In 1986 Appleby et al[7] reported that Fricke dosimetry solutions dispersed throughout a gel matrix could be used to obtain three-dimensional (3D) spatial dose information using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Numerous authors subsequently published results of their work to inhibit the ion diffusion with limited success and which was summarised by Baldock et al in 2001.
In 1992 a new gel dosimetry formulation was proposed by Maryanski et al,[15] which was based on the polymerisation of acrylamide and N,N’-methylene-bis-acrylamide (bis) monomers infused in an aqueous agarose matrix.
Due to the nature of their free radical chemistry, polymer gel dosimeters were susceptible to atmospheric oxygen inhibition of the polymerisation processes.
[27][28][29][30][31] De Deene et al[32] undertook an investigation into the overall accuracy of an anthropomorphic polymer gel dosimetry phantom for the verification of conformal radiotherapy treatments.
It was established that significant issues relating to the accuracy of this dosimetry technique were a result of oxygen inhibition in the polymer gel and MRI imaging artefacts.
Ascorbic acid binds free oxygen contained within the aqueous gelatine matrix into metallo-organic complexes and this process is initiated by copper sulphate.
It was subsequently shown by De Deene et al in 2002 that other antioxidants could be used in the manufacture of normoxic gels[60] including tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride, having first been suggested to Baldock by Billingham in 1996.
[61] Numerous authors subsequently published results of work investigating different compositions and formulations of normoxic polymer gel dosimeters and were summarised by Senden.
In September 1996 Clive Baldock and Lars Olsson, whilst attending the European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) annual meeting in Vienna, Austria initiated the organising of the international conference series on gel dosimetry which began as DosGel 99, the 1st International Workshop on Radiation Therapy Gel Dosimetry held in Lexington, Kentucky in 1999 and hosted by Geoff Ibbott.
By the 6th meeting, held in South Carolina in 2010, the Conference Scientific Committee recognised the wider developments in 3D systems and methods and decided to widen the scope, whilst keeping the same span from basic science to applications.