Development and efficacy testing of a new optically stimulated luminescence ring dosimeter and algorithm

Abstract For some special radiation practices, such as working with radioisotopes in the nuclear medicine department, hand exposure is inevitable and usually results in high radiation doses. Therefore, ring dosimeters are frequently worn on the finger to monitor the does to the hand (extremity). Most current commercial ring dosimeters are thermoluminescence type and consist of a single dosimetry chip; they do not have the ability to discern the energy of radiation. This study developed a new optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ring dosimeter. Each OSL ring dosimeter consists of two OSL chips, one cast, one ring holder, and one ring clip. A dose algorithm was also designed to calculate the dose with correction for energy dependence. The new OSL ring dosimeter and algorithm were validated using blind tests under irradiation from X-ray, gamma ray, and beta in the National Radiation Standard Laboratory at the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research in Taiwan. The newly designed OSL ring dosimeter and algorithm could pass the blind test following American National Standards Institute/Health Physics Society standard N13.32–2008 from category I to III. For category IV, the feasibility was confirmed under assumptions specific to this study. The reproducibility and lower limit of detection of this system were also represented in this study.