Reduced dose uncertainty in MRI-based polymer gel dosimetry using parallel RF transmission with multiple RF sources

In this work, we present the feasibility of using a parallel RF transmit with multiple RF sources imaging method (MultiTransmit imaging) in polymer gel dosimetry. Image quality and B₁ field homogeneity was statistically better in the MultiTransmit imaging method than in conventional single source RF transmission imaging method. In particular, the standard uncertainty of R ₂ was lower on the MultiTransmit images than on the conventional images. Furthermore, the MultiTransmit measurement showed improved dose resolution. Improved image quality and B₁ homogeneity results in reduced dose uncertainty, thereby suggesting the feasibility of MultiTransmit MR imaging in gel dosimetry.     

Novel polymer gel dosimeters based on N-Vinylcaprolactam for medical dosimetry

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - A New polymer gel dosimeter containing N-Vinylcaprolactam monomer was prepared for radiotherapy. A medical linear accelerator was used to...     

Three-dimensional polymer gel dosimetry: basic physical properties of the dosimeter

This study concentrated on assessment of the basic physical properties of a polymer gel dosimeter evaluated by NMR. For this, BANG-2 type polymer gel was prepared. The dosimeters were irradiated by ⁶⁰Co gamma photons and by 4, 6 and 18 MV X-ray photons for doses in the range 0–50 Gy. The multi-echo CPMG sequence was used for the evaluation of T₂-relaxation times in the irradiated gel dosimeters. Dependence of 1/T₂ in terms of the following factors was studied: absorbed dose, energy of applied radiation, temperature during NMR evaluation, time between irradiation and NMR evaluation and strength of the magnetic field. An exponential dependence of the 1/T₂ response on absorbed dose in the range 0–50 Gy was observed, while in the range 0–10 Gy the data could be fitted by a linear function. This paper also describes the dependence of 1/T₂ response on: radiation energy, strength of magnetic field and time from irradiation of the dosimeters to NMR evaluation. Increase of gel dosimeter 1/T₂ response with the decrease of the temperature during NMR evaluation has been qantitatively described. The polymer gel dosimetry system used in this study proved that it is a reliable system for three-dimensional dose distribution measurement.     

Non-radiative energy transfer in N-isopropylacrylamide gel

Non-radiative energy transfer from donor to acceptor probes attached to the network chains of an N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) gel was investigated in water at various temperatures through fluorescence spectrum measurements. Naphthalene or biphenyl was used as a donor, and pyrene as an acceptor. Two types of doubly labeled NIPA gels (NIPA/2-vinylnaphthalene/pyrenylacrylamide and NIPA/4-vinylbiphenyl/pyrenylacrylamide) were prepared by copolymerization. The non-radiative transfer was observed for both gels. The ratio of emission intensity from donor to that from acceptor was strongly dependent on temperature, which indicates that the non-radiative energy transfer in doubly labeled NIPA gels could be controlled by means of the volume change with temperature.     

Effect of inorganic salt on the dose sensitivity of polymer gel dosimeter

The effect of inorganic salts, non-transition metal chlorides, on the dose sensitivity of methacrylic-acid-based polymer gel dosimeter is investigated. Dose-R₂ responses are obtained from magnetic resonance imaging data. Temperature increase due to exothermic polymerization reaction in the gel is also measured directly during irradiation. As a result, substantial increases in R₂ response are observed in the polymer gel dosimeter containing inorganic salt, especially with MgCl₂. The sensitivity of the gel with 1.0 M MgCl₂ is approximately 2.8 times higher than that of without MgCl₂. As the salt concentration increases, an increase of polymerization rate is also observed via the temperature measurements. These results indicate that inorganic salt acts as an accelerator for radiation-induced free-radical polymerization in methacrylic-acid-based gel.     

Evaluation of dose rate and photon energy dependence of PASSAG polymer gel dosimeter

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - In the current study, dose rate and photon energy dependence of PASSAG gel dosimeter is evaluated by using MRI technique. The gel samples were...     

Cationic and anionic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) based submicron gel particles: electrokinetic properties and colloidal stability

A cationic and an anionic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (poly(NIPAM)) microgel latex were synthesized via batch radical polymerization under emulsifier-free conditions. The hydrodynamic properties, colloidal stability, and electrokinetic characteristics of these two samples were studied. The hydrodynamic particle size variation was discussed by considering the effect of salinity and temperature on the shrinkage of the thermally sensitive polymer domains. The colloidal stability also depended on temperature and electrolyte concentration. A stability diagram with two well-defined domains (stable and unstable) was obtained. The flow from one domain to the other was fully reversible due to the peculiar (de)hydration properties of the polymer. The electrokinetic behavior, which depends on electrical and frictional properties of the particles, was analyzed via electrophoretic mobility measurements. Results were discussed by considering both the particle structure dependence on temperature and salinity, and the electric double layer compression. In addition, the electrophoretic mobility data were analyzed using Ohshima's equations for particles covered by an ion-penetrable surface charged layer, as well as using another simpler equation for charges located on a hydrodynamic equivalent hard sphere. Differences between the properties of both latexes were justified by the presence of a hydrophilic comonomer, aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride (AEMH), in the cationic microgel.     

A study of dose verification and comparison for complex irradiation field with high dose rate radiation by using a 3D N-isopropylacrylamide gel dosimeter

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - This study aimed to investigate dosimeter characteristics by using a photon beam with and without the flattening filter of intensity-modulated...     

Radiochromic gel dosemeter for three-dimensional dosimetry

A gel dosemeter in which ionising radiation causes a colour change was produced by modifying an existing Fricke gel system. This allows a more convenient preparation procedure and gives a better quality dosimetric system for three-dimensional (3-D) dose measurements. The role of three active components of the Ferrous sulphate Xylenol orange Gelatin (FXG) gel dosemeter is quantified with special consideration of their effect on system sensitivity and stability. The optimal composition was found to be 0.5 mM ferrous sulphate, 0.1 mM xylenol orange and 25 mM sulphuric acid. The dose response is linear in the range 0.1–30 Gy. The FXG sensitivity, derived from the gradient of the dose response curve, was found to be ΔA=0.084 cm⁻¹ Gy⁻¹, where A is the optical absorption coefficient at a wavelength of 585 nm, with reproducibility and 24 h stability of better than 5%.     

Preliminary results from a polymer gel dosimeter for absorbed dose imaging in radiotherapy

The reliability for radiotherapy applications of a normoxic-polymer gel dosimeter, analysed by means of optical methods, was studied. The optical transmittance was measured with a spectrophotometer and imaged with a CCD camera. The characteristics of sensitivity, spatial resolution, image stability, linearity of the response and reproducibility were investigated and analysed. Radiation induces a radical polymerisation in the gel matrix and the resulting macromolecules remain fixed in space making therefore possible the absorbed dose imaging.     

Preparation of filled temperature-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gel beads

Temperature-sensitive filled poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) gel beads with diameters in the range of millimeters were prepared using the alginate technique. The polymerization and cross-linking reaction of NIPAAm in the presence of inorganic filling particles was performed in spherical networks of Ca-alginate forming interpenetrating networks (IPN). Thermo-sensitive gel beads could be obtained by washing these IPN with EDTA solution. The PNIPAAm gel beads were analyzed by optical methods to observe there swollen diameter in dependence on the temperature. The diameters of the swollen gel beads were in the range of 0.1 - 2 mm. The influence of the monomer to cross-linker ratio (MCR) and the filling materials (ferrofluid, BaTiO₃, TiO₂, and Ni,) were studied. The phase transition temperature (T_pt) was only weakly influenced by the MCR and the filling material remaining at around 34°C.     

CO2 laser-controlled transmission of visible light in N-isopropylacrylamide gel

The transmission of visible laser light through the N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) gel has been measured under the influence of an applied co-axial CO₂ infrared laser beam. It is found that the transmission can be controlled by adjusting the infrared laser power. The change of the transmission of the visible light as the infrared laser is turned on and off is completely reversible. The response time required for the change of the transmission is much faster than that required for the change of gel volume. Since the response time is short, the sample cell temperature remains almost constant during the infrared laser on-and-off cycles. The experimental results have been explained in terms of spinodal decomposition theory.     

Characterization of thermo-oxidative stability of polymer optical fibers using chemiluminescence technique

The thermo-oxidative stability of commercially available polymer optical fibers (POFs) and their components (cores and claddings) was investigated. All the bare POFs (core and cladding only) studied here were based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) core. The fibers were exposed to 100 °C/low humidity for about 4200 h. Chemiluminescence (CL) technique was applied to investigate the thermo-oxidative stability and for measuring the transmission loss during exposure a prototype device called multiplexer was used. POFs exhibited variation in thermo-oxidative stability although they possessed identical core material PMMA. This was due to difference in the chemical compositions of claddings. Claddings were more susceptible to the thermo-oxidative degradation compared to cores. The thermo-oxidative degradation of both the cladding and the core was found in POFs as a result of climatic exposure. POFs showed an early drop-off followed by a slow decline of transmission. The early drop-off of transmission was attributed to physical changes like thermal expansion and the slow decline of transmission to chemical changes like oxidative degradation of POFs. A good linear relationship between optical transmission stability and thermo-oxidative stability of POFs was established from these studies.     

Drying dissipative structures of thermosensitive gel spheres of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide). Influence of gel size

Drying dissipative patterns of de-ionized suspensions (colloidal crystal-state at high concentrations) of the thermosensitive gels of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) with various sizes (ca. 400–1,500?nm in diameter at 20?°C) were observed at 20 and 45?°C on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a Petri glass dish. The broad rings were observed and their size decreased as gel concentration decreased. Formation of the monodispersed agglomerated particles and their ordered arrays were observed irrespective of gel size. The macroscopic flickering spoke-like patterns were observed for the gel spheres from 70 to 600?nm in diameter at 20?°C, but almost disappeared for extremely large spheres, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(1500-5). This work clarified the formation of the drying microscopic structures of (a) ordered rings, (b) flickering ordered spoke lines, (c) net structure, and (d) lattice-like ordered structures of the agglomerated particles. The ordered rings became rather vague as gel size increased. The large net structures formed so often for large gels. Size effect on the lattice patterns was not recognized so clearly. The role of the electrical double layers around the agglomerated particles and the interaction of the particles with the substrate surfaces during dryness are important for the ordering. The microscopic drying patterns of gel spheres were quite different from those of linear type polymers and also from typical colloidal hard spheres, though the macroscopic patterns such as broad ring formation at the edges of the dried film were similar to each other.     

DTPA-PNIPAAm的合成及热敏性研究

热敏水溶性高分子聚(N-异丙基丙烯酰胺)(PNIPAAm)在水溶液中有最低临界溶液温度(LCST).当温度在LCST附近发生变化时,PNIPAAm可发生逆相转变.基于该特性,可通过PNIPAAm将放射性治疗核素运输到病变组织通过射线杀灭病变细胞.通过4,4′-偶氮二(氰戊酸)、乙二胺、二乙三胺五乙酸酐(DTPAA)、N-异丙基丙烯酰胺合成了带DTPA端基的PNIPAAm,合成的DTPA-PNIPAAm保持了与PNIPAAm相似的LCST.本文的工作为PNIPAAm运输金属治疗核素奠定了基础.     

聚N-异丙基丙烯酰胺接枝聚苯乙烯高分子刷的构象

当长链高分子高密度接枝到一个表面上时,由于分子链间的相互作用使得接枝的高分子链扩张而形成伸直链的构象,这种形态被称为高分子刷.     

Crosslinked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gel for electrophoretic separation and recovery of substances

Crosslinked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gel was tested on the feasibility for a preparative electrophoretic matrix. Horse heart myoglobin and bovine hemoglobin were well separated on the gel matrix electrophoretically by molecular sieving effect of the gel network. Relative mobilities of those proteins in the gel were larger than those in a crosslinked polyacrylamide gel of the same polymer concentration. After the separation, the protein-containing portion of the gel underwent swelling at 4°C and deswelling at 37°C, alternatively. As a result of the deswelling, each protein was recovered in a discharged solution out of the gel at almost 100% yield.     

Lattice model for polymer hydration: collapse of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) in dilute aqueous solution undergoes a collapse transition from coil to globule on increasing temperature. Such coil-to-globule collapse is usually considered analogous to the cold renaturation of small globular proteins. In this paper we propose a theoretical approach that is able to reproduce, in a semi-quantitative way, the unusual behavior of PNIPAM, and the observed thermodynamic properties. The procedure is based on two main steps: (i) the characterization of single monomer hydration thermodynamics, interpreted by a balance between the removal of monomer-monomer interactions and the addition of water-monomer interactions, and (ii) a simplified analysis of a lattice self-avoiding walk (SAW) model, which allows to account for the configurational entropy in a controlled way, and hence to relate the microscopic interactions to the “macroscopic” behavior of the polymer chain. The results show that the temperature dependence and magnitude of the interaction parameters that best fit experimental data validate a recently proposed qualitative interpretation of the mechanism of collapse transition for PNIPAM. The latter result turns out to be relevant to support the analogy with the cold renaturation of small globular proteins, and to clarify some important aspects of protein thermodynamics.