A Convenient System for Film Dosimetry Using NIH-image Software

An accurate measurement of dose distribution is indispensable to perform radiation therapy planning. A measurement technique using a radiographic film, which is called a film dosimetry, is widely used because it is easy to obtain a dose distribution with a good special resolution. In this study, we tried to develop an analyzing system for the film dosimetry using usual office automation equipments such as a personal computer and an image scanner. A film was sandwiched between two solid water phantom blocks (30 ${\times}$ 30 ${\times}$ 15cm). The film was exposed with Cobalt-60 ${\gamma}$-ray whose beam axis was parallel to the film surface. The density distribution on the exposed film was stored in a personal computer through an image scanner (8bits) and the film density was shown as the digital value with NIH-image software. Isodose curves were obtained from the relationship between the digital value and the absorbed dose calculated from percentage depth dose and absorbed dose at the reference point. The isodose curves were also obtained using an Isodose plotter, for reference. The measurements were carried out for 31cGy (exposure time: 120seconds) and 80cGy (exposure time: 300seconds) at the reference point. While the isodose curves obtained with our system were drawn up to 60% dose range for the case of 80cGy, the isodose curves could be drawn up to 80% dose range for the case of 31cGy. Furthermore, the isodose curves almost agreed with that obtained with the isodose plotter in low dose range. However, further improvement of our system is necessary in high dose range.