Measuring What Matters Most
When cancer patients undergo radiation therapy, precision isn’t just important, it’s essential. Every fraction of radiation delivered must be carefully monitored to ensure the treatment plan is delivered as intended. That’s where in vivo dosimetry comes in, providing real-world verification that the prescribed radiation dose is actually reaching its target.
CAMP offers a comprehensive in vivo dosimetry service that helps radiation oncology facilities across the nation monitor and verify their treatment delivery with confidence and efficiency.
What is in vivo dosimetry?
In vivo dosimetry is the direct measurement of radiation dose delivered to a patient during treatment, used to verify that the planned dose matches the actual dose received.
For decades, CAMP physicists refined the use of thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) within our own practice. That experience has evolved into a nationwide in vivo dosimetry service, now enhanced with optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs) for faster turnaround and greater precision. We provide surface-dose measurement analysis that helps hospitals and cancer centers deliver consistent, accurate patient care and build confidence in the overall treatment process.
OSLDs are ideal for treatments where surface or near-surface dose accuracy is critical. Common applications include:
- Breast/chest wall – verify dose under bolus or near skin.
- Head and neck – confirm buildup dose and shielded regions.
- Skin or electron fields – check output and uniformity.
- CEID verification – measure dose to pacemakers or defibrillators.
- TBI measurement – verify that the correct dose is being delivered uniformly across the body.
- Shielding verification – confirm adequacy of lead or custom protection.
- Investigational use – commissioning, new technique validation, or inter-facility dose audits.
They provide fast, reliable readout, stable signal, and excellent sensitivity for surface measurements.
The Technology Behind the Measurement
At the heart of the program are Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dosimeters (OSLDs), which are tiny chips measuring just one centimeter square. These unobtrusive devices contain beryllium oxide that absorbs radiation during treatment. When placed on a patient’s skin in a sealed plastic bag, they capture precise dose measurements without impacting the patient experience.
The dosimeters are easy to implement and built for reuse; once a reading is taken, the chip is simply erased and prepared for the next patient. This combination of simplicity, repeatability, and minimal workflow disruption enables CAMP to offer an efficient, scalable OSLD service that supports multiple facilities seamlessly.
Filling a Critical Gap
The need for CAMP’s service became particularly acute when a major company that had been providing OSLD services nationwide suddenly discontinued their program. This left many facilities without access to this essential quality assurance tool. Since the equipment required to read OSLDs represents a significant investment that may be inaccessible to many individual facilities, CAMP’s centralized service model offers an ideal solution.
Research Applications: Pushing Boundaries
The research community is finding innovative uses for OSLD technology that extend beyond clinical treatment.
Current applications being explored include:
Blood Irradiation Studies: Researchers are using OSLDs to precisely measure doses in blood irradiation protocols, contributing to our understanding of how radiation affects blood components and helping optimize irradiation procedures for blood product safety.
Complex Dosimetry Scenarios: The chips’ tiny size makes them ideal for measuring doses in challenging anatomical locations or unusual treatment geometries where traditional measurement methods might be impractical or impossible.
Low Dose Applications: CAMP diagnostic physicists are exploring how OSLDs might be valuable in low dose scenarios.
The Value Proposition
While there are many effective options for in-vivo dosimetry, CAMP’s OSLD-based process offers a convenient, clean, and efficient approach that fits seamlessly into a wide range of clinical workflows. Because the dosimeters are calibrated for standard radiation therapy dose ranges, they are well-suited for most treatment scenarios. By providing the specialized equipment and expertise needed to read and manage OSLDs, CAMP enables clinics of all sizes to implement a reliable, scalable dose-verification program without investing in their own systems.
Looking Forward
As radiation therapy techniques continue to evolve and precision medicine demands ever-greater accuracy, in vivo dosimetry remains a cornerstone of quality assurance. CAMP’s program ensures that this critical tool remains accessible to facilities nationwide, supporting the delivery of safe, effective cancer treatment, furthering CAMP and Medical Physics 3.0’s philosophy of “physics for every patient”.
For radiation oncology departments seeking a reliable, efficient solution for dose verification, CAMP’s in vivo dosimetry program offers the perfect combination of advanced technology, rapid turnaround, and professional expertise.
How the Program Works
- Request & Receive: Clinics typically order OSLDs from CAMP in bulk so they have dosimeters on hand whenever in-vivo dose verification is needed. CAMP mails the OSLDs pre-zeroed and ready for immediate use.
- Deploy & Document: During treatment, the OSLD chips are placed on the patient to capture dose. Clinics document internally which chip was used for each site, without sending any PHI to CAMP.
- Return for Analysis: After use, the dosimeters are shipped back to CAMP for reading. TLD support is also available when clinically appropriate.
- Rapid Reporting: Within one to two business days of receiving both the chips and notification email, CAMP analyzes the OSLDs and provides a digital dose report to the designated clinical contact.
- Reset & Reuse: The chips are erased and prepared for their next deployment, ensuring a clean, efficient, and cost-effective cycle.
Participate in the in vivo dosimetry program here.
Connect with CAMP
CAMP provides radiation safety services to hospitals and healthcare facilities across the Rocky Mountain region. For more information about medical health physics or radiation safety programs, visit campphysics.com.
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Want to learn more about everything it takes to be a medical physicist? CAMP offers a wealth of resources and expertise to help you stay informed and engaged in this dynamic field. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, student, or simply curious about the science behind radiation therapy, CAMP is here to support your journey.
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