The document discusses the measurement of ionizing radiation using ionization chambers. It describes how ionization chambers work by collecting ions produced when radiation interacts with air. Exposure is defined as the charge produced in air divided by the mass of air. The roentgen is the special unit of exposure. Types of ionization chambers discussed include thimble chambers, parallel plate chambers, and extrapolation chambers. Factors that affect ion collection such as voltage, recombination, temperature, and pressure are also summarized.

1. MEASUREMENT OF
IONISING RADIATION
Dr Kiran Kumar BR

2. History
• Skin Erythema Dose (SED): Amount of X or gamma radiation that just produced
reddening of the skin.
• Used during ortho-voltage era when skin was limiting organ for tumouricidal
dose.
• SED depends on type of skin, extend of skin exposed,quality of radiation, dose
per fraction, interval between fractions, early and late reaction
• 1928 ICRU adopted the roentgen as measuring X or gamma radiation exposure.
Unit is denoted as R.

3. INTERACTION OF RADIATION
Radiation interact with matter , mainly in two ways
EXCITATION : The energy lost by the incident particle is not
sufficient to eject an electron from the atom but is used to
raise the electrons to higher-energy levels, the process is
termed excitation.
IONISATION: The process by which a neutral atom acquires a
positive or a negative charge .

4. • Charged particles such as electrons, protons, and α particles are
known as directly ionizing radiation provided they have sufficient
kinetic energy to produce ionization by collision as they penetrate
matter
• The uncharged particles such as neutrons and photons are
indirectly ionizing radiation because they liberate directly ionizing
particles from matter when they interact with matter.
• Interaction of ionising radiation by 3 major process :
1. Photo electric effect
2. Compton scattering
3. Pair production

5. Exposure
• Ionisation produced in air by photons ( Radiation)
• Exposure (X) is the quotient of dQ by dm where dQ is the absolute
value of the total charge of the ions of one sign produced in air when
all the electrons (negatrons and positrons) liberated by photons, in air
of mass dm ,are completely stopped in air. (ICRU )
X = dQ/dm
SI Unit is C/Kg
Special unit - Roentgen
1R = 2.58 x 10-4 C/Kg

7. • An x-ray beam in passing through air sets in motion
electrons by photoelectric effect, Compton effect, or
pair production.
• These high-speed electrons produce ionization along
their tracks.
• Because of the electric field produced by the voltage
applied across the ion-collection plates, the positive
charges move toward the negative plate and the
negative charges move toward the positive plate.
• This constitutes a current.
• The collected charge of either sign can be measured
by an electrometer.

8. • According to the definition of roentgen, the electrons produced by
photons in a specified volume must spend all their energies by
ionization in air enclosed by the plates and the total ionic charge of
either sign should be measured
• Some electrons produced in the specified volume deposit their
energy outside the region of ion collection and thus are not
measured.
• On the other hand, electrons produced outside the specified volume
may enter the ion-collecting region and produce ionization there.
• If the ionization loss is compensated by the ionization gained, a
condition of electronic equilibrium exists.
• Under this condition, the definition of roentgen is effectively satisfied.

9. Free Air Ionisation Chamber

10. • An x-ray beam, originating from a focal spot S, is
defined by the diaphragm D
• Passes centrally between a pair of parallel plates.
• A high-voltage is applied between the plates to
collect ions produced in the air between the plates.
• The ionization is measured for a length L defined by
the limiting lines of force to the edges of the
collection plate C. The lines of force are made straight
and perpendicular to the collector by a guard ring G.

11. • Electrons produced by the photon beam in the
specified volume must spend all their energy by
ionization of air between the plates.
• Such a condition can exist only if the range of the
electrons liberated by the incident photons is less
than the distance between each plate and the
specified volume.
• For electronic equilibrium to exist, the beam intensity
(photon fluence per unit time) must remain constant
across the length of the specified volume
• The separation between the diaphragm and the ion-
collecting region must exceed the electron range in
air.

12. • Then the exposure Xp at the center of the specified volume is :

13. Drawbacks
• Exposure upto the energy range of 3Mev only can be measured.
• Above that , the electron range which are liberated by the photons is
increased. So can’t measure the ionising current accurately.
• If the cavity volume increases, there will be a non-uniform electric
field inside the cavity, so there will be a possibility of greater ion
recombination.
• The problems still remain in regard to air attenuation, photon scatter,
and reduction in the efficiency of ion collection.

14. Considerations
• A few corrections that are usually applied include :
• (a) correction for air attenuation
• (b) correction for recombination of ions
• (c) correction for the effects of temperature, pressure, and humidity
on the density of air
• (d) correction for ionization produced by scattered photons

15. THIMBLE CHAMBER
• Ionisation chamber is basically a gas filled cavity surrounded by a
conductive outer wall and having a central electrode , seperated
with a high quality insulator to reduce the leakage current.

16. • Inner surface of thimble wall is coated with special material to make it
electrically conductive,this forms one electrode.
• Other electrode is made of material such as aluminium or graphite.
• Thimble wall is made air equivalent , so that the system behaves like a
free air chamber.
• Wall materials are either made of graphite-Bakelite mixture, which is
closer to atomic to that of carbon (Z=6). Eff atomic number of air is 7.67.
• Such a wall should give rise to less ionisation in the air cavity than free
air wall.

17. • Greater atomic number of the central electrode & its
dimensions ( Al : Z=13) , compensate for the lower
atomic number of the wall.
• Guard electrode is provided in the chamber to reduce
the chamber leakage.

18. Farmer chamber : 1955

19. COMPONENTS OF FARMER-TYPE CHAMBERS
• Chamber wall : graphite or PMMA , nylon, T.E plasic or A.E plastic.
Wall thickness varies with makes and models. Approx range is0.04-
0.09 g/cm2
• Outer Electrode : the outer electrode is thimble wall (if made of
conducting material) or the inner surface of thimble wall coated with
conducting material.
• Central Electrode : Aluminium rode of 1 mm diameter. It delivers
ionization current to charge measuring device.
• Guard Electrode : kept at same potential to that of central electrode.
This is to prevent charge leakage to central electrode.
• Cavity volume 0.6ml n radius of 0.3 cm.

20. 1. Extrapolation chamber :
• Failla designed an ionization chamber for measuring
surface dose in an irradiated phantom in 1937 .
• The beam enters through a thin foil that is carbon
coated to form the upper electrode.
• The lower or the collecting electrode is a small coin-
shaped region surrounded by a guard ring and is
connected to an electrometer.
• “The electrode spacing can be varied accurately by
micrometer screws.”

21. • By measuring the ionization per unit volume as a
function of electrode spacing, one can estimate the
superficial dose by extrapolating the ionization curves
to zero electrode spacing.
• Used for special dosimetry
- the measurement of dose in the superficial layers of a
medium
- the dosimetry of electrons and β particles.

22. 2. Parallel Plate chambers :
• Similar to the extrapolation chambers except for the
variable electrode spacing.
• The electrode spacing of the parallel-plate chambers
is small (~2 mm) but fixed.
• A thin wall or window (e.g., foils of 0.01- to 0.03-mm-
thick Mylar, polystyrene, or mica) allows
measurements practically at the surface of a phantom
without significant wall attenuation
• By adding layers of phantom materials on top of
chamber window, one can study variation in dose as
function of depth

23. Ion Collection
• As the voltage difference between the electrodes of chamber exposed to
radiation is increased, the ionization current increases at first almost
linearly and later more slowly.
• The curve finally approaches a saturation value for the given exposure rate
• The initial increase of ionization current with voltage is caused by
incomplete ion collection at low voltages.
• The negative and the positive ions tend to recombine unless they are
quickly separated by the electric field.
• This recombination can be minimized by increasing the field strength
(V/cm).

25. • If the voltage is increased much beyond saturation,
the ions, accelerated by the electric field, can gain
enough energy to produce ionization by collision with
gas molecules.
• The chamber should be used in saturation region so
that small changes in voltage does not result in
changes in ionic current.

27. • Collection Efficiency : The ratio of the number of ions
collected to the number produced.
• Depending on chamber design and ionisation
intensity, a certain amount of ionisation loss by
recombination is expected.
• At high ionisation intensity significant loss of charge
by recombination may occur at even maximum
possible chamber voltages.

28. • Environmental factors :
• If the ion chamber is not sealed, response is affected
by air temperature and pressure.
• In fact, most chambers are unsealed and
communicate to the outside atmosphere.
• Density of air depends on the temperature and
pressure , the density of air in the chamber volume
will depend on these atmospheric conditions.
• The density or the mass of air in the chamber volume
will increase as the temperature decreases or
pressure increases.
• So , exposure too changes with T & P.

29. Measurement of exposure
X = M. Nx P T,P PST Pion
X is exposure in roentgen
Nx is calibration factor for given quality of beam
Ptp : temp and pressure correction
Pst : stem leakage correction
P ion : correction for ion recombination

30. Desirable characteristics of Ion Chamber
• Minimal variability in sensitivity or exposure calibration factor for a
wide range of photon energies
• Minimal variation in sensitivity with direction of incident photon
• Minimal stem leakage.
• Chamber should be calibrated for exposure against a standard
instrument for all radiation qualities for which exposure is to be
measured.
• Minimal ion recombinations…happens if there is high voltage or high
electric field strength inside chamber.