Performance of Semiconductor Dosimeters for Air Kerma and Quality Control Measurements in Mammography

For comprehensive quality control measurements in diagnostic radiography, ionization chambers and semiconductor-based dosimeters are used. Semiconductor dosimeters are easy to handle, and they provide several quantities of interest with one exposure. However, their inherent energy dependence of their response is influenced by the radiation quality and more pronounced than for ionization chambers. Therefore, multiple compensation methods, based on the radiation quality, are developed by the manufacturers. To ensure the quality of dose measurements, it is essential that every dosimeter used for this purpose is calibrated regularly. It shall be possible to perform this calibration independent from the manufacturer in a local Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL).