Intensities of incident and transmitted ultraviolet-a rays through gafchromic films

• Main Authors: Toshizo Katsuda, Rumi Gotanda, Tatsuhiro Gotanda, Takuya Akagawa, Nobuyoshi Tanki, Tadao Kuwano, Atsushi Noguchi, Kouichi Yabunaka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2017-01-01
• Series: Journal of Medical Physics
• Subjects: Diagnostic radiology; Gafchromic film; nonuniformity error; transmission intensity; ultraviolet
• Online Access: http://www.jmp.org.in/article.asp?issn=0971-6203;year=2017;volume=42;issue=2;spage=86;epage=89;aulast=Katsuda

Gafchromic films have been applied to X-ray dosimetry in diagnostic radiology. To correct nonuniformity errors in Gafchromic films, X-rays in the double-exposure technique can be replaced with ultraviolet (UV)-A rays. Intensities of the incident and transmitted UV-A rays were measured. However, it is unclear whether the chemical color change of Gafchromic films affects the UV-A transmission intensity. Gafchromic EBT3 films were suitable to be used in this study because non-UV protection layers are present on both sides of the film. The film is placed between UV-A ray light-emitting diodes and a probe of a UV meter. Gafchromic EBT3 films were irradiated by UV-A rays for up to 60 min. Data for analysis were obtained in the subsequent 60 min. Images from before and after UV-A irradiation were subtracted. When using 375 nm UV-A, the mean ± standard deviation (SD) of the pixel values in the subtracted image was remarkably high (11,194.15 ± 586.63). However, the UV-A transmissivity remained constant throughout the 60 min irradiation period. The mean ± SD UV-A transmission intensity was 184.48 ± 0.50 μm/cm2. Our findings demonstrate that color density changes in Gafchromic EBT3 films do not affect their UV-A transmission. Therefore, Gafchromic films were irradiated by UV-A rays as a preexposure.