dosimetry system for determination of dose in a cell monolayer

A prototype system for radiobiological studies has been investigated. It is based on thermally stimulated exoelectron emission (TSEE) detectors and can be used for precise determination of the absorbed dose in a live cell monolayer of several μm thickness. In the present study, five types of BeO detectors, different in structure and method of production, were tested in combination with a Geiger-Müller counter. The dose response and dose range, reproducibility and long-time stability of response, as well as the applicability in a simulated cell culture environment have been studied. The dose response was found to be linear over two orders of magnitude and limited by the counter resolution. However, by a variation of detector sensitivity, the whole dose range of interest for radiobiological experiments can be covered. The irradiation in a simulated cell environment was successful only for one detector type. The system performance was found to be limited by the variation in the system response for time periods longer than several hours, therefore, it is suitable for absolute dose measurement with calibrated detectors if reproducible laboratory conditions are provided.