Photon-Fluence-Weighted let for Radiation Fields Subjected to Epidemiological Studies

Health Phys. 2017 Aug;113(2):143-148. doi: 10.1097/HP.0000000000000683.

Abstract

In order to estimate the uncertainty of the radiation risk associated with the photon energy in epidemiological studies, photon-fluence-weighted LET values were quantified for photon radiation fields with the target organs and irradiation conditions taken into consideration. The photon fluences giving a unit absorbed dose to the target organ were estimated by using photon energy spectra together with the dose conversion coefficients given in ICRP Publication 116 for the target organs of the colon, bone marrow, stomach, lung, skin and breast with three irradiation geometries. As a result, it was demonstrated that the weighted LET values did not show a clear difference among the photon radiation fields subjected to epidemiological studies, regardless of the target organ and the irradiation geometry.

MeSH terms

  • Absorption, Radiation / physiology
  • Adult
  • Computer Simulation
  • Epidemiologic Studies*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Linear Energy Transfer / physiology*
  • Male
  • Models, Biological*
  • Organ Specificity / physiology
  • Photons*
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Radiation Exposure / analysis
  • Relative Biological Effectiveness
  • Viscera / physiology*
  • Whole-Body Counting / methods*