Three-dimensional detection, dosimetry and imaging of an energy field by formation of a polymer in a gel

摘要

A visible and/or MRI visualizable permanent image is formed in a gel in a container which maintains the gel a dimensionally stable shape, which gel contains uniformly dispersed therein in storage stable form at last one radiant energy, e.g., ionizing radiation, polymerizable monomer in a concentration effective to form an insoluble polymer in the gel which alters the relaxation time of the solvent in any area thereof in which the polymer is formed, e.g., a mixture of (a) a linearly homopolymerizable monomer and (b) a comonomer which is cross-linkably copolymerizable with the monomer, the polymerization of the monomer initiated by the radiant energy being restricted to any area of the gel which receives the radiant energy, which image is representative of the dose distribution of the radiant energy to which the gel is exposed, by exposing the gel to a non-uniform dose of radiant energy until a polymer which produces a permanent image representative of the dose of radiant energy received by the gel is formed therein.