ESTIMATION OF THERMAL & EPITHERMAL NEUTRON FLUX AND GAMMA DOSE DISTRIBUTION IN A MEDICAL CYCLOTRON FACILITY FOR RADIATION PROTECTION PURPOSES USING GOLD FOILS AND GATE 9

Fouad A Abolaban; Mohammed A Alawi; Eslam M Taha; Ezzat Elmoujarkach; Essam M Banoqitah; Abdulsalam M Alhawsawi; Paolo De Maio; Gaetano Lopopolo; Anna Tolomeo; Vincenzo Dimiccoli; Andrew Nisbet

doi:10.1093/rpd/ncab034

ESTIMATION OF THERMAL & EPITHERMAL NEUTRON FLUX AND GAMMA DOSE DISTRIBUTION IN A MEDICAL CYCLOTRON FACILITY FOR RADIATION PROTECTION PURPOSES USING GOLD FOILS AND GATE 9

Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2021 May 17;193(3-4):176-184. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncab034.

Authors

Fouad A Abolaban^{1

2}, Mohammed A Alawi¹, Eslam M Taha^{1

2}, Ezzat Elmoujarkach^{1

3}, Essam M Banoqitah¹, Abdulsalam M Alhawsawi^{1

2

4}, Paolo De Maio⁵, Gaetano Lopopolo⁵, Anna Tolomeo⁵, Vincenzo Dimiccoli⁵, Andrew Nisbet⁶

Affiliations

¹ King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Department, P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
² King Abdulaziz University, Center for Training & Radiation Prevention, P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
³ Universität zu Lübeck, Institute of Medical Engineering, Ratzeburger Allee 160, Lübeck 23562, Germany.
⁴ Oregon State University, School of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Corvallis, OR, 97333, USA.
⁵ ITEL Telecomunicazioni SRL, Ruvo di Puglia (BA), Via Antonio Labriola Z.I. SNC, 70037, Italy.
⁶ Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, London WC1E 6BT, UK.

PMID: 33823534
DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncab034

Abstract

The aim of this study is to characterise the neutron flux generated directly behind targets used in medical cyclotrons. The characterisation process aims at determining the feasibility of using the generated neutrons for research purposes in neutron activation analysis. The study was performed by activating gold foils placed directly behind the cyclotron targets. The thermal and epithermal neutron flux were found to be 4.5E+05 ± 8.78E+04 neutrons cm-2 s-1 and 2.13E+06 ± 8.59E+04 neutrons cm-2 s-1, respectively. The flux value is the same order of magnitude listed in the manual produced by the cyclotron manufacturer. The results are encouraging and show high potential for using the cyclotron facility as a thermal neutron source for research purposes. However, it is important radiation protection procedures be followed to ensure the safety of researchers due to the high gamma dose rate measured directly behind the target at 2.46 Sv/h using an OSL chip during the beam on time.

MeSH terms

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy*
Cyclotrons
Gamma Rays
Neutrons
Radiation Protection*