ORGANIC SCINTILLATOR FOR REAL-TIME NEUTRON DOSIMETRY

Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2018 Aug 1;180(1-4):355-359. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncx255.

Abstract

We developed a radiation detector based on an organic scintillator for spectrometry and dosimetry of out-of-field secondary neutrons from clinical proton beams. The detector consists of an EJ-299-34 crystalline organic scintillator, coupled by fiber optic cable to a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM). Proof of concept measurements were taken with 137Cs and 252Cf, and corresponding simulations were performed in MCNPX-PoliMi. Despite its small size, the detector is able to discriminate between neutron and gamma-rays via pulse shape discrimination. We simulated the response function of the detector to monoenergetic neutrons in the 100 keV-0 MeV range using MCNPX-PoliMi. The measured unfolded 252Cf neutron spectrum is in good agreement with the theoretical Watt fission spectrum. We determined the ambient dose equivalent by folding the spectrum with the fluence-to-ambient dose conversion coefficient, with a 1.4% deviation from theory. Some preliminary proton beam experiments were preformed at the Bronowice Cyclotron Center patient treatment facility using a clinically relevant proton pencil beam for brain tumor and craino-spinal treatment directed at a child phantom.

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Californium / analysis*
  • Cesium Radioisotopes / analysis*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Computer Simulation
  • Humans
  • Neutrons*
  • Phantoms, Imaging*
  • Radiotherapy Dosage
  • Scintillation Counting / instrumentation*

Substances

  • Cesium Radioisotopes
  • Cesium-137
  • Californium
  • Californium-252