What is the common gas used in dose calibrators?

The common gas used in dose calibrators is argon. This choice is appropriate because dose calibrators are designed to measure the activity of radioactive materials, including radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine. They typically work based on the principles of ionization, where a gas fills the chamber to facilitate the detection of emitted radiation.

Argon is preferred due to its properties; it is an inert gas that does not react with radiation or other materials present in the dose calibrator, ensuring accurate and reliable measurements. Its ionization potential is well-suited for this application, making it effective for detecting low-energy photons typically emitted from radionuclides used in nuclear medicine.

While helium, nitrogen, and xenon could potentially be used in various applications involving gas ionization, they do not provide the same reliability and efficiency for dose calibration as argon does. For instance, helium is often used in other types of detectors, while nitrogen's properties aren't conducive for accurate radiation measurement in this context. Xenon, while effective in some scintillation applications, is less commonly used due to cost and operational considerations compared to argon.