Neutron spectra in a tissue equivalent phantom during photon radiotherapy treatment by LINACS

Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2004;110(1-4):157-60. doi: 10.1093/rpd/nch205.

Abstract

Bremsstrahlung photon beams produced by LINAC accelerators are currently the most used radiotherapy method for tumour treatments. When the photon energy exceeds the (gamma,n) reaction threshold energy, the patient receives an undesired dose due to photoneutron production both in the accelerator head and in the human body. In this paper, a method is presented for the assessment of the photoneutron spectra produced by Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) during cancer radiotherapy with energetic photon beams. Experimental and numerical results have been obtained for the facility at Onkologik Klinik, Lund (Sweden), which is based on an ELEKTA 18 MV LINAC. Neutron spectra are evaluated both at the patient plane and inside an anthropomorphic phantom.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Statistical
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Neutrons / adverse effects*
  • Particle Accelerators / instrumentation*
  • Phantoms, Imaging*
  • Radiation Injuries / etiology
  • Radiation Injuries / prevention & control
  • Radiation Protection / instrumentation
  • Radiation Protection / methods
  • Radiometry / instrumentation*
  • Radiometry / methods
  • Radiotherapy / instrumentation
  • Radiotherapy / methods
  • Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*
  • Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Spectrum Analysis / instrumentation*
  • Spectrum Analysis / methods