Distributed fiber optic chemical and radiation sensors formed by coating the fibers with certain types of response materials are provided. For distributed chemical sensors, the coatings are reactive with the targets; the heat absorbed or released during a reaction will cause a local temperature change on the fiber. For distributed radiation sensors, coating a fiber with a scintillator enhances sensitivity toward thermal neutrons, for example, by injecting light into the fiber. The luminescent components in these materials are taken from conjugated polymeric and oligomeric dyes, metal organic frameworks with sorbed dyes, and two-photon-absorbing semiconductors. The compositions may exhibit strong gamma rejection. Other scintillators combining luminescent materials with neutron converters are available. With a multiple-layer coating, it may be possible to identify the presence of both neutrons and gamma rays, for example. Coatings may be applied during manufacture or in the field.

Interstitial brachytherapy is a cancer treatment in which radioactive material is placed directly in the target tissue of the affected site using an afterloader. The accuracy of this placement is monitored in real time using a urinary catheter that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured by sensors in the walls of the urinary catheter. A scintillator that is embedded in the walls of the urinary catheter produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is carried through optical fibers and then converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals. This location can be used as quality control feedback to the afterloader.

A radiation detection system using time of flight (TOF) information within multiple optical fiber complexes coupled with a scintillating material at intersections of repeatedly crossing over shape. Light detectors are placed at the ends of each fiber to detect scintillation events. A timing processor is collecting light detector signal to compute TOF difference and estimate the location and strength of radioactivity. The system is scalable in one dimension, capable of being shaped or curved, and customizable in terms of special resolution and sensitivity. The system is suitable for long range and coarse radiation detection.

The present specification describes an X-ray detector that includes at least one scintillator screen for absorbing incident X rays and emitting corresponding light rays, a wavelength shifting sheet (WSS) coupled with the at least one scintillator screen for shifting the emitted light rays, at least one wavelength shifting fiber (WSF) coupled with at least one edge of the WSS for collecting the shifted light rays, and a photodetector for detecting the collected light rays.

A scintillator system is disclosed for detecting incoming radiation. The system makes use of a scintillator structure having first and second dissimilar materials. The first dissimilar material emits a first color of light and the second dissimilar material emits a second color of light different from the first color of light. Either one, or both, of the first or second colors of light are emitted in response to receipt of the incoming radiation. A plurality of light detectors is disposed in proximity to the scintillator structure for detecting the first and second different colors of light and generating output signals in response thereto. A detector electronics subsystem is responsive to the output signals and provides an indication of colors emitted by the scintillator structure to infer at least one property of the incoming radiation.

A method for measuring and representing the level of local irradiation doses, in at least two dimensions, comprises: a step of positioning N probes S.sub.i sensitive to irradiating radiation, each corresponding to a local zone Z.sub.i according to a known topology; a step of acquiring, by each of the probes, the level of radiation IS.sub.i detected and periodically recording numerical values IS.sub.i(t); and a step of converting the numerical values IS.sub.i(t) into values DS.sub.i(t) corresponding to the radiation dose applied to each of the Z zones associated with a probe S.sub.i, according to a calibration table. The method further comprises, during the measurement sequence, steps of spatial interpolation calculation of at least one estimated irradiation level value IS.sub.iv(t) of at least one virtual zone Z.sub.iv that is not associated with a probe. A measurement device for implementing this method is also described.

A wavelength shifting fiber and method of making the same is disclosed. A wavelength shifting fiber can include a plastic core and a coating surrounding the plastic core. The numerical aperture for the wavelength shifting fiber can be at least about 0.53. A method of making a wavelength shifting fiber can include heating and drawing a plastic core precursor to form a plastic core, coating the plastic core with a liquid coating, and curing the liquid coating around the plastic core to form a wavelength shifting fiber.

Disclosed herein are variations of megavoltage (MV) detectors that may be used for acquiring high resolution dynamic images and dose measurements in patients. One variation of a MV detector comprises a scintillating optical fiber plate, a photodiode array configured to receive light data from the optical fibers, and readout electronics. In some variations, the scintillating optical fiber plate comprises one or more fibers that are focused to the radiation source. The diameters of the fibers may be smaller than the pixels of the photodiode array. In some variations, the fiber diameter is on the order of about 2 to about 100 times smaller than the width of a photodiode array pixel, e.g., about 20 times smaller. Also disclosed herein are methods of manufacturing a focused scintillating fiber optic plate.

A method of making a transverse Anderson localization (TAL) element includes mixing pellets together to make a mixture, the pellets being of two or more distinct materials having respective wave speeds effective to provide Anderson guiding. The mixture is fused to make a preform which has respective pellet-size areas of the distinct materials corresponding to the pellets in the mixture. One or more stretching operations is performed to stretch the preform into the TAL element.

Hybrid material for plastic scintillation measurement comprising: a polymeric matrix; and a fluorescent mixture incorporated in the polymeric matrix and comprising, with respect to the total number of moles of primary fluorophore in the incorporated fluorescent mixture, i) from 95.6 molar % to 99.6 molar % of a main primary fluorophore consisting of naphthalene and ii) from 0.4 molar % to 20 molar % of an additional primary fluorophore.

The decay constant of the fluorescence of the hybrid material is intermediate between that of a fast plastic scintillator material and of a slow plastic scintillator material. Further, they can be chosen over a wide range.

The invention also relates to an associated part, device and item of equipment, to their processes of manufacture or their methods of measurement.