The GafChromic XR Type R film is a relatively new product for recording high radiation dose in interventional radiological procedures. Means of measuring the film response were studied in this investigation. Two handheld reflective‐type densitometers of different models were compared in the range of 0–8 Gy. They were found to be in excellent agreement. Five reflective flatbed scanners of different models were compared by a simple preliminary test. Their widely differed performances suggest the need of testing a scanner before using it for dosimetry measurement. A selected scanner was further tested for its ability to measure radiation in the range of 0–8 Gy and for the development of a scanning protocol. This experiment suggested the inclusion of a calibration pattern with known exposures and a black reference step in the scanning of a film in RGB mode. Then the red component of this image should be used for dosimetry computation. This method was compared to the use of a red acetate filter. The latter was demonstrated to be a possible alternative for measurement below 5 Gy and when there is no software ability to split an image into color components.PACS number(s): 87.66.–a, 87.52.–g

Many of the newer X‐ray machines are equipped with electronic means to provide dose–area product (DAP) information. For machines without that ability, an alternative method is to record radiation on a film that can handle a large amount of cumulative exposure. The use of GafChromic XR Type R film was investigated for this purpose by placing it at the X‐ray tube assembly to record the radiation in interventional radiological procedures. Dose‐area product was determined with a reflective densitometer and then with a flatbed scanner. Precisions were demonstrated to be 5% and 2%, respectively. In a comparison with the machine‐recorded DAP, a regression analysis showed the validity of both techniques for values less than 1200 Gy‐cm2.PACS numbers: 87.52.Df, 87.66.Cd