Evaluation of irradiated foods and other items with telemetric dosimeters and associated methods
First Claim
1. A method for determining an irradiation dose delivered in situ to an object, comprising the steps of:
- irradiating at least one object with a radiation dose which is sufficient to sterilize the object;
positioning a passively powered sensor proximate to the object such that it is held proximate thereto during said irradiating step, wherein said sensor has associated operational parameters, and wherein one or more of the operational parameters is configured to change responsive to said irradiating step, wherein the sensor is configured as a single-use sensor;
wirelessly transmitting data associated with the change in the operational parameter in the sensor; and
determining the radiation dose received by the object during said irradiating step based on the change in the operational parameter.
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Abstract
Methods for quantifying the irradiation dose received by an item or items, such as food items and medical items, undergoing irradiation-based sterilization, includes the steps of monitoring a selected electronic parameter associated with an economic single use sensor positioned adjacent the item or items and telemetrically relaying data associated with the monitored electronic parameter to a computer. The computer includes a computer program which is configured to determine the radiation dose received by the item or items by correlating the value of the monitored electronic parameter to a corresponding amount of radiation associated with the value. Related sensors and systems are also described.
110 Citations
78 Claims
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1. A method for determining an irradiation dose delivered in situ to an object, comprising the steps of:
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irradiating at least one object with a radiation dose which is sufficient to sterilize the object;
positioning a passively powered sensor proximate to the object such that it is held proximate thereto during said irradiating step, wherein said sensor has associated operational parameters, and wherein one or more of the operational parameters is configured to change responsive to said irradiating step, wherein the sensor is configured as a single-use sensor;
wirelessly transmitting data associated with the change in the operational parameter in the sensor; and
determining the radiation dose received by the object during said irradiating step based on the change in the operational parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A radiation dose evaluation system, comprising:
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a radiation or electron beam source;
at least one passively powered dosimeter sensor adapted to be positioned on an object undergoing irradiation treatment such that said sensor is exposed to an amount of radiation representative of the amount of radiation exposure of the object;
at least one wireless reader operably associated with said sensor such that, in operation, it powers said sensor and receives data associated with said sensor;
a controller operably associated with said wireless reader; and
a computer program operably associated with said controller, said computer program configured to control powering of the at least one passive dosimeter and analyze data transmitted from said sensor to said wireless reader to determine a radiation dose associated therewith. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A radiation dose evaluation system, comprising:
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a radiation or electron beam source;
at least one dosimeter sensor adapted to be positioned on an object undergoing irradiation treatment such that said sensor is exposed to an amount of radiation representative of the amount of radiation exposure of the object;
at least one wireless reader operably associated with said sensor such that, in operation, it receives data associated with said sensor;
a controller operably associated with said wireless reader; and
a computer program operably associated with said controller, said computer program configured to analyze data transmitted from said sensor to said wireless reader to determine a radiation dose associated therewith, wherein said at least one dosimeter is a single use disposable dosimeter. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. A radiation dose evaluation system, comprising:
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a radiation or electron beam source;
at least one passive dosimeter sensor adapted to be positioned on an object undergoing irradiation treatment such that said sensor is exposed to an amount of radiation representative of the amount of radiation exposure of the object;
at least one wireless reader operably associated with said sensor such that, in operation, it powers said sensor and receives data associated with said sensor;
a controller operably associated with said wireless reader; and
a computer program operably associated with said controller, said computer program configured to analyze data transmitted from said sensor to said wireless reader to determine a radiation dose associated therewith, wherein said at least one wireless reader comprises first and second wireless readers, said first reader configured to resonate said sensor before irradiation and said second reader configured to resonate said sensor after irradiation.
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50. A radiation dose sensor, comprising:
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a capacitor having a dielectric material and two opposing plates configured to sandwich said dielectric material; and
an inductor operably associated with said capacitor, wherein, in operation, said sensor is configured to be inductively powered by a remote receiver and to wirelessly relay data associated therewith, and wherein said sensor is configured such that it alters at least one predetermined electrical property in responsive to exposure to irradiation in a desired operative range associated with the sterilization of objects. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A method for determining the radiation dose of an object or product, comprising the steps of:
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positioning a single use dosimetry sensor on an object, wherein said sensor comprises a tank circuit with an inductor and capacitor and a selected electronic component which has an operational parameter which alters when exposed to radiation, wherein the sensor is passively powered and, in operation, is configured to wirelessly relay data to a remote processor;
irradiating the object and the sensor to a level which is sufficient to sterilize the object and to induce alteration in the selected operational parameter of the sensor, wherein the alteration is representative of the amount of irradiation received by the sensor; and
determining the amount of irradiation based on the value of the altered operational parameter of the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
establishing the value of the electronic parameter before radiation; and
detecting the value of the electronic parameter after or during said irradiating step, wherein said determining step comprises analyzing the established and detected values of the electronic parameter.
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70. A method according to claim 69, wherein the object is sealed within a container before said irradiating step.
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71. A method according to claim 69, wherein the sensor comprising a tank circuit and a MOS device, the MOS device having a threshold voltage value associated therewith, and wherein said detecting step detects the threshold voltage value of the MOS device and said determining step considers the detected threshold voltage.
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72. A method according to claim 71, wherein said method comprises the step of obtaining a pre-irradiation threshold voltage value and obtaining a post-irradiation voltage value and said determining step compares the pre and post irradiation values to determine the radiation dose.
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73. A method according to claim 69, wherein the sensor comprises a tank circuit and a diode, the diode having a leakage current associated therewith, and wherein said detecting step is used to estimate the leakage current of the diode and said determining step considers the estimated leakage current.
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74. A method according to claim 69, wherein the object is a food item, and wherein said detecting and determining steps are carried out automatically without direct human manipulation of the sensor.
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75. A method according to claim 69, further comprising controlling the time the object is exposed to the radiation source.
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76. A method according to claim 68, further comprising wirelessly transmitting data from the sensor to a remote reader.
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77. A method according to claim 68, wherein the sensor comprises a tank circuit and a bipolar transistor, the transistor having an Hfe value associated therewith, wherein said method comprises obtaining a pre-irradiation Hfe value and a post-irradiation Hfe value and said determining step compares the pre and post irradiation values to determine the radiation dose.
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78. A method according to claim 68, wherein the sensor has a substantially planar low profile flexible body.
Specification