A checklist for reporting of thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD) measurements

Abstract

The Editor, Sir, Thermoluminescence Dosimetry (TLD) is widely used in medical applications. One of TLD's most important features is its flexibility due to the variety of TLD materials and physical forms available. Also, different procedures are used throughout the world when handling and evaluating TLD material. It is important to be aware of these factors to appreciate a particular dosimetric measurement and its results. However, reporting standards on TLD measurements vary considerably in the literature. In some circumstances this may lead to incomplete data that makes it difficult to assess the actual measurements performed. Therefore, an ad hoc group was formed at the recent 12th International Conference on Solid State Dosimetry in Burgos (Delgado and Gomez-Ros 1999) in order to compile a list of information that should be considered when reporting clinical TLD measurements. The following list should be seen as a checklist for a section on materials and methods. The authors must then decide which information is relevant to the measurements performed. It should be noted though that the information indicated by an asterisk ( * ) is considered essential.

LiF:Mg,Ti TLD response as a function of photon energy for moderately filtered x‐ray spectra in the range of 20–250 kVp relative to

“…This is only speculation at this point, but if proven true it could be a very important result, since it would make it difficult for TLD measurements at different institutions to have universal validity without similar TLD processing techniques. The importance of listing TLD processing techniques was previously highlighted in a letter to the editor of Physics in Medicine and Biology by Kron et al 47 They recommended a checklist of parameters that should be listed in TLD investigations to facilitate comparisons between different investigators.…”

A dosimetric uncertainty analysis for photon‐emitting brachytherapy sources: Report of AAPM Task Group No. 138 and GEC‐ESTRO

“…Typically, these measurements have been made in solid-water phantoms comprised of plastics having radiological characteristics similar to water. Kron et al 17 provided characteristics that should be reported each time a TLD measurement is made. A calibration of the TLDs to a known energy and dose is necessary to perform dosimetry.…”

Monte-Carlo dosimetry for intraoperative radiotherapy using a low energy x-ray source

“…The calibration of TLDs (LiF: Mg, 3  3 1 mm 3 , TLD700) was done using the proposed methodology by Eaton et al and the suggestions of kron et al [17,18]. Typically, four TLDs were used per packet in order to exclude outliers and reduce the standard deviation of measurements.…”