Independent verification of vendor‐issued dosimetric data for 106 Ru brachytherapy using diode detectors with traceability to external beam standards for absorbed dose to water

Abstract

Background

Independent verification of the manufacturer‐provided dosimetry data for
106
Ru ophthalmic brachytherapy applicators is crucial for safe and accurate treatment, yet a standardized, traceable method for clinical absolute dosimetry has been lacking.



Purpose

This work establishes a complete framework for traceable absorbed dose to water measurements of
106
Ru eye plaques in absolute units of Gray, complementing the high‐precision BetaCheck‐106™ setup with a robust detector calibration methodology independent of the source manufacturer.



Methods

Three microSilicon diode detectors were calibrated in traceable
60
Co and 6 MeV electron reference beams. Depth‐dose measurements for four CCB‐type
106
Ru plaques were performed in water using the BetaCheck‐106™ setup. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were employed to calculate depth‐dependent beam quality correction factors which account for the detector's response in the
106
Ru field relative to the calibration beams. The method was validated against measurements performed at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) using alanine dosimetry. MC simulations were also used to investigate the water‐equivalence of the NPL alanine/PMMA phantom setup.



Results

The MC‐calculated correction factors for the diodes showed a significant depth‐dependence, underscoring the necessity of such corrections in the steep
106
Ru depth‐dose gradient. The dose rates determined with the calibrated diodes were in agreement with the NPL alanine results. Both methods yielded dose rates systematically lower than those provided in the manufacturer's certificates, though generally within the stated uncertainties. The MC simulations revealed substantial non‐water equivalence correction factors for the alanine/PMMA phantom, highlighting the advantage of direct measurements in water.



Conclusions

We present a novel, comprehensive methodology for independent and traceable absolute dosimetry of
106
Ru applicators. By combining a dedicated water phantom setup with diode detectors calibrated against external beam standards and MC‐derived correction factors, this framework empowers clinical users to perform robust verification measurements, filling a critical gap in the quality assurance of ocular brachytherapy.