Assessment of Response Accuracy and Correction Factors of OSL Dosimeters in Diagnostic Radiology: Revealing Dependencies With Different Beam Qualities

This study establishes a robust and clinically applicable calibration protocol for optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLDs) in diagnostic radiology, with the aim of improving the accuracy of patient dose assessment. A total of 144 OSLDs were systematically irradiated under controlled conditions to assess their dosimetric response across a wide range of tube voltages (40-150 kVp) and square field sizes (10 × 10 cm² to 30 × 30 cm²). The dosimeters exhibited a sensitivity variation of ±6.6%, with an average background dose of 0.0185 mGy. The experimental data revealed a high dependence of OSLD response on photon energy, with dose values increasing by a factor of 11.5, from 0.1393 mGy at 40 kVp to 1.6072 mGy at 150 kVp for a constant field size of 10 × 10 cm². A pronounced non-linear dose escalation was observed in the mid-kVp range (70-100 kVp), where dose measurements increased by 72-90% as field size expanded. Energy and geometry-specific correction factors were derived, showing significant variation with field size, reaching maximum values of 9.81 for the 30 × 30 cm² field at 150 kVp and 7.43 for the 10 × 10 cm² field under the same conditions. Additionally, notable discrepancies were observed between experimentally derived effective beam energies and reference values reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), highlighting the need for localized calibration standards. These findings contribute to the standardization of OSLD calibration protocols in diagnostic radiology and support their implementation for accurate patient dose monitoring in clinical settings.