Strategy for finding new materials for ESR dosimeters

Application of Amino Acids for High-Dosage Measurements with Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

A comparative investigation of amino acids (proline, cysteine, and alanine) as dosimetric materials using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy in the absorbed dosage range of 1-25 kGy is presented. There were no signals in the EPR spectra of the samples before irradiation. After irradiation, the complex spectra were recorded. These results showed that the investigated amino acids were sensitive to radiation. In the EPR spectrum of cysteine after irradiation, RS• radicals dominated. The effects of the microwave power on the saturation of the EPR signals showed the presence of at least three different types of free radicals in proline. It was also found out that the DL-proline and cysteine had stable free radicals after irradiation and represented a linear dosage response up to 10 kGy. On the other hand, the amino acid alanine has been accepted by the International Atomic Energy Agency as a transfer standard dosimetry system. In view of this, the obtained results of the proline and cysteine studies have been compared with those of the alanine studies. The results showed that the amino acids proline and cysteine could be used as alternative dosimetric materials in lieu of alanine in a dosage range of 1-10 kGy of an absorbed dose of γ-rays using EPR spectroscopy. Regarding the radiation sensitivity, the following order of decreased dosage responses was determined: alanine > DL-proline > cysteine > L-proline.

Dose enhancement factor caused by gold nanoparticles: influence of the dosimetric sensitivity and radiation dose assessed by electron spin resonance dosimetry

Gold nanoparticles have been extensively used to increase the sensitivity of radiation dosimeters. In this work, nanocomposites of alanine (Ala), 2-methylalanine (2MA), asparagine (Asn) and monosodium glutamate (MSG) containing gold nanoparticles were prepared. The influence of the mass percentage of gold (0.1% up to 3%), absorbed dose (2 Gy-10 kGy) and the intrinsic sensitivity of these materials on the dose enhancement factor (DEF) were investigated. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering technique. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy was employed to assess the dosimetric response. The results revealed that the gold nanoparticles aggregated in the nanocomposites of MSG and Asn but not in the Ala and 2MA samples. Higher DEFs were observed for materials with lower intrinsic sensitivities (Asn and MSG) and for lower doses of radiation, suggesting that the dosimetric response of the nanocomposite dosimeters is governed by the probability of radical recombination. The higher the radiation dose, gold mass percentage and/or intrinsic sensitivity of the dosimetric material, the higher the production of radiation-induced free-radicals, enhancing the probability of radical recombination and resulting in lower DEFs. These results bring new insights about the use of gold nanoparticles to the construction of more sensitive radiation dosimeters.

Characterization of phenolic pellets for ESR dosimetry in photon beam radiotherapy

This work deals with the dosimetric features of a particular phenolic compound (IRGANOX 1076^®) for dosimetry of clinical photon beams by using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. After the optimization of the ESR readout parameters (namely modulation amplitude and microwave power) to maximise the signal without excessive spectrum distortions, basic dosimetric properties of laboratory-made phenolic dosimeters in pellet form, such as reproducibility, dose-response, sensitivity, linearity and dose rate dependence were investigated. The dosimeters were tested by measuring the depth dose profile of a 6 MV photon beam. A satisfactory intra-batch reproducibility of the ESR signal of the manufactured dosimeters was obtained. The ESR signal proved to increase linearly with increasing dose in the investigated dose range 1-13 Gy. The presence of an intrinsic background signal limits the minimum detectable dose to a value of approximately 0.6 Gy. Reliable and accurate assessment of the dose was achieved, independently of the dose rate. Such characteristics, together with the fact that IRGANOX 1076^® is almost tissue-equivalent, and the stability of the ESR signal, make these dosimeters promising materials for ESR dosimetric applications in radiotherapy.

Growth and characterization of Ni(x)Zn(1-x)SO4·7H2O single crystals

NiSO4·7H2O (morenosite) and ZnSO4·7H2O (goslarite) are hydrogen bonded crystals having wide applications in various fields. In an attempt to understand the formation and properties of mixed crystals based on NiSO4·7H2O and ZnSO4·7H2O, we have grown by the free evaporation method at room temperature and characterized Ni(x)Zn(1-x)SO4·7H2O single crystals (with x having the values 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0). The grown crystals were characterized chemically and structurally by carrying out density, X-ray powder diffraction, and atomic absorption and Fourier transform infrared spectral measurements. The grown crystals exhibit good optical transparency in the wavelength range 210-1100 nm. The second harmonic generation measurements indicate a maximum efficiency for the mixed crystal with x = 0.5. Results of microhardness measurements follow the normal indentation size effect. Electrical (AC and DC) measurements indicate that the grown crystals exhibit a normal dielectric behavior and the electrical conduction is understood to be due to the protonic movement. The present study indicates that the mixed crystals with x = 0.2 and 0.5 are not only promising nonlinear optical materials but also useful as low dielectric constant materials.

Investigation of radiation sensitivity of some tartrate compounds

Potential electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetric application of different compounds of sodium tartrate, such as sodium tartrate dihydrate, sodium bitartrate monohydrate and potassium sodium tartrate tetrahydrate, was investigated in the range of 0.74-25 Gy. While the radiation-induced intermediates produced in these compounds are similar, their radiation yields are different. It is found that the radiation yield of sodium tartrate dihydrate is higher than other compounds of sodium tartrates. Comparison of the radiation yields were also made between well-known samples of ammonium tartrate, alanine and lithium formate. It is found that the radiation yields of sodium tartrate dihydrate, sodium bitartrate monohydrate and potassium sodium tartrate tetrahydrate have the values of 1.22, 0.18 and 0.13, respectively.

Clinical applications of alanine/electron spin resonance dosimetry

This paper discusses the clinical applications of electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry focusing on the ESR/alanine system. A review of few past studies in this area is presented offering a critical overview of the challenges and opportunities for extending this system into clinical applications. Alanine/ESR dosimetry fulfills many of the required properties for several clinical applications such as water-equivalent composition, independence of the sensitivity for the energy range used in therapy and high precision. Improvements in sensitivity and the development of minidosimeters coupled with the use of a spectrometer of higher microwave frequency expanded the possibilities for clinical applications to the new modalities of radiotherapy (intensity-modulated radiation therapy and radiosurgery) and to the detection of low doses such as those present in some radiological image procedures.

Synthesis and characterization of gold/alanine nanocomposites with potential properties for medical application as radiation sensors

Radiation dose assessment is essential for several medical treatments and diagnostic procedures. In this context, nanotechnology has been used in the development of improved radiation sensors, with higher sensitivity as well as smaller sizes and energy dependence. This paper deals with the synthesis and characterization of gold/alanine nanocomposites with varying mass percentage of gold, for application as radiation sensors. Alanine is an excellent stabilizing agent for gold nanoparticles because the size of the nanoparticles does not augment with increasing mass percentage of gold, as evidenced by UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction patterns suggest that the alanine crystalline orientation undergoes alterations upon the addition of gold nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicates that there is interaction between the gold nanoparticles and the amine group of the alanine molecules, which may be the reason for the enhanced stability of the nanocomposite. The application of the nanocomposites as radiation detectors was evaluated by the electron spin resonance technique. The sensitivity is improved almost 3 times in the case of the nanocomposite containing 3% (w/w) gold, so it can be easily tuned by changing the amount of gold nanoparticles in the nanocomposites, without the size of the nanoparticles influencing the radiation absorption. In conclusion, the featured properties, such as homogeneity, nanoparticle size stability, and enhanced sensitivity, make these nanocomposites potential candidates for the construction of small-sized radiation sensors with tunable sensitivity for application in several medical procedures.

Dosimetric and kinetic investigations of γ-irradiated sodium tartrate dihydrate

Effects of gamma radiation on solid sodium tartrate dihydrate (NaTA) were studied using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. One main singlet located at g = 2.0034 and many weak lines located at low and high magnetic field sides were found in the irradiated samples. Dosimetric and kinetic features of the radical species responsible for the experimental ESR spectra were explored through the variations in the signal intensities with respect to applied microwave power, temperature and storage time. Activation energies of the involved radical species were also determined using data derived from annealing studies.

An electron spin resonance (ESR) investigation of the dosimetric potential of potassium tartrate

While unirradiated potassium tartrate (PT) samples do not exhibit any electron spin resonance signal, irradiated ones contain many resonance signals. A power function of the radiation dose was found to describe well the dose-response curve of the central resonance signal, and adjusting the microwave power and modulation amplitude to be 2 mW and 1 mT, respectively, was found to increase the sensitivity of PT. The radiation sensitivity of PT and the accuracy of the measured radiation dose were found to be G = 0.42 and 6 %, respectively.

Electron spin resonance. Part one: a diagnostic method in the biomedical sciences

A review is presented of some of the ways in which electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy may be useful to investigate systems of relevance to the biomedical sciences. Specifically considered are: spin-trapping in biological media; the determination of antioxidant efficiencies; lipid-peroxidation; the use of nitroxides as probes of metabolic activity in cells and as structumral probes of cell-membranes; ESR coupled with materials for radiation-dosimetry; food- and drug-irradiation; studies of enzyme systems and ofcyclodextrins; diagnosis of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis; measurement of oxidative stress in synovial tissue in preparation for joint replacement; determination of oxidative species during kidney dialysis; measurement of biological oxygen concentrations (oximetry); trapping in living cells of the endothelium-derived relaxing factor nitric oxide (NO); measurement of hydrogen peroxide; determination of drugs of abuse (opiates); ESR measurements of whole blood and as a means to determine the age of bloodstains for forensic analysis are surveyed, and also a determination of the aqueous volume of human sperm cells is described, among other topics.

Ammonium dithionate- a new material for highly sensitive EPR dosimetry

Polycrystalline ammonium dithionate has been examined for its radiation response in the low dose range (<5Gy) using EPR technique. The SO(3)(-) radical ion was detected as a single EPR line with a peak-to-peak derivative width of ca. 0.44mT in irradiated samples and its intensity was found to vary linearly with dose. At equal and moderate settings of microwave power and modulation amplitude ammonium dithionate was at least seven times more sensitive than l-alanine which is the most common EPR dosimeter standard. Pulse experiments were performed on the powder samples to obtain the longitudinal relaxation time. These and microwave saturation experiments served to indicate the optimal microwave power to be applied during measurements as an EPR dosimeter for best sensitivity of this material. It is thus claimed that ammonium dithionate has excellent potential to become an EPR dosimeter with a low limit of the measurable dose for cases where tissue equivalence is not required or can be corrected for.

Improvement of ESR dosimetry for thermal neutron beams through the addition of gadolinium

In this paper, the addition of gadolinium is proposed as a useful tool to enhance the electron spin resonance (ESR) sensitivity of organic compounds to thermal neutrons. The target of this work is the detection, through the ESR technique, of the thermal neutron fluence in a mixed field of photons and neutrons. Gadolinium was chosen because it has a very high capture cross section to thermal neutrons; its nuclear reaction with thermal neutrons induces complex inner shell transitions that generate, besides other particles, Auger electrons, which in turn release their energy in the neighborhood (only several nanometers) of the place of reaction. Gadolinium was added to two organic molecules: alanine and ammonium tartrate. The main result obtained was a greater neutron sensitivity for dosimeters with gadolinium than for those without gadolinium for both organic molecules used. Since a dosimeter pair is required to discriminate between the two components of a mixed field, we studied the response of each dosimeter pair irradiated in a mixed field. Through a blind test we verified the usefulness of this dosimetric system and we obtained an estimate of the fluence in the mixed field with a relative uncertainty of 3%, when the pair composed of an alanine dosimeter and a dosimeter with alanine and gadolinium is used.

Development of nickel-doped lithium formate as potential EPR dosimeter for low dose determination

EPR dosimetry employing L-alpha-alanine has been in vogue during the past few years, due to its tissue equivalence and linear dose response. However, L-alpha-alanine dosimetry has been improved during the past years, the sensitivity of this material is still too low for clinical applications. Polycrystalline lithium formate doped with NiCl2 was therefore examined for radiation response in the dose range of clinical interest (<5 Gy) using CW EPR and pulse EPR techniques. At equal and moderate settings of microwave power and modulation amplitude lithium formate doped with 1.6 wt% of NiCl2 was almost four times more sensitive compared to L-alpha-alanine, which is the most common EPR dosimeter standard. It was shown that the nickel-doped lithium formate has an excellent radiation response with a low limit of the measurable dose, and a linear dose response in the range 1-5 Gy. The relaxation and power saturation studies showed that high microwave power can be applied during measurements to improve the sensitivity of this material as an EPR dosimeter. These results show that lithium formate doped with Ni(II) exhibits promising properties required for further development of an EPR dosimeter in the dose range typical for clinical dosimetry.

An ESR and ENDOR study of irradiated 6Li-formate

Lithium formate ((6)LiOOCH.H(2)O), 95% (6)Li enrichment, combined with an exchange of crystallization water with D(2)O was investigated. The ESR spectrum of the radiation induced free radicals stable at room temperature consists of a singlet with a narrow line width, 0.92mT. (6)Li has smaller magnetic moment and nuclear spin, which resulted in the narrower line width accompanied with an increase in peak amplitude. In comparison with lithium formate with natural isotopic composition, (6)Li (7.5%, I=1) and (7)Li (92.5%, I=3/2), the sensitivity was increased by a factor of two. With optimised spectrometer settings (6)Li formate had seven times higher sensitivity compared to alanine. Therefore this material is proposed as a dosimeter material in a dose range down to 0.1Gy. The g and the (13)C-hyperfine (hf) tensors of the CO(2)(-) radical anion, major paramagnetic products, were evaluated to be g=(2.0037, 1.9975, 2.0017), and A((13)C)=(465.5, 447.5, 581.3) MHz for polycrystalline samples at room temperature. Furthermore, the (1)H-hf and (6)Li-hf tensors observed for the surroundings of CO(2)(-) by ENDOR technique were in fairly good agreement with DFT calculations. The CO(2)(-) radicals are found to be so stable that the formate is applicable to the ESR dosimetry, because of fully relaxing in a fully relaxed geometrical structure of the CO(2)(-) component and remaining tight binding with the surroundings after the H atom detachment from HCO(2)(-).

Power Saturation of ESR Signal in Ammonium Tartrate Exposed to60Co γ-Ray Photons, Electrons and Protons

In this paper we present an investigation of the electron spin resonance (ESR) line shape of ammonium tartrate (AT) dosimeters exposed to radiation with different linear energy transfer (LET). We exposed our dosimeters to gamma-ray photons ((60)Co), 7 MeV and 14 MeV initial energy electrons, and 19.3 MeV initial energy protons. The differences in the power saturation behavior of ESR spectra of AT irradiated with photons, electrons and protons could be correlated to the effective LET of the radiation beams. We analyzed the behavior of peak-to-peak amplitude as a function of microwave power, and we developed a fitting procedure that permits us to obtain the dependence of the homogeneity parameter of the line shape on the LET of the radiation using the Castner saturation theory. This simple procedure allows us to distinguish the LET of the radiation beam.

Combined effects of high doses and temperature on radiation-induced radicals and their relative contributions to EPR signal in gamma-irradiated alanine

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) study of irradiated l-alanine showed differences in dose-response curves obtained at low and high microwave power for a broad range of doses, up to 3000 kGy. A mathematical model was fitted to experimental data and calculated yields of generation and of destruction of radicals showed variations with microwave power. The calculations were applied to both double integrals of the total EPR signal and to its components reflecting contributions of radicals R1, R2 and R3 in the alanine EPR signal. The relative contributions of radicals R1, R2 and R3 varied with dose >100 kGy; an increase in relative contribution of R3 was accompanied by a decrease in contribution of R1 radicals. The observed fading of EPR signal intensity in samples annealed to 175-208 degrees C was a strong function of dose, and varied by 2-3 orders of magnitude in the dose range examined.

Enhanced sensitivity of lithium dithionates doped with rhodium and nickel for EPR dosimetry

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies of X-irradiated lithium dithionate, Li(2)S(2)O(6) x 2H(2)O, doped with Ni and Rh have shown that these impurities enhance the yield of radicals formed by X-irradiation at room temperature. The signal in the doped samples, measured peak-to-peak of the single EPR derivative line attributed to the SO(3)(-) anion was about 3-4 times that of the pure lithium dithionate and more than 10 times stronger than the alanine signal. These impurities also shortened the spin-lattice relaxation time, T(1), which gives the possibility to measure the doped samples at a higher microwave power. This implies that sensitivity could be further enhanced in the already sensitive EPR dosimeter material lithium dithionate.

Possibility of precipitated CaCO3 with vitamin C as a new dosimetric material

Precipitated CaCO3 in the presence of vitamin C has been investigated as an ESR dosimeter. gamma-ray irradiation produced a sharp electron spin resonance (ESR) signal with a linewidth (0.015 mT) with high thermal stability. Required microwave power (0.02 mW) and magnetic field modulation (0.02 mT) for ESR measurement were about 250 and 30 times lower than those of DL-alpha-alanine, respectively. The lower detection limit was reduced from approximately 3 Gy for a commercial alanine dosimeter to approximately 20 mGy for gamma-rays for this material.

Formates and dithionates: sensitive EPR-dosimeter materials for radiation therapy

Polycrystalline formates and dithionates are promising materials for EPR dosimetry, as large yields of radiation induced stable radicals are formed with a linear dose response. Rapid spin relaxation rates were detected in many of the substances, indicating that a high microwave power can be applied during EPR acquisition in order to improve sensitivity. Different techniques used to further improve the sensitivity, such as the replacement of 7Li with 6Li or exchange of protons with deuterons in the corresponding crystalline matrices and metal ion doping are discussed. It is concluded that formates and dithionates may be up to 10 times as sensitive as L-alpha-alanine.

Compounds of 6Li and natural Li for EPR dosimetry in photon/neutron mixed radiation fields

Formates and dithionates of 6Li, enriched and 7Li in natural composition of Li offer a possibility to measure the absorbed dose from photons and thermal neutrons in a mixed radiation field for instance at a boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) facility. Tests with formates and dithionates of enriched 6Li and lithium compounds with natural composition have been performed at the BNCT facility at Studsvik, Sweden. Irradiations have been performed at 3 cm depth in a Perspex phantom in a fluence rate of thermal neutrons 1.8 x 10(9) n cm(-2) s(-1). The compounds were also irradiated in a pure X-ray field from a 4MV linear accelerator at 5 cm depth in a phantom with accurately determined absorbed doses. The signal intensity and shape was investigated within 3 h after the irradiation. A single line spectrum attributed to the CO2- radical was observed after irradiation of lithium formate. An increase in line width occurring after neutron irradiation in comparison with photon irradiation of the 6Li sample was attributed to dipolar broadening between CO2- radicals trapped in the tracks of the alpha particles. A spectrum due to the SO3- radical anion was observed after irradiation of lithium dithionate. The signal amplitude increased using the 6Li in place of the Li with natural composition of isotopes, in studies with low energy X-ray irradiation. Due to the decreased line width, caused by the difference in g(N) and I between the isotopes, the sensitivity with 6Li dithionate may be enhanced by an order of magnitude compared to alanine dosimetry. After comprehensive examination of the different combinations of compounds with different amounts of 6Li and 7Li regarding dosimetry, radiation chemistry and EPR properties these dosimeter material might be used for dose determinations at BNCT treatments and for biomedical experiments. Interesting properties of the radical formation might be visible due to the large difference in ionization density of neutrons compared to photons.

Ammonium Formate, a Compound for Sensitive EPR Dosimetry

Alanine EPR dosimetry has been applied successfully when measuring intermediate and high radiation doses. Although the performance of alanine dosimetry is being improved, the sensitivity of the material is too low for a fast and simple low- dose determination. Here we present the results using ammonium formate as an EPR dosimeter material. Ammonium formate is seven times more sensitive than alanine, using spectrometer settings optimized for the latter. Deuterated ammonium formate is found to be more than eight times more sensitive than alanine. Analysis of signal stability with time shows that the ammonium formate signal is stable by 5 min after irradiation and that no change in signal intensity is found during 8 days. The atomic composition of ammonium formate is closer to that of tissue than alanine, and thus the energy dependence is smaller than that of alanine at photon energies below 200 keV. Power saturation studies indicate that the energy transfer between the spins and the lattice is fast in ammonium formate, which gives the possibility of using high microwave power without saturation to further increase the sensitivity. These results suggest that ammonium formate has some important properties required of an EPR dosimeter for applications in dosimetry in the dose range typical for radiation therapy.

EPR dosimetric properties of formates

As a part of a program to develop an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dosimeter suited for clinical use (doses in the cGy range), polycrystalline samples of lithium formate monohydrate (HCO2Li.H2O), magnesium formate dihydrate (C2H2O4Mg.2H2O), and calcium formate (C2H2O4Ca) have been examined. L-Alanine was included for comparison and reference. Samples were irradiated with 60Co gamma-rays and 60-220 kV X-rays. The dosimeter response was assessed using the peak-to-peak amplitude of the first-derivative EPR spectrum. Dose-response curves for the 60Co gamma-irradiated samples were constructed, and the dependences of the response on the photon energy, microwave power, and modulation amplitude were studied. Stability of the irradiation products upon storage (signal fading) was also investigated. Lithium formate monohydrate is by far the best candidate of the tested formates, suitable for measuring doses down to approximately 0.1 Gy. Lithium formate monohydrate is more sensitive than alanine by a factor of 5.6-6.8 in the tested photon energy range, it exhibits no zero-dose signal and shows a linear dose response in the dose range from 0.2 to 1000 Gy. Its EPR signal was found unchanged in shape and intensity 1 week after irradiation to 10 Gy. Various less favorable properties rendered the other formates generally unsuitable, although calcium formate exhibits some interesting EPR dosimetric properties.

In vivo alanine/EPR dosimetry in daily clinical practice: a feasibility study

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was evaluation of accuracy of in vivo dosimetry using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in alanine. Additionally, we aimed to identify sources of uncertainty in dose determination and quantitative assessment of physical factors that may result in discrepancies between the measured and planned single-fraction doses.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The measurements were performed using detectors in a form of 1.6 cm x 1.6 cm polyethylene sachets filled with powdered L-alanine. The detectors were taped to the patient's skin and measured the entrance doses for (60)Co and electron beams. Some detectors were covered with buildup material, and some measured the "skin dose." The EPR measurements were performed with a Varian E-4 spectrometer.

RESULTS

The calculated uncertainty of EPR measured doses was dependent on measured doses and varied from 6.6% for 0.5 Gy to 3.2% for 2 Gy. The calculated uncertainty was in concordance with experimentally determined reproducibility of EPR signals. However, the deviations between measured and planned doses exceeded the uncertainty range of EPR measurements, which can be attributed to uncertainty in determination of actually delivered doses to the detectors, on the basis of treatment planning data.

CONCLUSION

The accuracy of dose determination by EPR measurements was shown to be achievable within the 5% limit recommended by the ICRU for doses above 0.7 Gy. The accuracy of in vivo verification of radiotherapy doses by in vivo EPR dosimetry can be improved by meticulous selection of measurement conditions, i.e., radiation fields and detector positions, ensuring accurate calculation of doses delivered to the dosimeters.

New materials for ESR dosimetry

New materials for electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry have been investigated with the aim to find systems more sensitive than L-alanine accepted as a standard for high dose determinations. Among the investigated systems ammonium tartrate, 2-methylalanine, salts of formic acids and dithionates have been found to be more sensitive than alanine by a factor 2-10. The lower limit applies to tissue equivalent materials, while much higher sensitivities were obtained with formates and dithionates containing heavier atoms. The increased sensitivity was mainly attributed to suitable ESR properties of the room temperature stable radicals as regards spectral shape (narrow lines, little or no hyperfine structure) and microwave saturation properties (short relaxation times). The radical structures have when necessary been clarified by ENDOR spectroscopy, while the saturation properties have been screened by pulsed ESR measurements.

Response charactterization of ammonium tartrate solid state pellets for ESR dosimetry with radiotherapeutic photon and electron beams

Solid state pellets (1 mm thick) for electron spin resonance (ESR) dosimetry were made using ammonium tartrate as the radiation-sensitive substance. Their behaviour was experimentally investigated as a function of dose with 60Co gamma rays. The calibration function obtained permits measurements of absorbed dose in the 2-50 Gy range, with a combined uncertainty of +/-4%. The lowest detectable dose was about 0.5 Gy. These properties are comparable with or even better than those of ESR dosimeters made from other materials. The time stability of the ESR signal of ammonium tartrate dosimeters at different storage conditions after irradiation was studied. A rather complex behaviour was observed, which suggests that more species of free radicals are produced by radiation and that migration processes may be effective. No dependence of the response on beam quality was found for high-energy photon and electron beams produced by a linear accelerator used in radiotherapy, whereas dose was underestimated with low-energy x-rays.