Evaluation of three-dimensional polymer gel dosimetry using X-ray CT and R2 MRI

It is difficult to obtain images of thin slices from measurement of spin–spin relaxation (R2) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using the traditional dose reading method of polymer gel dosimetry. In this study, the dose reading method was performed using X-ray computed tomography (CT) for proton beam measurements in order to enable collection of thin slices. In addition, three-dimensional (3D) images of polymer gels were constructed using volume rendering. As a result of acquisition of thin slices, more detailed 3D data consisting of smaller voxel sizes compared to R2 were acquired. However, it was found that with thin slice thicknesses and small voxels, the signal-to-noise ratio around the voxels deteriorated. In addition, the coefficient of variation of non-irradiated gels with CT was smaller than that with R2 MRI. ► Polymer gel dosimetry for proton beam using an X-ray CT scanner was performed.► It is possible to acquire images which data collection of thin slices using CT.► The results which reconstructed 3D images using VR was shown.► Reading method of gel using CT was available to measure 3D dose distribution.► However, we found that at thin small voxel, the SNR around voxels deteriorated.