Sample records for absorbed dose dose

  1. Absorbed Dose and Dose Equivalent Calculations for Modeling Effective Dose

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Welton, Andrew; Lee, Kerry

    2010-01-01

    While in orbit, Astronauts are exposed to a much higher dose of ionizing radiation than when on the ground. It is important to model how shielding designs on spacecraft reduce radiation effective dose pre-flight, and determine whether or not a danger to humans is presented. However, in order to calculate effective dose, dose equivalent calculations are needed. Dose equivalent takes into account an absorbed dose of radiation and the biological effectiveness of ionizing radiation. This is important in preventing long-term, stochastic radiation effects in humans spending time in space. Monte carlo simulations run with the particle transport code FLUKA, give absorbed and equivalent dose data for relevant shielding. The shielding geometry used in the dose calculations is a layered slab design, consisting of aluminum, polyethylene, and water. Water is used to simulate the soft tissues that compose the human body. The results obtained will provide information on how the shielding performs with many thicknesses of each material in the slab. This allows them to be directly applicable to modern spacecraft shielding geometries.

  2. Absorbed dose thresholds and absorbed dose rate limitations for studies of electron radiation effects on polyetherimides

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Long, Edward R., Jr.; Long, Sheila Ann T.; Gray, Stephanie L.; Collins, William D.

    1989-01-01

    The threshold values of total absorbed dose for causing changes in tensile properties of a polyetherimide film and the limitations of the absorbed dose rate for accelerated-exposure evaluation of the effects of electron radiation in geosynchronous orbit were studied. Total absorbed doses from 1 kGy to 100 MGy and absorbed dose rates from 0.01 MGy/hr to 100 MGy/hr were investigated, where 1 Gy equals 100 rads. Total doses less than 2.5 MGy did not significantly change the tensile properties of the film whereas doses higher than 2.5 MGy significantly reduced elongation-to-failure. There was no measurable effect of the dose rate on the tensile properties for accelerated electron exposures.

  3. On the definition of absorbed dose

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grusell, Erik

    2015-02-01

    Purpose: The quantity absorbed dose is used extensively in all areas concerning the interaction of ionizing radiation with biological organisms, as well as with matter in general. The most recent and authoritative definition of absorbed dose is given by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) in ICRU Report 85. However, that definition is incomplete. The purpose of the present work is to give a rigorous definition of absorbed dose. Methods: Absorbed dose is defined in terms of the random variable specific energy imparted. A random variable is a mathematical function, and it cannot be defined without specifying its domain of definition which is a probability space. This is not done in report 85 by the ICRU, mentioned above. Results: In the present work a definition of a suitable probability space is given, so that a rigorous definition of absorbed dose is possible. This necessarily includes the specification of the experiment which the probability space describes. In this case this is an irradiation, which is specified by the initial particles released and by the material objects which can interact with the radiation. Some consequences are discussed. Specific energy imparted is defined for a volume, and the definition of absorbed dose as a point function involves the specific energy imparted for a small mass contained in a volume surrounding the point. A possible more precise definition of this volume is suggested and discussed. Conclusions: The importance of absorbed dose motivates a proper definition, and one is given in the present work. No rigorous definition has been presented before.

  4. Development of a primary standard for absorbed dose from unsealed radionuclide solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Billas, I.; Shipley, D.; Galer, S.; Bass, G.; Sander, T.; Fenwick, A.; Smyth, V.

    2016-12-01

    Currently, the determination of the internal absorbed dose to tissue from an administered radionuclide solution relies on Monte Carlo (MC) calculations based on published nuclear decay data, such as emission probabilities and energies. In order to validate these methods with measurements, it is necessary to achieve the required traceability of the internal absorbed dose measurements of a radionuclide solution to a primary standard of absorbed dose. The purpose of this work was to develop a suitable primary standard. A comparison between measurements and calculations of absorbed dose allows the validation of the internal radiation dose assessment methods. The absorbed dose from an yttrium-90 chloride (90YCl) solution was measured with an extrapolation chamber. A phantom was developed at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK’s National Measurement Institute, to position the extrapolation chamber as closely as possible to the surface of the solution. The performance of the extrapolation chamber was characterised and a full uncertainty budget for the absorbed dose determination was obtained. Absorbed dose to air in the collecting volume of the chamber was converted to absorbed dose at the centre of the radionuclide solution by applying a MC calculated correction factor. This allowed a direct comparison of the analytically calculated and experimentally determined absorbed dose of an 90YCl solution. The relative standard uncertainty in the measurement of absorbed dose at the centre of an 90YCl solution with the extrapolation chamber was found to be 1.6% (k  =  1). The calculated 90Y absorbed doses from published medical internal radiation dose (MIRD) and radiation dose assessment resource (RADAR) data agreed with measurements to within 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively. This study has shown that it is feasible to use an extrapolation chamber for performing primary standard absorbed dose measurements of an unsealed radionuclide solution. Internal radiation

  5. [Absorbed dose and the effective dose of panoramic temporo mandibular joint radiography].

    PubMed

    Matsuo, Ayae; Okano, Tsuneichi; Gotoh, Kenichi; Yokoi, Midori; Hirukawa, Akiko; Okumura, Shinji; Koyama, Syuji

    2011-01-01

    This study measured the radiation doses absorbed by the patient during Panoramic temporo mandibular joint radiography (Panoramic TMJ), Schüllers method and Orbitoramus projection. The dose of the frontal view in Panoramic TMJ was compared to that with Orbitoramus projection and the lateral view in Panoramic TMJ was compared to that with Schüllers method. We measured the doses received by various organs and calculated the effective doses using the guidelines of the International Commission on Radiological Protection in Publication 103. Organ absorbed doses were measured using an anthropomorphic phantom, loaded with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD), located at 160 sensitive sites. The dose shows the sum value of irradiation on both the right and left sides. In addition, we set a few different exposure field sizes. The effective dose for a frontal view in Panoramic TMJ was 11 µSv, and that for the lateral view was 14 µSv. The lens of the Orbitoramus projection was 40 times higher than the frontal view in Panoramic TMJ. Although the effective dose of the lateral view in Panoramic TMJ was 3 times higher than that of the small exposure field (10×10 cm on film) in Schüller's method, it was the same as that of a mid-sized exposure field. When the exposure field in the inferior 1/3 was reduced during panoramic TMJ, the effective doses could be decreased. Therefore we recommend that the size of the exposure field in Panoramic TMJ be decreased.

  6. Uncertainty analysis for absorbed dose from a brain receptor imaging agent

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Aydogan, B.; Miller, L.F.; Sparks, R.B.

    Absorbed dose estimates are known to contain uncertainties. A recent literature search indicates that prior to this study no rigorous investigation of uncertainty associated with absorbed dose has been undertaken. A method of uncertainty analysis for absorbed dose calculations has been developed and implemented for the brain receptor imaging agent {sup 123}I-IPT. The two major sources of uncertainty considered were the uncertainty associated with the determination of residence time and that associated with the determination of the S values. There are many sources of uncertainty in the determination of the S values, but only the inter-patient organ mass variation wasmore » considered in this work. The absorbed dose uncertainties were determined for lung, liver, heart and brain. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals of the organ absorbed dose distributions for each patient and for a seven-patient population group were determined by the ``Latin Hypercube Sampling`` method. For an individual patient, the upper bound of the 95% confidence interval of the absorbed dose was found to be about 2.5 times larger than the estimated mean absorbed dose. For the seven-patient population the upper bound of the 95% confidence interval of the absorbed dose distribution was around 45% more than the estimated population mean. For example, the 95% confidence interval of the population liver dose distribution was found to be between 1.49E+0.7 Gy/MBq and 4.65E+07 Gy/MBq with a mean of 2.52E+07 Gy/MBq. This study concluded that patients in a population receiving {sup 123}I-IPT could receive absorbed doses as much as twice as large as the standard estimated absorbed dose due to these uncertainties.« less

  7. [Absorbed doses to critical organs from full mouth dental radiography].

    PubMed

    Zhang, G; Yasuhiko, O; Hidegiko, Y

    1999-01-01

    A few studies were reported in China on radiological risk of dental radiography. The aim of this study is to evaluate the absorbed doses of patients from the full mouth radiographs, and to find out the contribution from each projection to the total absorbed dose of the organs. Absorbed doses to critical organs were measured from 14-film complete dental radiography. The organs included pituitary, optical lens, parotid glands, submandibular glands, sublingual glands, thyroid, breasts, ovary, testes and the skin in center field of each projection were studied. A-radiation analog dosimetry system (RANDO) phantom with thermoluminescent dosimeters (ILD200) was used for the study. All of the exposure parameters were fixed. The total filtration was 2 mm Al equivalent. The column collaboration was 6 cm in diameter and 20 cm in length. The absorbed doses of organs were measured three times in each projection of the full-mouth series (FMS) exposures. The absorbed dose of lenses in FMS (249 microGy) in present study was much less (10%) than the doses (2,630 microGy) reported in 1976. The doses absorbed of other organs in the present study were thyroid gland (125 microGy), pituitary gland (112 microGy), parotid gland (153 microGy), submandibular gland (629 microGy), sublingual gland (1,900 microGy), and breast gland (12 microGy). The doses of the ovary and testis were to small to further analysis. All of the results show that the radiation risk to patients in intraoral radiograph has been reduced significantly. In the pituitary, half of the dose is from both sides of the maxillary molar projection. For the lenses, the largest contribultions of radiation (60%) come from the ipsilateral molar and premolar projection of maxilla. In parotid gland, up to 57% of the dose is from the contralateral molar, pre-molar and canine of maxilla. It could be derived that about 90% of the absorbed doses could be avoided in FMS if the column collimator is 20 cm long and the filter is 2.0 mm thick

  8. The advantages of absorbed-dose calibration factors.

    PubMed

    Rogers, D W

    1992-01-01

    A formalism for clinical external beam dosimetry based on use of ion chamber absorbed-dose calibration factors is outlined in the context and notation of the AAPM TG-21 protocol. It is shown that basing clinical dosimetry on absorbed-dose calibration factors ND leads to considerable simplification and reduced uncertainty in dose measurement. In keeping with a protocol which is used in Germany, a quantity kQ is defined which relates an absorbed-dose calibration factor in a beam of quality Q0 to that in a beam of quality Q. For 38 cylindrical ion chambers, two sets of values are presented for ND/NX and Ngas/ND and for kQ for photon beams with beam quality specified by the TPR20(10) ratio. One set is based on TG-21's protocol to allow the new formalism to be used while maintaining equivalence to the TG-21 protocol. To demonstrate the magnitude of the overall error in the TG-21 protocol, the other set uses corrected versions of the TG-21 equations and the more consistent physical data of the IAEA Code of Practice. Comparisons are made to procedures based on air-kerma or exposure calibration factors and it is shown that accuracy and simplicity are gained by avoiding the determination of Ngas from NX. It is also shown that the kQ approach simplifies the use of plastic phantoms in photon beams since kQ values change by less than 0.6% compared to those in water although an overall correction factor of 0.973 is needed to go from absorbed dose in water calibration factors to those in PMMA or polystyrene. Values of kQ calculated using the IAEA Code of Practice are presented but are shown to be anomalous because of the way the effective point of measurement changes for 60Co beams. In photon beams the major difference between the IAEA Code of Practice and the corrected AAPM TG-21 protocol is shown to be the Prepl correction factor. Calculated kQ curves and three parameter equations for them are presented for each wall material and are shown to represent accurately the kQ curve

  9. Simplified method for creating a density-absorbed dose calibration curve for the low dose range from Gafchromic EBT3 film.

    PubMed

    Gotanda, Tatsuhiro; Katsuda, Toshizo; Gotanda, Rumi; Kuwano, Tadao; Akagawa, Takuya; Tanki, Nobuyoshi; Tabuchi, Akihiko; Shimono, Tetsunori; Kawaji, Yasuyuki

    2016-01-01

    Radiochromic film dosimeters have a disadvantage in comparison with an ionization chamber in that the dosimetry process is time-consuming for creating a density-absorbed dose calibration curve. The purpose of this study was the development of a simplified method of creating a density-absorbed dose calibration curve from radiochromic film within a short time. This simplified method was performed using Gafchromic EBT3 film with a low energy dependence and step-shaped Al filter. The simplified method was compared with the standard method. The density-absorbed dose calibration curves created using the simplified and standard methods exhibited approximately similar straight lines, and the gradients of the density-absorbed dose calibration curves were -32.336 and -33.746, respectively. The simplified method can obtain calibration curves within a much shorter time compared to the standard method. It is considered that the simplified method for EBT3 film offers a more time-efficient means of determining the density-absorbed dose calibration curve within a low absorbed dose range such as the diagnostic range.

  10. Simplified method for creating a density-absorbed dose calibration curve for the low dose range from Gafchromic EBT3 film

    PubMed Central

    Gotanda, Tatsuhiro; Katsuda, Toshizo; Gotanda, Rumi; Kuwano, Tadao; Akagawa, Takuya; Tanki, Nobuyoshi; Tabuchi, Akihiko; Shimono, Tetsunori; Kawaji, Yasuyuki

    2016-01-01

    Radiochromic film dosimeters have a disadvantage in comparison with an ionization chamber in that the dosimetry process is time-consuming for creating a density-absorbed dose calibration curve. The purpose of this study was the development of a simplified method of creating a density-absorbed dose calibration curve from radiochromic film within a short time. This simplified method was performed using Gafchromic EBT3 film with a low energy dependence and step-shaped Al filter. The simplified method was compared with the standard method. The density-absorbed dose calibration curves created using the simplified and standard methods exhibited approximately similar straight lines, and the gradients of the density-absorbed dose calibration curves were −32.336 and −33.746, respectively. The simplified method can obtain calibration curves within a much shorter time compared to the standard method. It is considered that the simplified method for EBT3 film offers a more time-efficient means of determining the density-absorbed dose calibration curve within a low absorbed dose range such as the diagnostic range. PMID:28144120

  11. Abdominal Pediatric Cancer Surveillance using Serial CT: Evaluation of Organ Absorbed Dose and Effective Dose

    PubMed Central

    Lam, Diana; Wootton-Gorges, Sandra L.; McGahan, John P.; Stern, Robin; Boone, John M.

    2012-01-01

    Computed tomography (CT) is used extensively in cancer diagnosis, staging, evaluation of response to treatment, and in active surveillance for cancer reoccurrence. A review of CT technology is provided, at a level of detail appropriate for a busy clinician to review. The basis of x-ray CT dosimetry is also discussed, and concepts of absorbed dose and effective dose are distinguished. Absorbed dose is a physical quantity (measured in milliGray) equal to the x-ray energy deposited in a mass of tissue, whereas effective dose utilizes an organ-specific weighting method which converts organ doses to effective dose measured in milliSieverts. The organ weighting values carry with them a measure of radiation risk, and so effective dose (in mSv) is not a physical dose metric but rather is one that conveys radiation risk. The use of CT in a cancer surveillance protocol was used as an example of a pediatric patient who had kidney cancer, with surgery and radiation therapy. The active use of CT for cancer surveillance along with diagnostic CT scans led to a total of 50 CT scans performed on this child in a 7 year period. It was estimated that the patient received an average organ dose of 431 mGy from these CT scans. By comparison, the radiation therapy was performed and delivered 50.4 Gy to the patient’s abdomen. Thus, the total dose from CT represented only 0.8% of the patients radiation dose. PMID:21362521

  12. Absorbed dose in target cell nuclei and dose conversion coefficient of radon progeny in the human lung.

    PubMed

    Nikezic, D; Lau, B M F; Stevanovic, N; Yu, K N

    2006-01-01

    To calculate the absorbed dose in the human lung due to inhaled radon progeny, ICRP focussed on the layers containing the target cells, i.e., the basal and secretory cells. Such an approach did not consider details of the sensitive cells in the layers. The present work uses the microdosimetric approach and determines the absorbed alpha-particle energy in non-spherical nuclei of target cells (basal and secretory cells). The absorbed energy for alpha particles emitted by radon progeny in the human respiratory tract was calculated in basal- and secretory-cell nuclei, assuming conical and ellipsoidal forms for these cells. Distributions of specific energy for different combinations of alpha-particle sources, energies and targets are calculated and shown. The dose conversion coefficient for radon progeny is reduced for about 2mSv/WLM when conical and ellipsoidal cell nuclei are considered instead of the layers. While changes in the geometry of secretory-cell nuclei do not have significant effects on their absorbed dose, changes from spherical to conical basal-cell nuclei have significantly reduced their absorbed dose from approximately 4 to approximately 3mGy/WLM. This is expected because basal cells are situated close to the end of the range of 6MeV alpha particles. This also underlines the significance of better and more precise information on targets in the T-B tree. A further change in the dose conversion coefficient can be achieved if a different weighting scheme is adopted for the doses for the cells. The results demonstrate the necessity for better information on the target cells for more accurate dosimetry for radon progeny.

  13. Photon spectrum and absorbed dose in brain tumor.

    PubMed

    Vega-Carrillo, Hector Rene; Silva-Sanchez, Angeles; Rivera-Montalvo, Teodoro

    2016-11-01

    Using Monte Carlo methods a BOMAB phantom inside a treatment hall with a brain tumor nearby the pituitary gland was treated with photons produced by a Varian 6MV linac. The photon spectrum and the absorbed dose were calculated in the tumor, pituitary gland and the head. The treatment beam was collimated to illuminate only the tumor volume; however photons were noticed in the gland. Photon fluence reaching the tumor is and 15.7 times larger than the fluence in the pituitary gland, on the other hand the absorbed dose in the tumor is 37.1 times larger than the dose in the gland because photons that reach the pituitary gland are scattered, by the head and the tumor, through Compton effect. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Space radiation absorbed dose distribution in a human phantom

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Badhwar, G. D.; Atwell, W.; Badavi, F. F.; Yang, T. C.; Cleghorn, T. F.

    2002-01-01

    The radiation risk to astronauts has always been based on measurements using passive thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). The skin dose is converted to dose equivalent using an average radiation quality factor based on model calculations. The radiological risk estimates, however, are based on organ and tissue doses. This paper describes results from the first space flight (STS-91, 51.65 degrees inclination and approximately 380 km altitude) of a fully instrumented Alderson Rando phantom torso (with head) to relate the skin dose to organ doses. Spatial distributions of absorbed dose in 34 1-inch-thick sections measured using TLDs are described. There is about a 30% change in dose as one moves from the front to the back of the phantom body. Small active dosimeters were developed specifically to provide time-resolved measurements of absorbed dose rates and quality factors at five organ locations (brain, thyroid, heart/lung, stomach and colon) inside the phantom. Using these dosimeters, it was possible to separate the trapped-proton and the galactic cosmic radiation components of the doses. A tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) and a charged-particle directional spectrometer (CPDS) were flown next to the phantom torso to provide data on the incident internal radiation environment. Accurate models of the shielding distributions at the site of the TEPC, the CPDS and a scalable Computerized Anatomical Male (CAM) model of the phantom torso were developed. These measurements provided a comprehensive data set to map the dose distribution inside a human phantom, and to assess the accuracy and validity of radiation transport models throughout the human body. The results show that for the conditions in the International Space Station (ISS) orbit during periods near the solar minimum, the ratio of the blood-forming organ dose rate to the skin absorbed dose rate is about 80%, and the ratio of the dose equivalents is almost one. The results show that the GCR model dose

  15. Intercomparison of standards of absorbed dose between the USSR and the UK

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berlyand, V. A.; Bregadze, J. I.; Burns, J. E.; Dusautoy, A. R.; Sharpe, P. H. G.

    1991-05-01

    A comparison of national standards of absorbed dose was carried out between the All-Union Research Institute for Physical Technical and Radiotechnical Measurements (VNIIFTRI), USSR, and the National Physical Laboratotry (NPL), UK (United Kingdom). Absorbed dose to water for cobalt 60 gamma radiation was compared by means of Fricke dosimeters and ionization chambers in 1985 and 1986. The primary standards used to derive absorbed dose to water were cavity ionization chambers at NPL and a graphite calorimeter at VNIIFTRI. The ratio of absorbed dose to water, NPL to VNIIFTRI, using Fricke dosimeters was 1.008; using ionization chambers it was 1.007. This agreement is within the estimated uncertainties of the standards and measurement methods.

  16. Absorbed radiation doses to staff after implementation of a radiopharmacy clean room.

    PubMed

    Ponto, James A

    2014-12-01

    In response to U.S. Pharmacopeia general chapter <797> standards, a clean room was constructed for our in-house radiopharmacy. Previously, most patient doses were prepared as needed just before injection. Currently, to minimize repeated entries into the clean room, most patient doses are prepared in batches; that is, early morning and noontime preparation of doses to be injected at various times throughout the morning and the afternoon, respectively. Because these patient doses may be prepared well before injection time, radioactive decay necessitates higher amounts of radioactivity to be handled for patient dose preparation. Hence, absorbed radiation doses to staff, all of whom rotate into the radiopharmacy clean room in addition to their regular patient-related activities, were retrospectively evaluated. Monthly dosimetry reports for body (chest badge) and extremities (finger ring) were retrospectively reviewed for each staff member for 12 mo before and 12 mo after implementation of the radiopharmacy clean room. Monthly data were evaluated for average and SD, and 12-mo groups were evaluated using a paired t test. Data for the second 12-mo period were also normalized to the same number of patient doses to account for an increase in procedure volume and were reevaluated. Before the radiopharmacy clean room had been implemented, average monthly absorbed radiation doses to body and extremities were 23 ± 15 mrem (0.23 ± 0.15 mSv) and 93 ± 59 mrem (0.93 ± 0.59 mSv), respectively. After the clean room had been implemented, average monthly absorbed radiation doses increased to 32 ± 16 mrem (0.32 ± 0.16 mSv) (P < 0.001) and 121 ± 89 mrem (1.21 ± 0.89 mSv) (P = 0.0015), respectively. When normalized for procedure volume, average monthly absorbed radiation doses after implementation of the clean room were still higher, at 29 ± 15 mrem (0.29 ± 0.15 mSv) (P = 0.001) and 110 ± 80 mrem (1.10 ± 0.80 mSv) (P = 0.039), respectively. After implementation of a

  17. Assessment of out-of-field absorbed dose and equivalent dose in proton fields

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Clasie, Ben; Wroe, Andrew; Kooy, Hanne

    2010-01-15

    Purpose: In proton therapy, as in other forms of radiation therapy, scattered and secondary particles produce undesired dose outside the target volume that may increase the risk of radiation-induced secondary cancer and interact with electronic devices in the treatment room. The authors implement a Monte Carlo model of this dose deposited outside passively scattered fields and compare it to measurements, determine the out-of-field equivalent dose, and estimate the change in the dose if the same target volumes were treated with an active beam scanning technique. Methods: Measurements are done with a thimble ionization chamber and the Wellhofer MatriXX detector insidemore » a Lucite phantom with field configurations based on the treatment of prostate cancer and medulloblastoma. The authors use a GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation, demonstrated to agree well with measurements inside the primary field, to simulate fields delivered in the measurements. The partial contributions to the dose are separated in the simulation by particle type and origin. Results: The agreement between experiment and simulation in the out-of-field absorbed dose is within 30% at 10-20 cm from the field edge and 90% of the data agrees within 2 standard deviations. In passive scattering, the neutron contribution to the total dose dominates in the region downstream of the Bragg peak (65%-80% due to internally produced neutrons) and inside the phantom at distances more than 10-15 cm from the field edge. The equivalent doses using 10 for the neutron weighting factor at the entrance to the phantom and at 20 cm from the field edge are 2.2 and 2.6 mSv/Gy for the prostate cancer and cranial medulloblastoma fields, respectively. The equivalent dose at 15-20 cm from the field edge decreases with depth in passive scattering and increases with depth in active scanning. Therefore, active scanning has smaller out-of-field equivalent dose by factors of 30-45 in the entrance region and this factor decreases with

  18. Measurement of absorbed dose with a bone-equivalent extrapolation chamber.

    PubMed

    DeBlois, François; Abdel-Rahman, Wamied; Seuntjens, Jan P; Podgorsak, Ervin B

    2002-03-01

    A hybrid phantom-embedded extrapolation chamber (PEEC) made of Solid Water and bone-equivalent material was used for determining absorbed dose in a bone-equivalent phantom irradiated with clinical radiation beams (cobalt-60 gamma rays; 6 and 18 MV x rays; and 9 and 15 MeV electrons). The dose was determined with the Spencer-Attix cavity theory, using ionization gradient measurements and an indirect determination of the chamber air-mass through measurements of chamber capacitance. The collected charge was corrected for ionic recombination and diffusion in the chamber air volume following the standard two-voltage technique. Due to the hybrid chamber design, correction factors accounting for scatter deficit and electrode composition were determined and applied in the dose equation to obtain absorbed dose in bone for the equivalent homogeneous bone phantom. Correction factors for graphite electrodes were calculated with Monte Carlo techniques and the calculated results were verified through relative air cavity dose measurements for three different polarizing electrode materials: graphite, steel, and brass in conjunction with a graphite collecting electrode. Scatter deficit, due mainly to loss of lateral scatter in the hybrid chamber, reduces the dose to the air cavity in the hybrid PEEC in comparison with full bone PEEC by 0.7% to approximately 2% depending on beam quality and energy. In megavoltage photon and electron beams, graphite electrodes do not affect the dose measurement in the Solid Water PEEC but decrease the cavity dose by up to 5% in the bone-equivalent PEEC even for very thin graphite electrodes (<0.0025 cm). In conjunction with appropriate correction factors determined with Monte Carlo techniques, the uncalibrated hybrid PEEC can be used for measuring absorbed dose in bone material to within 2% for high-energy photon and electron beams.

  19. Accuracy of a dose-area product compared to an absorbed dose to water at a point in a 2 cm diameter field

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dufreneix, S.; Ostrowsky, A.; Rapp, B.

    Purpose: Graphite calorimeters with a core diameter larger than the beam can be used to establish dosimetric references in small fields. The dose-area product (DAP) measured can theoretically be linked to an absorbed dose at a point by the determination of a profile correction. This study aims at comparing the DAP-based protocol to the usual absorbed dose at a point protocol in a 2 cm diameter field for which both references exist. Methods: Two calorimeters were used, respectively, with a sensitive volume of 0.6 cm (for the absorbed dose at a point measurement) and 3 cm diameter (for the DAPmore » measurement). Profile correction was calculated from a 2D dose mapping using three detectors: a PinPoint chamber, a synthetic diamond, and EBT3 films. A specific protocol to read EBT3 films was implemented and the dose-rate and energy dependences were studied to assure a precise measurement, especially in the penumbra and out-of-field regions. Results: EBT3 films were found independent on dose rates over the range studied but showed a strong under-response (18%) at low energies. Depending on the dosimeter used for calculating the profile correction, a deviation of 0.8% (PinPoint chamber), 0.9% (diamond), or 1.9% (EBT3 films) was observed between the calibration coefficient derived from DAP measurements and the one directly established in terms of absorbed dose to water at a point. Conclusions: The DAP method can currently be linked to the classical dosimetric reference system based in an absorbed dose at a point only with a confidence interval of 95% (k = 2). None of the detectors studied can be used to determine an absorbed dose to water at a point from a DAP measurement with an uncertainty smaller than 1.2%.« less

  20. The absorbed dose to blood from blood-borne activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hänscheid, H.; Fernández, M.; Lassmann, M.

    2015-01-01

    The radiation absorbed dose to blood and organs from activity in the blood is relevant for nuclear medicine dosimetry and for research in biodosimetry. The present study provides coefficients for the average absorbed dose rates to the blood from blood-borne activity for radionuclides frequently used in targeted radiotherapy and in PET diagnostics. The results were deduced from published data for vessel radius-dependent dose rate coefficients and reasonable assumptions on the blood-volume distribution as a function of the vessel radius. Different parts of the circulatory system were analyzed separately. Vessel size information for heart chambers, aorta, vena cava, pulmonary artery, and capillaries was taken from published results of morphometric measurements. The remaining blood not contained in the mentioned vessels was assumed to reside in fractal-like vascular trees, the smallest branches of which are the arterioles or venules. The applied vessel size distribution is consistent with recommendations of the ICRP on the blood-volume distribution in the human. The resulting average absorbed dose rates to the blood per nuclear disintegration per milliliter (ml) of blood are (in 10-11 Gy·s-1·Bq-1·ml) Y-90: 5.58, I-131: 2.49, Lu-177: 1.72, Sm-153: 2.97, Tc-99m: 0.366, C-11: 4.56, F-18: 3.61, Ga-68: 5.94, I-124: 2.55. Photon radiation contributes 1.1-1.2·10-11 Gy·s-1·Bq-1·ml to the total dose rate for positron emitters but significantly less for the other nuclides. Blood self-absorption of the energy emitted by ß-particles in the whole blood ranges from 37% for Y-90 to 80% for Tc-99m. The correspondent values in vascular trees, which are important for the absorbed dose to organs, range from 30% for Y-90 to 82% for Tc-99m.

  1. Graves' disease radioiodine-therapy: Choosing target absorbed doses for therapy planning

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Willegaignon, J., E-mail: j.willegaignon@gmail.com; Sapienza, M. T.; Coura-Filho, G. B.

    2014-01-15

    Purpose: The precise determination of organ mass (m{sub th}) and total number of disintegrations within the thyroid gland (A{sup ~}) are essential for thyroid absorbed-dose calculations for radioiodine therapy. Nevertheless, these parameters may vary according to the method employed for their estimation, thus introducing uncertainty in the estimated thyroid absorbed dose and in any dose–response relationship derived using such estimates. In consideration of these points, thyroid absorbed doses for Graves’ disease (GD) treatment planning were calculated using different approaches to estimating the m{sub th} and the A{sup ~}. Methods: Fifty patients were included in the study. Thyroid{sup 131}I uptake measurementsmore » were performed at 2, 6, 24, 48, 96, and 220 h postadministration of a tracer activity in order to estimate the effective half-time (T{sub eff}) of {sup 131}I in the thyroid; the thyroid cumulated activity was then estimated using the T{sub eff} thus determined or, alternatively, calculated by numeric integration of the measured time-activity data. Thyroid mass was estimated by ultrasonography (USG) and scintigraphy (SCTG). Absorbed doses were calculated with the OLINDA/EXM software. The relationships between thyroid absorbed dose and therapy response were evaluated at 3 months and 1 year after therapy. Results: The average ratio (±1 standard deviation) betweenm{sub th} estimated by SCTG and USG was 1.74 (±0.64) and that between A{sup ~} obtained by T{sub eff} and the integration of measured activity in the gland was 1.71 (±0.14). These differences affect the calculated absorbed dose. Overall, therapeutic success, corresponding to induction of durable hypothyroidism or euthyroidism, was achieved in 72% of all patients at 3 months and in 90% at 1 year. A therapeutic success rate of at least 95% was found in the group of patients receiving doses of 200 Gy (p = 0.0483) and 330 Gy (p = 0.0131) when m{sub th} was measured by either USG or SCTG

  2. Graves' disease radioiodine-therapy: Choosing target absorbed doses for therapy planning

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Willegaignon, J., E-mail: j.willegaignon@gmail.com; Sapienza, M. T.; Coura-Filho, G. B.

    Purpose: The precise determination of organ mass (m{sub th}) and total number of disintegrations within the thyroid gland (A{sup ~}) are essential for thyroid absorbed-dose calculations for radioiodine therapy. Nevertheless, these parameters may vary according to the method employed for their estimation, thus introducing uncertainty in the estimated thyroid absorbed dose and in any dose–response relationship derived using such estimates. In consideration of these points, thyroid absorbed doses for Graves’ disease (GD) treatment planning were calculated using different approaches to estimating the m{sub th} and the A{sup ~}. Methods: Fifty patients were included in the study. Thyroid{sup 131}I uptake measurementsmore » were performed at 2, 6, 24, 48, 96, and 220 h postadministration of a tracer activity in order to estimate the effective half-time (T{sub eff}) of {sup 131}I in the thyroid; the thyroid cumulated activity was then estimated using the T{sub eff} thus determined or, alternatively, calculated by numeric integration of the measured time-activity data. Thyroid mass was estimated by ultrasonography (USG) and scintigraphy (SCTG). Absorbed doses were calculated with the OLINDA/EXM software. The relationships between thyroid absorbed dose and therapy response were evaluated at 3 months and 1 year after therapy. Results: The average ratio (±1 standard deviation) betweenm{sub th} estimated by SCTG and USG was 1.74 (±0.64) and that between A{sup ~} obtained by T{sub eff} and the integration of measured activity in the gland was 1.71 (±0.14). These differences affect the calculated absorbed dose. Overall, therapeutic success, corresponding to induction of durable hypothyroidism or euthyroidism, was achieved in 72% of all patients at 3 months and in 90% at 1 year. A therapeutic success rate of at least 95% was found in the group of patients receiving doses of 200 Gy (p = 0.0483) and 330 Gy (p = 0.0131) when m{sub th} was measured by either USG or SCTG

  3. Comparison of microdosimetry-based absorbed doses to control tumours and clinically obtained tumour absorbed doses in treatments with 223Ra.

    PubMed

    Minguez Gabina, Pablo; Roeske, John C; Mínguez, Ricardo; Gomez de Iturriaga, Alfonso; Rodeño, Emilia

    2018-06-20

    We performed Monte Carlo simulations in order to determine by means of microdosimetry calculations the average number of hits to the cell nucleus required to reach a tumour control probability (TCP) of 0.9, 〈n<sub>0.9</sub> 〉, for the source geometry of a nucleus embedded in a homogeneous distribution of <sup>223</sup>Ra atoms. From the results obtained and following the MIRD methodology, we determined the values of lesion absorbed doses needed to reach a TCP of 0.9, D<sub>0.9</sub>, for different values of mass density, cell radiosensitivity, nucleus radius and lesion volume. The greatest variation of those absorbed doses occurred with cell radiosensitivity and no dependence was found on mass density. The source geometry used was chosen because we aimed to compare the values of D<sub>0.9</sub> with the lesion absorbed doses obtained from image-based macrodosimetry in treatments of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer with <sup>223</sup>Ra which were obtained assuming a homogeneous distribution of <sup>223</sup>Ra atoms within the lesion. In a comparison with a study including 29 lesions, results showed that even for the case of the most radiosensitive cells simulated, 45% of the lesions treated following a schedule of two cycles of 110 kBq/kg body mass would receive absorbed doses below the values of D<sub>0.9</sub> determined in this study. © 2018 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.

  4. Developability assessment of clinical drug products with maximum absorbable doses.

    PubMed

    Ding, Xuan; Rose, John P; Van Gelder, Jan

    2012-05-10

    Maximum absorbable dose refers to the maximum amount of an orally administered drug that can be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. Maximum absorbable dose, or D(abs), has proved to be an important parameter for quantifying the absorption potential of drug candidates. The purpose of this work is to validate the use of D(abs) in a developability assessment context, and to establish appropriate protocol and interpretation criteria for this application. Three methods for calculating D(abs) were compared by assessing how well the methods predicted the absorption limit for a set of real clinical candidates. D(abs) was calculated for these clinical candidates by means of a simple equation and two computer simulation programs, GastroPlus and an program developed at Eli Lilly and Company. Results from single dose escalation studies in Phase I clinical trials were analyzed to identify the maximum absorbable doses for these compounds. Compared to the clinical results, the equation and both simulation programs provide conservative estimates of D(abs), but in general D(abs) from the computer simulations are more accurate, which may find obvious advantage for the simulations in developability assessment. Computer simulations also revealed the complex behavior associated with absorption saturation and suggested in most cases that the D(abs) limit is not likely to be achieved in a typical clinical dose range. On the basis of the validation findings, an approach is proposed for assessing absorption potential, and best practices are discussed for the use of D(abs) estimates to inform clinical formulation development strategies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Maximum dose rate is a determinant of hypothyroidism after 131I therapy of Graves' disease but the total thyroid absorbed dose is not.

    PubMed

    Krohn, Thomas; Hänscheid, Heribert; Müller, Berthold; Behrendt, Florian F; Heinzel, Alexander; Mottaghy, Felix M; Verburg, Frederik A

    2014-11-01

    The determinants of successful (131)I therapy of Graves' disease (GD) are unclear. To relate dosimetry parameters to outcome of therapy to identify significant determinants eu- and/or hypothyroidism after (131)I therapy in patients with GD. A retrospective study in which 206 Patients with GD treated in University Hospital between November 1999 and January 2011. All received (131)I therapy aiming at a total absorbed dose to the thyroid of 250 Gy based on pre-therapeutic dosimetry. Post-therapy dosimetric thyroid measurements were performed twice daily until discharge. From these measurements, thyroid (131)I half-life, the total thyroid absorbed dose, and the maximum dose rate after (131)I administration were calculated. In all, 48.5% of patients were hypothyroid and 28.6% of patients were euthyroid after (131)I therapy. In univariate analysis, nonhyperthyroid and hyperthyroid patients only differed by sex. A lower thyroid mass, a higher activity per gram thyroid tissue, a shorter effective thyroidal (131)I half-life, and a higher maximum dose rate, but not the total thyroid absorbed dose, were significantly associated with hypothyroidism. In multivariate analysis, the maximum dose rate remained the only significant determinant of hypothyroidism (P < .001). Maximum dose rates of 2.2 Gy/h and higher were associated with a 100% hypothyroidism rate. Not the total thyroid absorbed dose, but the maximum dose rate is a determinant of successfully achieving hypothyroidism in Graves' disease. Dosimetric concepts aiming at a specific total thyroid absorbed dose will therefore require reconsideration if our data are confirmed prospectively.

  6. Assessment of human effective absorbed dose of 67 Ga-ECC based on biodistribution rat data.

    PubMed

    Shanehsazzadeh, Saeed; Yousefnia, Hassan; Lahooti, Afsaneh; Zolghadri, Samaneh; Jalilian, Amir Reza; Afarideh, Hossien

    2015-02-01

    In a diagnostic context, determination of absorbed dose is required before the introduction of a new radiopharmaceutical to the market to obtain marketing authorization from the relevant agencies. In this work, the absorbed dose of [67 Ga]-ethylenecysteamine cysteine [(67 Ga)ECC] to human organs was determined by using distribution data for rats. For biodistribution data, the animals were sacrificed by CO2 asphyxiation at selected times after injection (0.5, 2 and 48 h, n = 3 for each time interval), then the tissue (blood, heart, lung, brain, intestine, feces, skin, stomach, kidneys, liver, muscle and bone) were removed. The absorbed dose was determined by Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) method after calculating cumulated activities in each organ. Our prediction shows that a 185-MBq injection of (67)Ga-ECC into the humans might result in an estimated absorbed dose of 0.029 mGy in the whole body. The highest absorbed doses are observed in the spleen and liver with 33.766 and 16.847 mGy, respectively. The results show that this radiopharmaceutical can be a good SPECT tracer since it can be produced easily and also the absorbed dose in each organ is less than permitted absorbed dose.

  7. Real-time measurement and monitoring of absorbed dose for electron beams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Korenev, Sergey; Korenev, Ivan; Rumega, Stanislav; Grossman, Leon

    2004-09-01

    The real-time method and system for measurement and monitoring of absorbed dose for industrial and research electron accelerators is considered in the report. The system was created on the basis of beam parameters method. The main concept of this method consists in the measurement of dissipated kinetic energy of electrons in the irradiated product, determination of number of electrons and mass of irradiated product in the same cell by following calculation of absorbed dose in the cell. The manual and automation systems for dose measurements are described. The systems are acceptable for all types of electron accelerators.

  8. Absorbed organ and effective doses from digital intra-oral and panoramic radiography applying the ICRP 103 recommendations for effective dose estimations

    PubMed Central

    Thilander-Klang, Anne; Ylhan, Betȕl; Lofthag-Hansen, Sara; Ekestubbe, Annika

    2016-01-01

    Objective: During dental radiography, the salivary and thyroid glands are at radiation risk. In 2007, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) updated the methodology for determining the effective dose, and the salivary glands were assigned tissue-specific weighting factors for the first time. The aims of this study were to determine the absorbed dose to the organs and to calculate, applying the ICRP publication 103 tissue-weighting factors, the effective doses delivered during digital intraoral and panoramic radiography. Methods: Thermoluminescent dosemeter measurements were performed on an anthropomorphic head and neck phantom. The organ-absorbed doses were measured at 30 locations, representing different radiosensitive organs in the head and neck, and the effective dose was calculated according to the ICRP recommendations. Results: The salivary glands and the oral mucosa received the highest absorbed doses from both intraoral and panoramic radiography. The effective dose from a full-mouth intraoral examination was 15 μSv and for panoramic radiography, the effective dose was in the range of 19–75 μSv, depending on the panoramic equipment used. Conclusion: The effective dose from a full-mouth intraoral examination is lower and that from panoramic radiography is higher than previously reported. Clinicians should be aware of the higher effective dose delivered during panoramic radiography and the risk–benefit profile of this technique must be assessed for the individual patient. Advances in knowledge: The effective dose of radiation from panoramic radiography is higher than previously reported and there is large variability in the delivered radiation dosage among the different types of equipment used. PMID:27452261

  9. Evaluation of lens absorbed dose with Cone Beam IGRT procedures.

    PubMed

    Palomo, R; Pujades, M C; Gimeno-Olmos, J; Carmona, V; Lliso, F; Candela-Juan, C; Vijande, J; Ballester, F; Perez-Calatayud, J

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of this work is to evaluate the absorbed dose to the eye lenses due to the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) system used to accurately position the patient during head-and-neck image guided procedures. The on-board imaging (OBI) systems (v.1.5) of Clinac iX and TrueBeam (Varian) accelerators were used to evaluate the imparted dose to the eye lenses and some additional points of the head. All CBCT scans were acquired with the Standard-Dose Head protocol from Varian. Doses were measured using thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs) placed in an anthropomorphic phantom. TLDs were calibrated at the beam quality used to reduce their energy dependence. Average dose to the lens due to the OBI systems of the Clinac iX and the TrueBeam were 0.71  ±  0.07 mGy/CBCT and 0.70  ±  0.08 mGy/CBCT, respectively. The extra absorbed dose received by the eye lenses due to one CBCT acquisition with the studied protocol is far below the 500 mGy threshold established by ICRP for cataract formation (ICRP 2011 Statement on Tissue Reactions). However, the incremental effect of several CBCT acquisitions during the whole treatment should be taken into account.

  10. Theoretical study of the influence of a heterogeneous activity distribution on intratumoral absorbed dose distribution.

    PubMed

    Bao, Ande; Zhao, Xia; Phillips, William T; Woolley, F Ross; Otto, Randal A; Goins, Beth; Hevezi, James M

    2005-01-01

    Radioimmunotherapy of hematopoeitic cancers and micrometastases has been shown to have significant therapeutic benefit. The treatment of solid tumors with radionuclide therapy has been less successful. Previous investigations of intratumoral activity distribution and studies on intratumoral drug delivery suggest that a probable reason for the disappointing results in solid tumor treatment is nonuniform intratumoral distribution coupled with restricted intratumoral drug penetrance, thus inhibiting antineoplastic agents from reaching the tumor's center. This paper describes a nonuniform intratumoral activity distribution identified by limited radiolabeled tracer diffusion from tumor surface to tumor center. This activity was simulated using techniques that allowed the absorbed dose distributions to be estimated using different intratumoral diffusion capabilities and calculated for tumors of varying diameters. The influences of these absorbed dose distributions on solid tumor radionuclide therapy are also discussed. The absorbed dose distribution was calculated using the dose point kernel method that provided for the application of a three-dimensional (3D) convolution between a dose rate kernel function and an activity distribution function. These functions were incorporated into 3D matrices with voxels measuring 0.10 x 0.10 x 0.10 mm3. At this point fast Fourier transform (FFT) and multiplication in frequency domain followed by inverse FFT (iFFT) were used to effect this phase of the dose calculation process. The absorbed dose distribution for tumors of 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 mm in diameter were studied. Using the therapeutic radionuclides of 131I, 186Re, 188Re, and 90Y, the total average dose, center dose, and surface dose for each of the different tumor diameters were reported. The absorbed dose in the nearby normal tissue was also evaluated. When the tumor diameters exceed 15 mm, a much lower tumor center dose is delivered compared with tumors between 3 and 5 mm in

  11. Air kerma and absorbed dose standards for reference dosimetry in brachytherapy

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    This article reviews recent developments in primary standards for the calibration of brachytherapy sources, with an emphasis on the currently most common photon-emitting radionuclides. The introduction discusses the need for reference dosimetry in brachytherapy in general. The following section focuses on the three main quantities, i.e. reference air kerma rate, air kerma strength and absorbed dose rate to water, which are currently used for the specification of brachytherapy photon sources and which can be realized with primary standards from first principles. An overview of different air kerma and absorbed dose standards, which have been independently developed by various national metrology institutes over the past two decades, is given in the next two sections. Other dosimetry techniques for brachytherapy will also be discussed. The review closes with an outlook on a possible transition from air kerma to absorbed dose to water-based calibrations for brachytherapy sources in the future. PMID:24814696

  12. Uncertainty analysis of absorbed dose calculations from thermoluminescence dosimeters.

    PubMed

    Kirby, T H; Hanson, W F; Johnston, D A

    1992-01-01

    Thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLD) are widely used to verify absorbed doses delivered from radiation therapy beams. Specifically, they are used by the Radiological Physics Center for mailed dosimetry for verification of therapy machine output. The effects of the random experimental uncertainties of various factors on dose calculations from TLD signals are examined, including: fading, dose response nonlinearity, and energy response corrections; reproducibility of TL signal measurements and TLD reader calibration. Individual uncertainties are combined to estimate the total uncertainty due to random fluctuations. The Radiological Physics Center's (RPC) mail out TLD system, utilizing throwaway LiF powder to monitor high-energy photon and electron beam outputs, is analyzed in detail. The technique may also be applicable to other TLD systems. It is shown that statements of +/- 2% dose uncertainty and +/- 5% action criterion for TLD dosimetry are reasonable when related to uncertainties in the dose calculations, provided the standard deviation (s.d.) of TL readings is 1.5% or better.

  13. Measurement of absorbed dose during the phantom torso experiment on the International Space Station

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Semones, E.; Gibbons, F.; Golightly, M.; Weyland, M.; Johnson, A.; Smith, G.; Shelfer, T.; Zapp, N.

    The Phantom Torso Experiment (PTE) was flown on the International Space Station (ISS) during Increment 2 (April-August 2001). The experiment was located in the US Lab module Human Research Facility (HRF) rack. The objective of the passive dosimetry portion of the experiment was to measure spatial distributions of absorbed dose in the 34, 1 inch sections of a modified RandoTM phantom. In each section of the phantom, thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs) were placed at various locations (depths) to provide the spatial measurement. TLDs were also located at several radiosensitive organ locations (brain, thyroid, heart/lung, stomach and colon) and two locations on the surface (skin). Active silicon detectors were also placed at these organ locations to provide time resolved results of the absorbed dose rates. Using these detectors, it is possible to separate the trapped and galactic cosmic ray components of the absorbed dose. The TLD results of the spatial and organ dose measurements will be presented and comparisons of the TLD and silicon detector organ absorbed doses will be made.

  14. Measurement of Absorbed Dose from Radionuclide Solutions Mixed Intimately with the Fbx Dosimeter.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benedetto, Anthony Richard

    Chemical dosimeters are used widely for accurate measurement of large radiation doses due to external beam irradiation from radioisotope sources and from particle accelerators. Their use for measurement of absorbed doses from radioactive solutions mixed in the dosimeter solution was reported as early as 1952, but the large activities needed to produce suitable absorbance values in the relatively insensitive dosimeters of that time discouraged further work. This manuscript reports the results of an investigation into the suitability of the ferrous sulfate-benzoic acid -xylenol orange (FBX) dosimeter for measurement of small absorbed doses caused by radionuclide solutions dissolved in the dosimeter solution. The FBX dosimeter exhibited a linear dose response as a function of activity for two common radiopharmaceuticals, technetium-99m sodium pertechnetate and iodine-131 sodium iodide. Conditions under which the FBX dosimeter may be used with radionuclide solutions were studied and were found to be amenable to routine use by laboratories possessing relatively unsophisticated instrumentation. It appears likely that any radionuclide could be studied using this dosimeter. Finally, potential applications and future research work are suggested, including measurement of absorbed dose from radiopharmaceuticals using realistic human-like phantoms to assess the risk from clinical nuclear medicine studies.

  15. Radiation absorbed dose estimates for 18F-BPA PET.

    PubMed

    Kono, Yuzuru; Kurihara, Hiroaki; Kawamoto, Hiroshi; Yasui, Naoko; Honda, Naoki; Igaki, Hiroshi; Itami, Jun

    2017-09-01

    Background Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a molecular radiation therapy approach based on the 10 B (n, α) 7 Li nuclear reaction in cancer cells. In BNCT, delivery of 10 B in the form of 4-borono-phenylalanine conjugated with fructose (BPA-fr) to the cancer cells is important. The PET tracer 4-borono-2-18F-fluoro-phenylalanine (FBPA) has been used to predict the accumulation of BPA-fr before BNCT. Purpose To determine the biodistribution and dosimetric parameters in 18F-BPA PET/CT studies. Material and Methods Human biokinetic data were obtained during clinical 18F-BPA PET studies between February and June 2015 at one institution. Nine consecutive patients were studied prospectively. The internal radiation dose was calculated on the basis of radioactivity data from blood, urine, and normal tissue of the heart, liver, spleen, kidney, and other parts of the body at each time point using OLINDA/EXM1.1 program. We compared our calculations with published 18F-FDG data. Results Adult patients (3 men, 3 women; age range, 28-68 years) had significantly smaller absorbed doses than pediatric patients (3 patients; age range, 5-12 years) ( P = 0.003). The mean effective dose was 57% lower in adult patients compared with pediatric patients. Mean effective doses for 18F-BPA were 25% lower than those for 18F-FDG presented in International Commission of Radiation Protection (ICRP) publication 106. Conclusion We found significant differences in organ absorbed doses for 18F-BPA against those for 18F-FDG presented in ICRP publication 106. Mean effective doses for 18F-BPA were smaller than those for 18F-FDG in the publication by 0.5-38% (mean difference, 25%).

  16. Absorbed doses of lungs from radon retained in airway lumens of mice and rats.

    PubMed

    Sakoda, Akihiro; Ishimori, Yuu; Yamaoka, Kiyonori; Kataoka, Takahiro; Mitsunobu, Fumihiro

    2013-08-01

    This paper provides absorbed doses arising from radon gas in air retained in lung airway lumens. Because radon gas exposure experiments often use small animals, the calculation was performed for mice and rats. For reference, the corresponding computations were also done for humans. Assuming that radon concentration in airway lumens is the same as that in the environment, its progeny's production in and clearance from airways were simulated. Absorbed dose rates were obtained for three lung regions and the whole lung, considering that secretory and basal cells are sensitive to radiation. The results showed that absorbed dose rates for all lung regions and whole lung generally increase from mice to rats to humans. For example, the dose rates for the whole lung were 25.4 in mice, 41.7 in rats, and 59.9 pGy (Bq m⁻³)⁻¹ h⁻¹ in humans. Furthermore, these values were also compared with lung dose rates from two other types of exposures, that is, due to inhalation of radon or its progeny, which were already reported. It was confirmed that the direct inhalation of radon progeny in the natural environment, which is known as a cause of lung cancer, results in the highest dose rates for all species. Based on the present calculations, absorbed dose rates of the whole lung from radon gas were lower by a factor of about 550 (mice), 200 (rats), or 70 (humans) than those from radon progeny inhalation. The calculated dose rate values are comparatively small. Nevertheless, the present study is considered to contribute to our understanding of doses from inhalation of radon and its progeny.

  17. Review of reconstruction of radiation incident air kerma by measurement of absorbed dose in tooth enamel with EPR.

    PubMed

    Wieser, A

    2012-03-01

    Electron paramagnetic resonance dosimetry with tooth enamel has been proved to be a reliable method to determine retrospectively exposures from photon fields with minimal detectable doses of 100 mGy or lower, which is lower than achievable with cytogenetic dose reconstruction methods. For risk assessment or validating dosimetry systems for specific radiation incidents, the relevant dose from the incident has to be calculated from the total absorbed dose in enamel by subtracting additional dose contributions from the radionuclide content in teeth, natural external background radiation and medical exposures. For calculating organ doses or evaluating dosimetry systems the absorbed dose in enamel from a radiation incident has to be converted to air kerma using dose conversion factors depending on the photon energy spectrum and geometry of the exposure scenario. This paper outlines the approach to assess individual dose contributions to absorbed dose in enamel and calculate individual air kerma of a radiation incident from the absorbed dose in tooth enamel.

  18. Olive oil phenolics are dose-dependently absorbed in humans.

    PubMed

    Visioli, F; Galli, C; Bornet, F; Mattei, A; Patelli, R; Galli, G; Caruso, D

    2000-02-25

    Olive oil phenolic constituents have been shown, in vitro, to be endowed with potent biological activities including, but not limited to, an antioxidant action. To date, there is no information on the absorption and disposition of such compounds in humans. We report that olive oil phenolics, namely tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, are dose-dependently absorbed in humans after ingestion and that they are excreted in the urine as glucuronide conjugates. Furthermore, an increase in the dose of phenolics administered increased the proportion of conjugation with glucuronide.

  19. Absorbed dose measurements for kV-cone beam computed tomography in image-guided radiation therapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hioki, Kazunari; Araki, Fujio; Ohno, Takeshi; Nakaguchi, Yuji; Tomiyama, Yuuki

    2014-12-01

    In this study, we develope a novel method to directly evaluate an absorbed dose-to-water for kilovoltage-cone beam computed tomography (kV-CBCT) in image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Absorbed doses for the kV-CBCT systems of the Varian On-Board Imager (OBI) and the Elekta X-ray Volumetric Imager (XVI) were measured by a Farmer ionization chamber with a 60Co calibration factor. The chamber measurements were performed at the center and four peripheral points in body-type (30 cm diameter and 51 cm length) and head-type (16 cm diameter and 33 cm length) cylindrical water phantoms. The measured ionization was converted to the absorbed dose-to-water by using a 60Co calibration factor and a Monte Carlo (MC)-calculated beam quality conversion factor, kQ, for 60Co to kV-CBCT. The irradiation for OBI and XVI was performed with pelvis and head modes for the body- and the head-type phantoms, respectively. In addition, the dose distributions in the phantom for both kV-CBCT systems were calculated with MC method and were compared with measured values. The MC-calculated doses were calibrated at the center in the water phantom and compared with measured doses at four peripheral points. The measured absorbed doses at the center in the body-type phantom were 1.96 cGy for OBI and 0.83 cGy for XVI. The peripheral doses were 2.36-2.90 cGy for OBI and 0.83-1.06 cGy for XVI. The doses for XVI were lower up to approximately one-third of those for OBI. Similarly, the measured doses at the center in the head-type phantom were 0.48 cGy for OBI and 0.21 cGy for XVI. The peripheral doses were 0.26-0.66 cGy for OBI and 0.16-0.30 cGy for XVI. The calculated peripheral doses agreed within 3% in the pelvis mode and within 4% in the head mode with measured doses for both kV-CBCT systems. In addition, the absorbed dose determined in this study was approximately 4% lower than that in TG-61 but the absorbed dose by both methods was in agreement within their combined

  20. Depth distribution of absorbed dose on the external surface of Cosmos 1887 biosatellite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Watts, J. W., Jr.; Parnell, T. A.; Akatov, Yu. A.; Dudkin, V. E.; Kovalev, E. E.; Benton, E. V.; Frank, A. L.

    1995-01-01

    Significant absorbed dose levels exceeding 1.0 Gy day(exp -1) have been measured on the external surface of the Cosmos 1887 biosatellite as functions of depth in stacks of thin thermoluminescent detectors (TLD's) made in U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. The dose was found to decrease rapidly with increasing absorber thickness, thereby indicating the presence of intensive fluxes of low-energy particles. Comparison between the U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. results and calculations based on the Vette Model environment are in satisfactory agreement. The major contribution to the dose under thin shielding thickness is shown to be from electrons. The fraction of the dose due to protons and heavier charged particles increases with shielding thickness.

  1. Depth distribution of absorbed dose on the external surface of Cosmos 1887 biosatellite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dudkin, V. E.; Kovalev, E. E.; Benton, E. V.; Frank, A. L.; Watts, J. W. Jr; Parnell, T. A.

    1990-01-01

    Significant absorbed dose levels exceeding 1.0 Gy day-1 have been measured on the external surface of the Cosmos 1887 biosatellite as functions of depth in stacks of thin thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs) of U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. manufacture. The dose was found to decrease rapidly with increasing absorber thickness, thereby indicating the presence of intensive fluxes of low-energy particles. Comparison between the U.S.S.R. and U.S.A. results and calculations based on the Vette Model environment are in satisfactory agreement. The major contribution to the dose under thin shielding thickness is shown to be from electrons. The fraction of the dose due to protons and heavier charged particles increases with shielding thickness.

  2. Deterministic absorbed dose estimation in computed tomography using a discrete ordinates method

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Norris, Edward T.; Liu, Xin, E-mail: xinliu@mst.edu; Hsieh, Jiang

    Purpose: Organ dose estimation for a patient undergoing computed tomography (CT) scanning is very important. Although Monte Carlo methods are considered gold-standard in patient dose estimation, the computation time required is formidable for routine clinical calculations. Here, the authors instigate a deterministic method for estimating an absorbed dose more efficiently. Methods: Compared with current Monte Carlo methods, a more efficient approach to estimating the absorbed dose is to solve the linear Boltzmann equation numerically. In this study, an axial CT scan was modeled with a software package, Denovo, which solved the linear Boltzmann equation using the discrete ordinates method. Themore » CT scanning configuration included 16 x-ray source positions, beam collimators, flat filters, and bowtie filters. The phantom was the standard 32 cm CT dose index (CTDI) phantom. Four different Denovo simulations were performed with different simulation parameters, including the number of quadrature sets and the order of Legendre polynomial expansions. A Monte Carlo simulation was also performed for benchmarking the Denovo simulations. A quantitative comparison was made of the simulation results obtained by the Denovo and the Monte Carlo methods. Results: The difference in the simulation results of the discrete ordinates method and those of the Monte Carlo methods was found to be small, with a root-mean-square difference of around 2.4%. It was found that the discrete ordinates method, with a higher order of Legendre polynomial expansions, underestimated the absorbed dose near the center of the phantom (i.e., low dose region). Simulations of the quadrature set 8 and the first order of the Legendre polynomial expansions proved to be the most efficient computation method in the authors’ study. The single-thread computation time of the deterministic simulation of the quadrature set 8 and the first order of the Legendre polynomial expansions was 21 min on a personal

  3. Absorbed dose measurement in low temperature samples:. comparative methods using simulated material

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garcia, Ruth; Harris, Anthony; Winters, Martell; Howard, Betty; Mellor, Paul; Patil, Deepak; Meiner, Jason

    2004-09-01

    There is a growing need to reliably measure absorbed dose in low temperature samples, especially in the pharmaceutical and tissue banking industries. All dosimetry systems commonly used in the irradiation industry are temperature sensitive. Radiation of low temperature samples, such as those packaged with dry ice, must therefore take these dosimeter temperature effects into consideration. This paper will suggest a method to accurately deliver an absorbed radiation dose using dosimetry techniques designed to abrogate the skewing effects of low temperature environments on existing dosimetry systems.

  4. Radiation absorbed dose to bladder walls from positron emitters in the bladder content.

    PubMed

    Powell, G F; Chen, C T

    1987-01-01

    A method to calculate absorbed doses at depths in the walls of a static spherical bladder from a positron emitter in the bladder content has been developed. The beta ray dose component is calculated for a spherical model by employing the solutions to the integration of Loevinger and Bochkarev point source functions over line segments and a line segment source array technique. The gamma ray dose is determined using the specific gamma ray constant. As an example, absorbed radiation doses to the bladder walls from F-18 in the bladder content are presented for static spherical bladder models having radii of 2.0 and 3.5 cm, respectively. Experiments with ultra-thin thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD's) were performed to verify the results of the calculations. Good agreement between TLD measurements and calculations was obtained.

  5. Diamond detector in absorbed dose measurements in high-energy linear accelerator photon and electron beams.

    PubMed

    Ravichandran, Ramamoorthy; Binukumar, John Pichy; Al Amri, Iqbal; Davis, Cheriyathmanjiyil Antony

    2016-03-08

    Diamond detectors (DD) are preferred in small field dosimetry of radiation beams because of small dose profile penumbras, better spatial resolution, and tissue-equivalent properties. We investigated a commercially available 'microdiamond' detector in realizing absorbed dose from first principles. A microdiamond detector, type TM 60019 with tandem electrometer is used to measure absorbed doses in water, nylon, and PMMA phantoms. With sensitive volume 0.004 mm3, radius 1.1mm, thickness 1 x10(-3) mm, the nominal response is 1 nC/Gy. It is assumed that the diamond detector could collect total electric charge (nC) developed during irradiation at 0 V bias. We found that dose rate effect is less than 0.7% for changing dose rate by 500 MU/min. The reproducibility in obtaining readings with diamond detector is found to be ± 0.17% (1 SD) (n = 11). The measured absorbed doses for 6 MV and 15 MV photons arrived at using mass energy absorption coefficients and stop-ping power ratios compared well with Nd, water calibrated ion chamber measured absorbed doses within 3% in water, PMMA, and nylon media. The calibration factor obtained for diamond detector confirmed response variation is due to sensitivity due to difference in manufacturing process. For electron beams, we had to apply ratio of electron densities of water to carbon. Our results qualify diamond dosimeter as a transfer standard, based on long-term stability and reproducibility. Based on micro-dimensions, we recommend these detectors for pretreatment dose verifications in small field irradiations like stereotactic treatments with image guidance.

  6. Effects of body and organ size on absorbed dose: there is no standard patient. [Radiation dose distribution in patients following radionuclide administration

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Poston, J.W.

    1976-01-01

    The problem of estimating the absorbed dose to organs and tissues of the human body due to the presence of a radiopharmaceutical in one or more organs is discussed. Complications are introduced by the fact that the body is not homogeneous and in many cases the organ shapes are not regular. Publications of the MIRD Committee have provided a direct means of estimating the absorbed dose (or absorbed fraction) for a number of radioisotopes. These estimates are based on Monte Carlo calculations for monoenergetic photons distributed uniformly in organs of an adult phantom. The medical physicist finds that his patientmore » does not resemble the adult phantom. In addition, the absorbed fractions for the adult are not reasonable values for the child. This paper examines how these absorbed fraction estimates apply to a nonstandard patient. (auth)« less

  7. Diamond detector in absorbed dose measurements in high‐energy linear accelerator photon and electron beams

    PubMed Central

    Binukumar, John Pichy; Amri, Iqbal Al; Davis, Cheriyathmanjiyil Antony

    2016-01-01

    Diamond detectors (DD) are preferred in small field dosimetry of radiation beams because of small dose profile penumbras, better spatial resolution, and tissue‐equivalent properties. We investigated a commercially available ‘microdiamond’ detector in realizing absorbed dose from first principles. A microdiamond detector, type TM 60019 with tandem electrometer is used to measure absorbed doses in water, nylon, and PMMA phantoms. With sensitive volume 0.004 mm3, radius 1.1 mm, thickness 1×10−3mm, the nominal response is 1 nC/Gy. It is assumed that the diamond detector could collect total electric charge (nC) developed during irradiation at 0 V bias. We found that dose rate effect is less than 0.7% for changing dose rate by 500 MU/min. The reproducibility in obtaining readings with diamond detector is found to be ±0.17% (1 SD) (n=11). The measured absorbed doses for 6 MV and 15 MV photons arrived at using mass energy absorption coefficients and stopping power ratios compared well with Nd, water calibrated ion chamber measured absorbed doses within 3% in water, PMMA, and nylon media. The calibration factor obtained for diamond detector confirmed response variation is due to sensitivity due to difference in manufacturing process. For electron beams, we had to apply ratio of electron densities of water to carbon. Our results qualify diamond dosimeter as a transfer standard, based on long‐term stability and reproducibility. Based on micro‐dimensions, we recommend these detectors for pretreatment dose verifications in small field irradiations like stereotactic treatments with image guidance. PACS number(s): 87.56.Da PMID:27074452

  8. Calculation of Absorbed Dose in Target Tissue and Equivalent Dose in Sensitive Tissues of Patients Treated by BNCT Using MCNP4C

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zamani, M.; Kasesaz, Y.; Khalafi, H.; Pooya, S. M. Hosseini

    Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is used for treatment of many diseases, including brain tumors, in many medical centers. In this method, a target area (e.g., head of patient) is irradiated by some optimized and suitable neutron fields such as research nuclear reactors. Aiming at protection of healthy tissues which are located in the vicinity of irradiated tissue, and based on the ALARA principle, it is required to prevent unnecessary exposure of these vital organs. In this study, by using numerical simulation method (MCNP4C Code), the absorbed dose in target tissue and the equiavalent dose in different sensitive tissues of a patiant treated by BNCT, are calculated. For this purpose, we have used the parameters of MIRD Standard Phantom. Equiavelent dose in 11 sensitive organs, located in the vicinity of target, and total equivalent dose in whole body, have been calculated. The results show that the absorbed dose in tumor and normal tissue of brain equal to 30.35 Gy and 0.19 Gy, respectively. Also, total equivalent dose in 11 sensitive organs, other than tumor and normal tissue of brain, is equal to 14 mGy. The maximum equivalent doses in organs, other than brain and tumor, appear to the tissues of lungs and thyroid and are equal to 7.35 mSv and 3.00 mSv, respectively.

  9. An international dosimetry exchange for boron neutron capture therapy. Part I: Absorbed dose measurements.

    PubMed

    Binns, P J; Riley, K J; Harling, O K; Kiger, W S; Munck af Rosenschöld, P M; Giusti, V; Capala, J; Sköld, K; Auterinen, I; Serén, T; Kotiluoto, P; Uusi-Simola, J; Marek, M; Viererbl, L; Spurny, F

    2005-12-01

    An international collaboration was organized to undertake a dosimetry exchange to enable the future combination of clinical data from different centers conducting neutron capture therapy trials. As a first step (Part I) the dosimetry group from the Americas, represented by MIT, visited the clinical centers at Studsvik (Sweden), VTT Espoo (Finland), and the Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) at Rez (Czech Republic). A combined VTT/NRI group reciprocated with a visit to MIT. Each participant performed a series of dosimetry measurements under equivalent irradiation conditions using methods appropriate to their clinical protocols. This entailed in-air measurements and dose versus depth measurements in a large water phantom. Thermal neutron flux as well as fast neutron and photon absorbed dose rates were measured. Satisfactory agreement in determining absorbed dose within the experimental uncertainties was obtained between the different groups although the measurement uncertainties are large, ranging between 3% and 30% depending upon the dose component and the depth of measurement. To improve the precision in the specification of absorbed dose amongst the participants, the individually measured dose components were normalized to the results from a single method. Assuming a boron concentration of 15 microg g(-1) that is typical of concentrations realized clinically with the boron delivery compound boronophenylalanine-fructose, systematic discrepancies in the specification of the total biologically weighted dose of up to 10% were apparent between the different groups. The results from these measurements will be used in future to normalize treatment plan calculations between the different clinical dosimetry protocols as Part II of this study.

  10. The Effect of Diagnostic Absorbed Doses from 131I on Human Thyrocytes in Vitro.

    PubMed

    Adamczewski, Zbigniew; Stasiołek, Mariusz; Karwowski, Bolesław; Dedecjus, Marek; Orszulak-Michalak, Daria; Merecz, Anna; Śliwka, Przemysław W; Puła, Bartosz; Lewiński, Andrzej

    2015-06-29

    Administration of diagnostic activities of 131I, performed in order to detect thyroid remnants after surgery and/or thyroid cancer recurrence/metastases, may lead to reduction of iodine uptake. This phenomenon is called "thyroid stunning". We estimated radiation absorbed dose-dependent changes in genetic material, in particular in sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene promoter, and NIS protein level in human thyrocytes (HT). We used unmodified HT isolated from patients subjected to thyroidectomy exposed to 131I in culture. The different 131I activities applied were calculated to result in absorbed doses of 5, 10, and 20 Gy. According to flow cytometry analysis and comet assay, 131I did not influence the HT viability in culture. Temporary increase of 8-oxo-dG concentration in HT directly after 24 h (p < 0.05) and increase in the number of AP-sites 72 h after termination of exposition to 20 Gy dose (p < 0.0001) were observed. The signs of dose-dependent DNA damage were not associated with essential changes in the NIS expression on mRNA and protein levels. Our observation constitutes a first attempt to evaluate the effect of the absorbed dose of 131I on HT. The results have not confirmed the theory that the "thyroid stunning" reduces the NIS protein synthesis.

  11. Absorbed Dose Determination Using Experimental and Analytical Predictions of X-Ray Spectra

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Edwards, D. L.; Carruth, Ralph (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    Electron beam welding in a vacuum is a technology that NASA is investigating as a joining technique for manufacture of space structures. This investigation characterizes the x-ray environment due to operation of an in-vacuum electron beam welding tool and provides recommendations for adequate shielding for astronauts performing the in-vacuum electron beam welding. NASA, in a joint venture with the Russian Space Agency, was scheduled to perform a series of welding in space experiments on board the U.S. Space Shuttle. This series of experiments was named the international space welding experiment (ISWE). The hardware associated with the ISWE was leased to NASA by the Paton Welding Institute (PWI) in Ukraine for ground-based welding experiments in preparation for flight. Two ground tests were scheduled, using the ISWE electron beam welding tool, to characterize the radiation exposure to an astronaut during the operation of the ISWE. These radiation exposure tests used thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLD's) shielded with material currently used by astronauts during extravehicular activities to measure the radiation dose. The TLD's were exposed to x-ray radiation generated by operation of the ISWE in-vacuum electron beam welding tool. This investigation was the first known application of TLD's to measure absorbed dose from x rays of energy less than 10 keV. The ISWE hardware was returned to Ukraine before the issue of adequate shielding for the astronauts was completely verified. Therefore, alternate experimental and analytical methods were developed to measure and predict the x-ray spectral and intensity distribution generated by ISWE electron beam impact with metal. These x-ray spectra were normalized to an equivalent ISWE exposure, then used to calculate the absorbed radiation dose to astronauts. These absorbed dose values were compared to TLD measurements obtained during actual operation of the ISWE in-vacuum electron beam welding tool. The calculated absorbed dose

  12. Absorbed dose determination using experimental and analytical predictions of x-ray spectra

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edwards, David Lee

    1999-10-01

    Electron beam welding in a vacuum is a technology that NASA is investigating as a joining technique for manufacture of space structures. The interaction of energetic electrons with metal produces x-rays. This investigation characterizes the x-ray environment due to operation of an in-vacuum electron beam welding tool and provides recommendations for adequate radiation shielding for astronauts performing the in-vacuum electron beam welding. NASA, in a joint venture with the Russian Space Agency, was scheduled to perform a series of welding in space experiments on board the United States Space Shuttle. This series of experiments was named the International Space Welding Experiment (ISWE). The hardware associated with the ISWE was leased to NASA, by the Paton Welding Institute (PWI) in Ukraine, for ground based welding experiments in preparation for flight. Two ground tests were scheduled, using the ISWE electron beam welding tool, to characterize the radiation exposure to an astronaut during the operation of the ISWE. These radiation exposure tests used Thermoluminescence Dosimeters (TLD's) shielded with material currently used by astronauts during Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA) to measure the radiation dose. The TLD's were exposed to x- ray radiation generated by operation of the ISWE in- vacuum electron beam welding tool. This investigation was the first known application of TLD's to measure absorbed dose from x-rays of energy less than 10 keV. The ISWE hardware was returned to Ukraine before the issue of adequate shielding for the astronauts was completely verified. Therefore alternate experimental and analytical methods were developed to measure and predict the x-ray spectral and intensity distribution generated by ISWE electron beam impact with metal. These x-ray spectra were normalized to an equivalent ISWE exposure then used to calculate the absorbed radiation dose to astronauts. These absorbed dose values were compared to TLD measurements obtained during

  13. Absorbed dose measurements on external surface of Kosmos-satellites with glass thermoluminescent detectors.

    PubMed

    Akatov YuA; Arkhangelsky, V V; Kovalev, E E; Spurny, F; Votochkova, I

    1989-01-01

    In this paper we present absorbed dose measurements with glass thermoluminescent detectors on external surface of satellites of Kosmos-serie flying in 1983-87. Experiments were performed with thermoluminescent aluminophosphate glasses of thicknesses 0.1, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 1 mm. They were exposed in sets of total thickness between 5 and 20 mm, which were protected against sunlight with thin aluminized foils. In all missions, extremely high absorbed dose values were observed in the first layers of detectors, up to the thickness of 0.2 to 0.5 gcm-2. These experimental results confirm that, during flights at 250 to 400 km, doses on the surface of the satellites are very high, due to the low energy component of the proton and electron radiation.

  14. SU-E-I-85: Absorbed Dose Estimation for a Commercially Available MicroCT Scanner

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lau, A; Ahmad, S; Chen, Y

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: To quantify the simulated absorbed dose delivered for a typical scan from a commercially available microCT scanner in order to aid in the dose estimation. Methods: The simulations were conducted using the Geant4 Monte Carlo Toolkit (version 10) with the standard electromagnetic classes. The Quantum FX microCT scanner (PerkinElmer, Waltham, MA) was modeled incorporating the energy fluence and angular distributions of generated photons, spatial dimensions of nominal source-to-object and source-to-detector distances. The energy distribution was measured using a spectrometer (X-123CdTe, Amptek Inc., Bedford, USA) with a 300 angular spread from the source for the 90 kVp X-ray beams withmore » no additional filtration. The nominal distances from the source to object consisted of three setups: 154.0 mm, 104.0 mm, and 51.96 mm. Our simulations recorded the dose absorbed in a cylindrical phantom of PMMA with a fixed length of 2 cm and varying radii (10, 20, 30 and 40 mm) using 100 million incident photons. The averaged absorbed dose in the object was then quantified for all setups. An exposure measurement of 417 mR was taken using a Radcal 9095 system utilizing 10×9–180 ion chamber with the given technique of 90 kVp, 63 μA, and 12 s. The exposure rate was also simulated with same setup to calculate the conversion factor of the beam current and the number of incident photons. Results: For a typical cone-beam scan with non-filtered 90kVp, the dose coefficients (the absorbed dose per mAs) were 2.614, 2.549 and 2.467 μGy/mAs under source to object distance of 104 mm for the object diameters of 10 mm, 20 mm and 30 mm, respectively. Conclusion: A look-up table was developed where an investigator can estimate the delivered dose using this particular microCT given the scanning protocol (kVp and mAs) as well as the size of the scanned object.« less

  15. The Effect of Diagnostic Absorbed Doses from 131I on Human Thyrocytes in Vitro

    PubMed Central

    Adamczewski, Zbigniew; Stasiołek, Mariusz; Karwowski, Bolesław; Dedecjus, Marek; Orszulak-Michalak, Daria; Merecz, Anna; Śliwka, Przemysław W.; Puła, Bartosz; Lewiński, Andrzej

    2015-01-01

    Background: Administration of diagnostic activities of 131I, performed in order to detect thyroid remnants after surgery and/or thyroid cancer recurrence/metastases, may lead to reduction of iodine uptake. This phenomenon is called “thyroid stunning”. We estimated radiation absorbed dose-dependent changes in genetic material, in particular in sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene promoter, and NIS protein level in human thyrocytes (HT). Materials and Methods: We used unmodified HT isolated from patients subjected to thyroidectomy exposed to 131I in culture. The different 131I activities applied were calculated to result in absorbed doses of 5, 10, and 20 Gy. Results: According to flow cytometry analysis and comet assay, 131I did not influence the HT viability in culture. Temporary increase of 8-oxo-dG concentration in HT directly after 24 h (p < 0.05) and increase in the number of AP-sites 72 h after termination of exposition to 20 Gy dose (p < 0.0001) were observed. The signs of dose-dependent DNA damage were not associated with essential changes in the NIS expression on mRNA and protein levels. Conclusions: Our observation constitutes a first attempt to evaluate the effect of the absorbed dose of 131I on HT. The results have not confirmed the theory that the “thyroid stunning” reduces the NIS protein synthesis. PMID:26132566

  16. Plasma Membrane Permeabilization by 60- and 600-ns Electric Pulses Is Determined by the Absorbed Dose

    PubMed Central

    Ibey, Bennett L.; Xiao, Shu; Schoenbach, Karl H.; Murphy, Michael R.; Pakhomov, Andrei G.

    2008-01-01

    We explored how the effect of plasma membrane permeabilization by nanosecond-duration electric pulses (nsEP) depends on the physical characteristics of exposure. The resting membrane resistance (Rm) and membrane potential (MP) were measured in cultured GH3 and CHO cells by conventional whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Intact cells were exposed to a single nsEP (60 or 600 ns duration, 0-22 kV/cm), followed by patch-clamp measurements after a 2-3 min delay. Consistent with earlier findings, nsEP caused long-lasting Rm decrease, accompanied by the loss of MP. The threshold for these effects was about 6 kV/cm for 60 ns pulses, and about 1 kV/cm for 600 ns pulses. Further analysis established that it was neither pulse duration nor the E-field amplitude per se, but the absorbed dose that determined the magnitude of the biological effect. In other words, exposure to nsEP at either pulse duration caused equal effects if the absorbed doses were equal. The threshold absorbed dose to produce plasma membrane effects in either GH3 or CHO cells at either pulse duration was found to be at or below 10 mJ/g. Despite being determined by the dose, the nsEP effect clearly is not thermal, as the maximum heating at the threshold dose is less than 0.01 °C. The use of the absorbed dose as a universal exposure metric may help to compare and quantify nsEP sensitivity of different cell types and of cells in different physiological conditions. The absorbed dose may also prove to be a more useful metric than the incident E-field in determining safety limits for high peak, lowaverage power EMF emissions. PMID:18839412

  17. Technical note: estimating absorbed doses to the thyroid in CT.

    PubMed

    Huda, Walter; Magill, Dennise; Spampinato, Maria V

    2011-06-01

    To describe a method for estimating absorbed doses to the thyroid in patients undergoing neck CT examinations. Thyroid doses in anthropomorphic phantoms were obtained for all 23 scanner dosimetry data sets in the ImPACT CT patient dosimetry calculator. Values of relative thyroid dose [R(thy)(L)], defined as the thyroid dose for a given scan length (L) divided by the corresponding thyroid dose for a whole body scan, were determined for neck CT scans. Ratios of the maximum thyroid dose to the corresponding CTDI(vol) and [D'(thy)], were obtained for two phantom diameters. The mass-equivalent water cylinder of any patient can be derived from the neck cross-sectional area and the corresponding average Hounsfield Unit, and compared to the 16.5-cm diameter water cylinder that models the ImPACT anthropomorphic phantom neck. Published values of relative doses in water cylinders of varying diameter were used to adjust thyroid doses in the anthropomorphic phantom to those of any sized patient. Relative thyroid doses R(thy)(L) increase to unity with increasing scan length and with very small difference between scanners. A 10-cm scan centered on the thyroid would result in a dose that is, nearly 90% of the thyroid dose from a whole body scan when performed using the constant radiographic techniques. At 120 kV, the average value of D'(thy) for the 16-cm diameter was 1.17 +/- 0.05 and was independent of CT vendor and year of CT scanner, and choice of x-ray tube voltage. The corresponding average value of D'(thy) in the 32-cm diameter phantom was 2.28 +/- 0.22 and showed marked variations depending on vendor, year of introduction into clinical practice as well as x-ray tube voltage. At 120 kV, a neck equivalent to a 10-cm diameter cylinder of water would have thyroid doses 36% higher than those in the ImPACT phantom, whereas a neck equivalent to a 25-cm cylinder diameter would have thyroid doses 35% lower. Patient thyroid doses can be estimated by taking into account the amount of

  18. Study of Fricke-gel dosimeter calibration for attaining precise measurements of the absorbed dose

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liosi, Giulia Maria; Benedini, Sara; Giacobbo, Francesca

    2015-07-01

    A method has been studied for attaining, with good precision, absolute measurements of the spatial distribution of the absorbed dose by means of the Fricke gelatin Xylenol Orange dosimetric system. With this aim, the dose response to subsequent irradiations was analyzed. In fact, the proposed modality is based on a pre-irradiation of each single dosimeter in a uniform field with a known dose, in order to extrapolate a calibration image for a subsequent non-uniform irradiation with an un-known dose to be measured. (authors)

  19. Absorbed dose kernel and self-shielding calculations for a novel radiopaque glass microsphere for transarterial radioembolization.

    PubMed

    Church, Cody; Mawko, George; Archambault, John Paul; Lewandowski, Robert; Liu, David; Kehoe, Sharon; Boyd, Daniel; Abraham, Robert; Syme, Alasdair

    2018-02-01

    Radiopaque microspheres may provide intraprocedural and postprocedural feedback during transarterial radioembolization (TARE). Furthermore, the potential to use higher resolution x-ray imaging techniques as opposed to nuclear medicine imaging suggests that significant improvements in the accuracy and precision of radiation dosimetry calculations could be realized for this type of therapy. This study investigates the absorbed dose kernel for novel radiopaque microspheres including contributions of both short and long-lived contaminant radionuclides while concurrently quantifying the self-shielding of the glass network. Monte Carlo simulations using EGSnrc were performed to determine the dose kernels for all monoenergetic electron emissions and all beta spectra for radionuclides reported in a neutron activation study of the microspheres. Simulations were benchmarked against an accepted 90 Y dose point kernel. Self-shielding was quantified for the microspheres by simulating an isotropically emitting, uniformly distributed source, in glass and in water. The ratio of the absorbed doses was scored as a function of distance from a microsphere. The absorbed dose kernel for the microspheres was calculated for (a) two bead formulations following (b) two different durations of neutron activation, at (c) various time points following activation. Self-shielding varies with time postremoval from the reactor. At early time points, it is less pronounced due to the higher energies of the emissions. It is on the order of 0.4-2.8% at a radial distance of 5.43 mm with increased size from 10 to 50 μm in diameter during the time that the microspheres would be administered to a patient. At long time points, self-shielding is more pronounced and can reach values in excess of 20% near the end of the range of the emissions. Absorbed dose kernels for 90 Y, 90m Y, 85m Sr, 85 Sr, 87m Sr, 89 Sr, 70 Ga, 72 Ga, and 31 Si are presented and used to determine an overall kernel for the

  20. Visible photoluminescence of color centers in LiF crystals for absorbed dose evaluation in clinical dosimetry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Villarreal-Barajas, J. E.; Piccinini, M.; Vincenti, M. A.; Bonfigli, F.; Khan, R. F.; Montereali, R. M.

    2015-04-01

    Among insulating materials, lithium fluoride (LiF) has been successfully used as ionizing radiation dosemeter for more than 60 years. Thermoluminescence (TL) has been the most commonly used reading technique to evaluate the absorbed dose. Lately, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) of visible emitting color centers (CCs) has also been explored in pure and doped LiF. This work focuses on the experimental behaviour of nominally pure LiF crystals dosemeters for 6 MV x rays at low doses based on photoluminescence (PL) of radiation induced CCs. Polished LiF crystals were irradiated using 6 MV x rays produced by a clinical linear accelerator. The doses (absorbed dose to water) covered the 1-100 Gy range. Optical absorption spectra show stable formation of primary F defects up to a maximum concentration of 2×1016 cm-3, while no significant M absorption band at around 450 nm was detected. On the other hand, under Argon laser excitation at 458 nm, PL spectra of the irradiated LiF crystals clearly exhibited the characteristic F2 and F+3 visible broad emission bands. Their sum intensity is linearly proportional to the absorbed dose in the investigated range. PL integrated intensity was also measured using a conventional fluorescence optical microscope under blue lamp illumination. The relationship between the absorbed dose and the integrated F2 and F+3 PL intensities, represented by the net average pixel number in the optical fluorescence images, is also fairly linear. Even at the low point defect densities obtained at the investigated doses, these preliminary experimental results are encouraging for further investigation of CCs PL in LiF crystals for clinical dosimetry.

  1. Absorbed radiation dose in adults from iodine-131 and iodine-123 orthoiodohippurate and technetium-99m DTPA renography

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Carlsen, O.

    1988-03-01

    A mathematic model for evaluation of absorbed dose in radionuclide renography has been developed and programmed for automatic calculation in the computer. Input data to the model are readily available from the results of the renography and, hence, the method described is suitable for individual dose determinations in adults. Apart from the situation with very considerable outflow obstructions (/sup 131/I)OIH single probe renography involves a 15-20 times smaller dose to radiation sensitive organs than (/sup 123/I)OIH gamma camera renography. Further, the latter examination results in a 2-10 times smaller dose than (/sup 99m/Tc)DTPA gamma camera renography under normal outflow conditions.more » Absorbed renal dose is large, approximately 70 mGy, in the three renographies in the borderline case with total outflow obstructions. For comparison, i.v. pyelography, which is the x-ray examination often used instead of radionuclide renography, involves an absorbed dose to ovaries 10-1000 times larger than in radionuclide renography« less

  2. The Molecular Effect of Diagnostic Absorbed Doses from 131I on Papillary Thyroid Cancer Cells In Vitro.

    PubMed

    Stasiołek, Mariusz; Adamczewski, Zbigniew; Śliwka, Przemysław W; Puła, Bartosz; Karwowski, Bolesław; Merecz-Sadowska, Anna; Dedecjus, Marek; Lewiński, Andrzej

    2017-06-15

    Diagnostic whole-body scan is a standard procedure in patients with thyroid cancer prior to the application of a therapeutic dose of 131 I. Unfortunately, administration of the radioisotope in a diagnostic dose may decrease further radioiodine uptake-the phenomenon called "thyroid stunning". We estimated radiation absorbed dose-dependent changes in genetic material, in particular in the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene promoter, and the NIS protein level in a K1 cell line derived from the metastasis of a human papillary thyroid carcinoma exposed to 131 I in culture. The different activities applied were calculated to result in absorbed doses of 5, 10 and 20 Gy. Radioiodine did not affect the expression of the NIS gene at the mRNA level, however, we observed significant changes in the NIS protein level in K1 cells. The decrease of the NIS protein level observed in the cells subjected to the lowest absorbed dose was paralleled by a significant increase in 8-oxo-dG concentrations ( p < 0.01) and followed by late activation of the DNA repair pathways. Our findings suggest that the impact of 131 I radiation on thyroid cells, in the range compared to doses absorbed during diagnostic procedures, is not linear and depends on various factors including the cellular components of thyroid pathology.

  3. Pain and mean absorbed dose to the pubic bone after radiotherapy among gynecological cancer survivors.

    PubMed

    Waldenström, Ann-Charlotte; Olsson, Caroline; Wilderäng, Ulrica; Dunberger, Gail; Lind, Helena; al-Abany, Massoud; Palm, Åsa; Avall-Lundqvist, Elisabeth; Johansson, Karl-Axel; Steineck, Gunnar

    2011-07-15

    To analyze the relationship between mean absorbed dose to the pubic bone after pelvic radiotherapy for gynecological cancer and occurrence of pubic bone pain among long-term survivors. In an unselected, population-based study, we identified 823 long-term gynecological cancer survivors treated with pelvic radiotherapy during 1991-2003. For comparison, we used a non-radiation-treated control population of 478 matched women from the Swedish Population Register. Pain, intensity of pain, and functional impairment due to pain in the pubic bone were assessed with a study-specific postal questionnaire. We analyzed data from 650 survivors (participation rate 79%) with median follow-up of 6.3 years (range, 2.3-15.0 years) along with 344 control women (participation rate, 72 %). Ten percent of the survivors were treated with radiotherapy; ninety percent with surgery plus radiotherapy. Brachytherapy was added in 81%. Complete treatment records were recovered for 538/650 survivors, with dose distribution data including dose-volume histograms over the pubic bone. Pubic bone pain was reported by 73 survivors (11%); 59/517 (11%) had been exposed to mean absorbed external beam doses <52.5 Gy to the pubic bone and 5/12 (42%) to mean absorbed external beam doses ≥ 52.5 Gy. Thirty-three survivors reported pain affecting sleep, a 13-fold increased prevalence compared with control women. Forty-nine survivors reported functional impairment measured as pain walking indoors, a 10-fold increased prevalence. Mean absorbed external beam dose above 52.5 Gy to the pubic bone increases the occurrence of pain in the pubic bone and may affect daily life of long-term survivors treated with radiotherapy for gynecological cancer. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Pain and Mean Absorbed Dose to the Pubic Bone After Radiotherapy Among Gynecological Cancer Survivors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Waldenstroem, Ann-Charlotte, E-mail: ann-charlotte.waldenstrom@oncology.gu.se; Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg; Olsson, Caroline

    Purpose: To analyze the relationship between mean absorbed dose to the pubic bone after pelvic radiotherapy for gynecological cancer and occurrence of pubic bone pain among long-term survivors. Methods and Materials: In an unselected, population-based study, we identified 823 long-term gynecological cancer survivors treated with pelvic radiotherapy during 1991-2003. For comparison, we used a non-radiation-treated control population of 478 matched women from the Swedish Population Register. Pain, intensity of pain, and functional impairment due to pain in the pubic bone were assessed with a study-specific postal questionnaire. Results: We analyzed data from 650 survivors (participation rate 79%) with median follow-upmore » of 6.3 years (range, 2.3-15.0 years) along with 344 control women (participation rate, 72 %). Ten percent of the survivors were treated with radiotherapy; ninety percent with surgery plus radiotherapy. Brachytherapy was added in 81%. Complete treatment records were recovered for 538/650 survivors, with dose distribution data including dose-volume histograms over the pubic bone. Pubic bone pain was reported by 73 survivors (11%); 59/517 (11%) had been exposed to mean absorbed external beam doses <52.5 Gy to the pubic bone and 5/12 (42%) to mean absorbed external beam doses {>=}52.5 Gy. Thirty-three survivors reported pain affecting sleep, a 13-fold increased prevalence compared with control women. Forty-nine survivors reported functional impairment measured as pain walking indoors, a 10-fold increased prevalence. Conclusions: Mean absorbed external beam dose above 52.5 Gy to the pubic bone increases the occurrence of pain in the pubic bone and may affect daily life of long-term survivors treated with radiotherapy for gynecological cancer.« less

  5. Estimated human absorbed dose of a new (153)Sm bone seeking agent based on biodistribution data in mice: Comparison with (153)Sm-EDTMP.

    PubMed

    Yousefnia, Hassan; Zolghadri, Samaneh

    2015-11-01

    The main goal in radiotherapy is to deliver the absorbed dose within the target organs in highest possible amount, while the absorbed dose of the other organs, especially the critical organs, should be kept as low as possible. In this work, the absorbed dose to human organs for a new (153)Sm bone-seeking agent was investigated. (153)Sm-(4-{[(bis(phosphonomethyl))carbamoyl]methyl}-7,10-bis(carboxymethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododec-1-yl) acetic acid ((153)Sm-BPAMD) complex was successfully prepared. The biodistribution of the complex was investigated in male Syrian mice up to 48 h post injection. The human absorbed dose of the complex was estimated based on the biodistribution data of the mice by radiation absorbed dose assessment resource (RADAR) method. The target to non-target absorbed dose ratios for (153)Sm-BPAMD were compared with these ratios for (153)Sm-EDTMP. The highest absorbed dose for (153)Sm-BPAMD was observed in bone surface with 5.828 mGy/MBq. The dose ratios of the bone surface to the red marrow and to the total body for (153)Sm-BPAMD were 5.3 and 20.0, respectively, while these ratios for (153)Sm-EDTMP were 4.4 and 18.3, respectively. This means, for a given dose to the bone surface as the target organ, the red marrow (as the main critical organ) and the total body would receive lesser absorbed dose in the case of (153)Sm-BPAMD. Generally, the human absorbed dose estimation of (153)Sm-BPAMD indicated that all other tissues approximately received insignificant absorbed dose in comparison with bone surface and therefore can be regarded as a new potential agent for bone pain palliation therapy. Copyright © 2015 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Editor's choice--Use of disposable radiation-absorbing surgical drapes results in significant dose reduction during EVAR procedures.

    PubMed

    Kloeze, C; Klompenhouwer, E G; Brands, P J M; van Sambeek, M R H M; Cuypers, P W M; Teijink, J A W

    2014-03-01

    Because of the increasing number of interventional endovascular procedures with fluoroscopy and the corresponding high annual dose for interventionalists, additional dose-protecting measures are desirable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of disposable radiation-absorbing surgical drapes in reducing scatter radiation exposure for interventionalists and supporting staff during an endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) procedure. This was a randomized control trial in which 36 EVAR procedures were randomized between execution with and without disposable radiation-absorbing surgical drapes (Radpad: Worldwide Innovations & Technologies, Inc., Kansas City, US, type 5511A). Dosimetric measurements were performed on the interventionalist (hand and chest) and theatre nurse (chest) with and without the use of the drapes to obtain the dose reduction and effect on the annual dose caused by the drapes. Use of disposable radiation-absorbing surgical drapes resulted in dose reductions of 49%, 55%, and 48%, respectively, measured on the hand and chest of the interventionalist and the chest of the theatre nurse. The use of disposable radiation-absorbing surgical drapes significantly reduces scatter radiation exposure for both the interventionalist and the supporting staff during EVAR procedures. Copyright © 2013 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Evaluation of variations in absorbed dose and image noise according to patient forms in X-ray computed tomography.

    PubMed

    Matsubara, Kosuke; Koshida, Kichiro; Suzuki, Masayuki; Hayakawa, Mayumi; Tsujii, Hideo; Yamamoto, Tomoyuki

    2005-12-20

    Excessive radiation exposure in pediatric computed tomography (CT) scanning has become a serious problem, and it is difficult to select scan parameters for the scanning of small patients such as children. We investigated differences in absorbed dose and standard deviation (SD) in Hounsfield unit (HU) caused by differences in the form of the subject using a body-type phantom with removable body parts. Using four X-ray CT scanners, measurements were made with values from 50 mAs to 300 mAs, with slices of 50 mAs, using scan protocols that were assumed to perform thorough examinations. The results showed that the mAs values and absorbed doses were almost proportional, and the absorbed doses in the phantom without body parts were about 1.1-2.2-fold higher than those of the phantom with body parts at the same points. The SD values obtained indicated that the absorbed doses in the phantom with body parts were 0.3-0.6 times those of the phantom without body parts when the mAs values used were adjusted so that both SD values were the same. The absorbed doses in various patient forms can be estimated from these results, and they will become critical data for the selection of appropriate scan protocols.

  8. Supplemental computational phantoms to estimate out-of-field absorbed dose in photon radiotherapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gallagher, Kyle J.; Tannous, Jaad; Nabha, Racile; Feghali, Joelle Ann; Ayoub, Zeina; Jalbout, Wassim; Youssef, Bassem; Taddei, Phillip J.

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a straightforward method of supplementing patient anatomy and estimating out-of-field absorbed dose for a cohort of pediatric radiotherapy patients with limited recorded anatomy. A cohort of nine children, aged 2-14 years, who received 3D conformal radiotherapy for low-grade localized brain tumors (LBTs), were randomly selected for this study. The extent of these patients’ computed tomography simulation image sets were cranial only. To approximate their missing anatomy, we supplemented the LBT patients’ image sets with computed tomography images of patients in a previous study with larger extents of matched sex, height, and mass and for whom contours of organs at risk for radiogenic cancer had already been delineated. Rigid fusion was performed between the LBT patients’ data and that of the supplemental computational phantoms using commercial software and in-house codes. In-field dose was calculated with a clinically commissioned treatment planning system, and out-of-field dose was estimated with a previously developed analytical model that was re-fit with parameters based on new measurements for intracranial radiotherapy. Mean doses greater than 1 Gy were found in the red bone marrow, remainder, thyroid, and skin of the patients in this study. Mean organ doses between 150 mGy and 1 Gy were observed in the breast tissue of the girls and lungs of all patients. Distant organs, i.e. prostate, bladder, uterus, and colon, received mean organ doses less than 150 mGy. The mean organ doses of the younger, smaller LBT patients (0-4 years old) were a factor of 2.4 greater than those of the older, larger patients (8-12 years old). Our findings demonstrated the feasibility of a straightforward method of applying supplemental computational phantoms and dose-calculation models to estimate absorbed dose for a set of children of various ages who received radiotherapy and for whom anatomies were largely missing in their original

  9. Secondary neutron dose measurement for proton eye treatment using an eye snout with a borated neutron absorber

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background We measured and assessed ways to reduce the secondary neutron dose from a system for proton eye treatment. Methods Proton beams of 60.30 MeV were delivered through an eye-treatment snout in passive scattering mode. Allyl diglycol carbonate (CR-39) etch detectors were used to measure the neutron dose in the external field at 0.00, 1.64, and 6.00 cm depths in a water phantom. Secondary neutron doses were measured and compared between those with and without a high-hydrogen–boron-containing block. In addition, the neutron energy and vertices distribution were obtained by using a Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation. Results The ratio of the maximum neutron dose equivalent to the proton absorbed dose (H(10)/D) at 2.00 cm from the beam field edge was 8.79 ± 1.28 mSv/Gy. The ratio of the neutron dose equivalent to the proton absorbed dose with and without a high hydrogen-boron containing block was 0.63 ± 0.06 to 1.15 ± 0.13 mSv/Gy at 2.00 cm from the edge of the field at depths of 0.00, 1.64, and 6.00 cm. Conclusions We found that the out-of-field secondary neutron dose in proton eye treatment with an eye snout is relatively small, and it can be further reduced by installing a borated neutron absorbing material. PMID:23866307

  10. Fine-resolution voxel S values for constructing absorbed dose distributions at variable voxel size.

    PubMed

    Dieudonné, Arnaud; Hobbs, Robert F; Bolch, Wesley E; Sgouros, George; Gardin, Isabelle

    2010-10-01

    This article presents a revised voxel S values (VSVs) approach for dosimetry in targeted radiotherapy, allowing dose calculation for any voxel size and shape of a given SPECT or PET dataset. This approach represents an update to the methodology presented in MIRD pamphlet no. 17. VSVs were generated in soft tissue with a fine spatial sampling using the Monte Carlo (MC) code MCNPX for particle emissions of 9 radionuclides: (18)F, (90)Y, (99m)Tc, (111)In, (123)I, (131)I, (177)Lu, (186)Re, and (201)Tl. A specific resampling algorithm was developed to compute VSVs for desired voxel dimensions. The dose calculation was performed by convolution via a fast Hartley transform. The fine VSVs were calculated for cubic voxels of 0.5 mm for electrons and 1.0 mm for photons. Validation studies were done for (90)Y and (131)I VSV sets by comparing the revised VSV approach to direct MC simulations. The first comparison included 20 spheres with different voxel sizes (3.8-7.7 mm) and radii (4-64 voxels) and the second comparison a hepatic tumor with cubic voxels of 3.8 mm. MC simulations were done with MCNPX for both. The third comparison was performed on 2 clinical patients with the 3D-RD (3-Dimensional Radiobiologic Dosimetry) software using the EGSnrc (Electron Gamma Shower National Research Council Canada)-based MC implementation, assuming a homogeneous tissue-density distribution. For the sphere model study, the mean relative difference in the average absorbed dose was 0.20% ± 0.41% for (90)Y and -0.36% ± 0.51% for (131)I (n = 20). For the hepatic tumor, the difference in the average absorbed dose to tumor was 0.33% for (90)Y and -0.61% for (131)I and the difference in average absorbed dose to the liver was 0.25% for (90)Y and -1.35% for (131)I. The comparison with the 3D-RD software showed an average voxel-to-voxel dose ratio between 0.991 and 0.996. The calculation time was below 10 s with the VSV approach and 50 and 15 h with 3D-RD for the 2 clinical patients. This new VSV

  11. Estimation of Organ Absorbed Doses in Patients from 99mTc-diphosphonate Using the Data of MIRDose Software

    PubMed Central

    Shahbazi-Gahrouei, Daryoush; Cheki, Mohsen; Moslehi, Masoud

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare estimation of radiation absorbed doses to patients following bone scans with technetium-99m-labeled methylene diphosphonate (MDP) with the estimates given in MIRDose software. In this study, each patient was injected 25 mCi of 99mTc-MDP. Whole-body images from thirty patients were acquired by gamma camera at 10, 60, 90, 180 minutes after 99mTc-MDP injection. To determine the amount of activity in each organ, conjugate view method was applied on images. MIRD equation was then used to estimate absorbed doses in different organs of patients. At the end, absorbed dose values obtained in this study were compared with the data of MIRDose software. The absorbed doses per unit of injected activity (mGy/MBq × 10–4) for liver, kidneys, bladder wall and spleen were 3.86 ± 1.1, 38.73 ± 4.7, 4.16 ± 1.8 and 3.91 ± 1.3, respectively. The results of this study may be useful to estimate the amount of activity that can be administered to the patient and also showed that methods used in the study for absorbed dose calculation is in good agreement with the data of MIRDose software and it is possible to use by a clinician. PMID:23724374

  12. Calculation of absorbed dose and biological effectiveness from photonuclear reactions in a bremsstrahlung beam of end point 50 MeV.

    PubMed

    Gudowska, I; Brahme, A; Andreo, P; Gudowski, W; Kierkegaard, J

    1999-09-01

    The absorbed dose due to photonuclear reactions in soft tissue, lung, breast, adipose tissue and cortical bone has been evaluated for a scanned bremsstrahlung beam of end point 50 MeV from a racetrack accelerator. The Monte Carlo code MCNP4B was used to determine the photon source spectrum from the bremsstrahlung target and to simulate the transport of photons through the treatment head and the patient. Photonuclear particle production in tissue was calculated numerically using the energy distributions of photons derived from the Monte Carlo simulations. The transport of photoneutrons in the patient and the photoneutron absorbed dose to tissue were determined using MCNP4B; the absorbed dose due to charged photonuclear particles was calculated numerically assuming total energy absorption in tissue voxels of 1 cm3. The photonuclear absorbed dose to soft tissue, lung, breast and adipose tissue is about (0.11-0.12)+/-0.05% of the maximum photon dose at a depth of 5.5 cm. The absorbed dose to cortical bone is about 45% larger than that to soft tissue. If the contributions from all photoparticles (n, p, 3He and 4He particles and recoils of the residual nuclei) produced in the soft tissue and the accelerator, and from positron radiation and gammas due to induced radioactivity and excited states of the nuclei, are taken into account the total photonuclear absorbed dose delivered to soft tissue is about 0.15+/-0.08% of the maximum photon dose. It has been estimated that the RBE of the photon beam of 50 MV acceleration potential is approximately 2% higher than that of conventional 60Co radiation.

  13. Study on the quality assurance of diagnostic X-ray machines and assessment of the absorbed dose to patients

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hassan, G. M.; Rabie, N.; Mustafa, K. A.; Abdel-Khalik, S. S.

    2012-09-01

    Radiation exposure and image quality in X-ray diagnostic radiology provide a clear understanding of the relationship between the radiation dose delivered to a patient and image quality in optimizing medical diagnostic radiology. Because a certain amount of radiation is unavoidably delivered to patients, this should be as low as reasonably achievable. Several X-ray diagnostic machines were used at different medical diagnostic centers in Egypt for studying the beam quality and the dose delivered to the patient. This article studies the factors affecting the beam quality, such as the kilo-volt peak (kVp), exposure time (mSc), tube current (mAs) and the absorbed dose in (μGy) for different examinations. The maximum absorbed dose measured per mAs was 594±239 and 12.5±3.7 μGy for the abdomen and the chest, respectively, while the absorbed dose at the elbow was 18±6 μGy, which was the minimum dose recorded. The compound and expanded uncertainties accompanying these measurements were 4±0.35% and 8±0.7%, respectively. The measurements were done through quality control tests as acceptance procedures.

  14. Monte Carlo Assessments of Absorbed Doses to the Hands of Radiopharmaceutical Workers Due to Photon Emitters

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ilas, Dan; Eckerman, Keith F; Karagiannis, Harriet

    This paper describes the characterization of radiation doses to the hands of nuclear medicine technicians resulting from the handling of radiopharmaceuticals. Radiation monitoring using ring dosimeters indicates that finger dosimeters that are used to show compliance with applicable regulations may overestimate or underestimate radiation doses to the skin depending on the nature of the particular procedure and the radionuclide being handled. To better understand the parameters governing the absorbed dose distributions, a detailed model of the hands was created and used in Monte Carlo simulations of selected nuclear medicine procedures. Simulations of realistic configurations typical for workers handling radiopharmaceuticals weremore » performedfor a range of energies of the source photons. The lack of charged-particle equilibrium necessitated full photon-electron coupled transport calculations. The results show that the dose to different regions of the fingers can differ substantially from dosimeter readings when dosimeters are located at the base of the finger. We tried to identify consistent patterns that relate the actual dose to the dosimeter readings. These patterns depend on the specific work conditions and can be used to better assess the absorbed dose to different regions of the exposed skin.« less

  15. A graphite calorimeter for absolute measurements of absorbed dose to water: application in medium-energy x-ray filtered beams.

    PubMed

    Pinto, M; Pimpinella, M; Quini, M; D'Arienzo, M; Astefanoaei, I; Loreti, S; Guerra, A S

    2016-02-21

    The Italian National Institute of Ionizing Radiation Metrology (ENEA-INMRI) has designed and built a graphite calorimeter that, in a water phantom, has allowed the determination of the absorbed dose to water in medium-energy x-rays with generating voltages from 180 to 250 kV. The new standard is a miniaturized three-bodies calorimeter, with a disc-shaped core of 21 mm diameter and 2 mm thickness weighing 1.134 g, sealed in a PMMA waterproof envelope with air-evacuated gaps. The measured absorbed dose to graphite is converted into absorbed dose to water by means of an energy-dependent conversion factor obtained from Monte Carlo simulations. Heat-transfer correction factors were determined by FEM calculations. At a source-to-detector distance of 100 cm, a depth in water of 2 g cm(-2), and at a dose rate of about 0.15 Gy min(-1), results of calorimetric measurements of absorbed dose to water, D(w), were compared to experimental determinations, D wK, obtained via an ionization chamber calibrated in terms of air kerma, according to established dosimetry protocols. The combined standard uncertainty of D(w) and D(wK) were estimated as 1.9% and 1.7%, respectively. The two absorbed dose to water determinations were in agreement within 1%, well below the stated measurement uncertainties. Advancements are in progress to extend the measurement capability of the new in-water-phantom graphite calorimeter to other filtered medium-energy x-ray qualities and to reduce the D(w) uncertainty to around 1%. The new calorimeter represents the first implementation of in-water-phantom graphite calorimetry in the kilovoltage range and, allowing independent determinations of D(w), it will contribute to establish a robust system of absorbed dose to water primary standards for medium-energy x-ray beams.

  16. Monte Carlo Estimation of Absorbed Dose Distributions Obtained from Heterogeneous 106Ru Eye Plaques.

    PubMed

    Zaragoza, Francisco J; Eichmann, Marion; Flühs, Dirk; Sauerwein, Wolfgang; Brualla, Lorenzo

    2017-09-01

    The distribution of the emitter substance in 106 Ru eye plaques is usually assumed to be homogeneous for treatment planning purposes. However, this distribution is never homogeneous, and it widely differs from plaque to plaque due to manufacturing factors. By Monte Carlo simulation of radiation transport, we study the absorbed dose distribution obtained from the specific CCA1364 and CCB1256 106 Ru plaques, whose actual emitter distributions were measured. The idealized, homogeneous CCA and CCB plaques are also simulated. The largest discrepancy in depth dose distribution observed between the heterogeneous and the homogeneous plaques was 7.9 and 23.7% for the CCA and CCB plaques, respectively. In terms of isodose lines, the line referring to 100% of the reference dose penetrates 0.2 and 1.8 mm deeper in the case of heterogeneous CCA and CCB plaques, respectively, with respect to the homogeneous counterpart. The observed differences in absorbed dose distributions obtained from heterogeneous and homogeneous plaques are clinically irrelevant if the plaques are used with a lateral safety margin of at least 2 mm. However, these differences may be relevant if the plaques are used in eccentric positioning.

  17. Validation of a MOSFET dosemeter system for determining the absorbed and effective radiation doses in diagnostic radiology.

    PubMed

    Manninen, A-L; Kotiaho, A; Nikkinen, J; Nieminen, M T

    2015-04-01

    This study aimed to validate a MOSFET dosemeter system for determining absorbed and effective doses (EDs) in the dose and energy range used in diagnostic radiology. Energy dependence, dose linearity and repeatability of the dosemeter were examined. The absorbed doses (ADs) were compared at anterior-posterior projection and the EDs were determined at posterior-anterior, anterior-posterior and lateral projections of thoracic imaging using an anthropomorphic phantom. The radiation exposures were made using digital radiography systems. This study revealed that the MOSFET system with high sensitivity bias supply set-up is sufficiently accurate for AD and ED determination. The dosemeter is recommended to be calibrated for energies <60 and >80 kVp. The entrance skin dose level should be at least 5 mGy to minimise the deviation of the individual dosemeter dose. For ED determination, dosemeters should be implanted perpendicular to the surface of the phantom to prevent the angular dependence error. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Analysis of the Body Distribution of Absorbed Dose in the Organs of Three Species of Fish from Sepetiba Bay

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pereira, Wagner de S; Universidade Federal Fluminense, Programa de Pos-graduacao em Biologia Marinha; Kelecom, Alphonse

    2008-08-07

    The body distribution of Polonium-210 in three fishes from the Sepetiba Bay (Macrodon ancylodon, Micropogonias furnieri and Mugil curema) has been studied under the approach of the Department of Energy of the United States of America (DOE) that set the limit of absorbed dose rate in biota equal to 3.5x10{sup 3} {mu}Gy/y, and that also established the relation between dose rate (D) and radionuclide concentration (c) on a fish muscle fresh weight basis, as follows: D = 5.05 ExNxC, assuming that the radionuclide distribution is homogenous among organs. Two hypotheses were tested here, using statistical tools: 1) is the bodymore » distribution of absorbed dose homogenous among organs? and 2) is the body distribution of absorbed dose identical among studied fishes? It was concluded, as expected, that the distribution among organs is heterogeneous; but, unexpectedly, that the three fishes display identical body distribution pattern, although they belong to different trophic levels. Hence, concerning absorbed dose calculation, the statement that data distribution is homogenous must be understood merely as an approximation, at least in the case of Polonium-210.« less

  19. Depth dependence of absorbed dose, dose equivalent and linear energy transfer spectra of galactic and trapped particles in polyethylene and comparison with calculations of models

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Badhwar, G. D.; Cucinotta, F. A.; Wilson, J. W. (Principal Investigator)

    1998-01-01

    A matched set of five tissue-equivalent proportional counters (TEPCs), embedded at the centers of 0 (bare), 3, 5, 8 and 12-inch-diameter polyethylene spheres, were flown on the Shuttle flight STS-81 (inclination 51.65 degrees, altitude approximately 400 km). The data obtained were separated into contributions from trapped protons and galactic cosmic radiation (GCR). From the measured linear energy transfer (LET) spectra, the absorbed dose and dose-equivalent rates were calculated. The results were compared to calculations made with the radiation transport model HZETRN/NUCFRG2, using the GCR free-space spectra, orbit-averaged geomagnetic transmission function and Shuttle shielding distributions. The comparison shows that the model fits the dose rates to a root mean square (rms) error of 5%, and dose-equivalent rates to an rms error of 10%. Fairly good agreement between the LET spectra was found; however, differences are seen at both low and high LET. These differences can be understood as due to the combined effects of chord-length variation and detector response function. These results rule out a number of radiation transport/nuclear fragmentation models. Similar comparisons of trapped-proton dose rates were made between calculations made with the proton transport model BRYNTRN using the AP-8 MIN trapped-proton model and Shuttle shielding distributions. The predictions of absorbed dose and dose-equivalent rates are fairly good. However, the prediction of the LET spectra below approximately 30 keV/microm shows the need to improve the AP-8 model. These results have strong implications for shielding requirements for an interplanetary manned mission.

  20. Absorbed dose to man from the Se-75 labeled conjugated bile salt SeHCAT: concise communication.

    PubMed

    Soundy, R G; Simpson, J D; Ross, H M; Merrick, M V

    1982-02-01

    The absorbed radiation dose that would result from the oral or intravenous administration of SeHCAT (23-[75Se]selena-25-homotaurocholate) has been calculated using the MIRD tables and formulas and data from measurements of whole-body distribution and from long-term whole-body counting in rats, mice, and man. When SeHCAT is administered to normal subjects, the gallbladder is the critical organ, receiving 12 mrad (oral dose) or 22 mrad (i.v.) per microcurie. The whole-body dose is 1 mrad/microCi, whatever the route of administration. In severe hepatic failure the liver might receive 200 mrad/microCi. The activity likely to be used in routine clinical practice is 10 microCi. Where a whole-body counter is used, an activity of 1 microCi has proved adequate. Even at an administered activity of 25 microCi, the absorbed dose is small compared with established techniques of investigating the gastrointestinal tract.

  1. Absorbed dose-to-water protocol applied to synchrotron-generated x-rays at very high dose rates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fournier, P.; Crosbie, J. C.; Cornelius, I.; Berkvens, P.; Donzelli, M.; Clavel, A. H.; Rosenfeld, A. B.; Petasecca, M.; Lerch, M. L. F.; Bräuer-Krisch, E.

    2016-07-01

    Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) is a new radiation treatment modality in the pre-clinical stage of development at the ID17 Biomedical Beamline of the European synchrotron radiation facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. MRT exploits the dose volume effect that is made possible through the spatial fractionation of the high dose rate synchrotron-generated x-ray beam into an array of microbeams. As an important step towards the development of a dosimetry protocol for MRT, we have applied the International Atomic Energy Agency’s TRS 398 absorbed dose-to-water protocol to the synchrotron x-ray beam in the case of the broad beam irradiation geometry (i.e. prior to spatial fractionation into microbeams). The very high dose rates observed here mean the ion recombination correction factor, k s , is the most challenging to quantify of all the necessary corrections to apply for ionization chamber based absolute dosimetry. In the course of this study, we have developed a new method, the so called ‘current ramping’ method, to determine k s for the specific irradiation and filtering conditions typically utilized throughout the development of MRT. Using the new approach we deduced an ion recombination correction factor of 1.047 for the maximum ESRF storage ring current (200 mA) under typical beam spectral filtering conditions in MRT. MRT trials are currently underway with veterinary patients at the ESRF that require additional filtering, and we have estimated a correction factor of 1.025 for these filtration conditions for the same ESRF storage ring current. The protocol described herein provides reference dosimetry data for the associated Treatment Planning System utilized in the current veterinary trials and anticipated future human clinical trials.

  2. Influence of lead apron shielding on absorbed doses from cone-beam computed tomography.

    PubMed

    Rottke, Dennis; Andersson, Jonas; Ejima, Ken-Ichiro; Sawada, Kunihiko; Schulze, Dirk

    2017-06-01

    The aim of the present work was to investigate absorbed and to calculate effective doses (EDs) in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). The study was conducted using examination protocols with and without lead apron shielding. A full-body male RANDO® phantom was loaded with 110 GR200A thermoluminescence dosemeter chips at 55 different sites and set up in two different CBCT systems (CS 9500®, ProMax® 3D). Two different protocols were performed: the phantom was set up (1) with and (2) without a lead apron. No statistically significant differences in organ and absorbed doses from regions outside the primary beam could be found when comparing results from exposures with and without lead apron shielding. Consequently, calculating the ED showed no significant differences between the examination protocols with and without lead apron shielding. For the ProMax® 3D with shielding, the ED was 149 µSv, and for the examination protocol without shielding 148 µSv (SD = 0.31 µSv). For the CS 9500®, the ED was 88 and 86 µSv (SD = 0.95 µSv), respectively, with and without lead apron shielding. The results revealed no statistically significant differences in the absorbed doses between examination with and without lead apron shielding, especially in organs outside the primary beam. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Image quality and absorbed dose comparison of single- and dual-source cone-beam computed tomography.

    PubMed

    Miura, Hideharu; Ozawa, Shuichi; Okazue, Toshiya; Kawakubo, Atsushi; Yamada, Kiyoshi; Nagata, Yasushi

    2018-05-01

    Dual-source cone-beam computed tomography (DCBCT) is currently available in the Vero4DRT image-guided radiotherapy system. We evaluated the image quality and absorbed dose for DCBCT and compared the values with those for single-source CBCT (SCBCT). Image uniformity, Hounsfield unit (HU) linearity, image contrast, and spatial resolution were evaluated using a Catphan phantom. The rotation angle for acquiring SCBCT and DCBCT images is 215° and 115°, respectively. The image uniformity was calculated using measurements obtained at the center and four peripheral positions. The HUs of seven materials inserted into the phantom were measured to evaluate HU linearity and image contrast. The Catphan phantom was scanned with a conventional CT scanner to measure the reference HU for each material. The spatial resolution was calculated using high-resolution pattern modules. Image quality was analyzed using ImageJ software ver. 1.49. The absorbed dose was measured using a 0.6-cm 3 ionization chamber with a 16-cm-diameter cylindrical phantom, at the center and four peripheral positions of the phantom, and calculated using weighted cone-beam CT dose index (CBCTDI w ). Compared with that of SCBCT, the image uniformity of DCBCT was slightly reduced. A strong linear correlation existed between the measured HU for DCBCT and the reference HU, although the linear regression slope was different from that of the reference HU. DCBCT had poorer image contrast than did SCBCT, particularly with a high-contrast material. There was no significant difference between the spatial resolutions of SCBCT and DCBCT. The absorbed dose for DCBCT was higher than that for SCBCT, because in DCBCT, the two x-ray projections overlap between 45° and 70°. We found that the image quality was poorer and the absorbed dose was higher for DCBCT than for SCBCT in the Vero4DRT. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of

  4. Scattered radiation doses absorbed by technicians at different distances from X-ray exposure: Experiments on prosthesis.

    PubMed

    Chiang, Hsien-Wen; Liu, Ya-Ling; Chen, Tou-Rong; Chen, Chun-Lon; Chiang, Hsien-Jen; Chao, Shin-Yu

    2015-01-01

    This work aimed to investigate the spatial distribution of scattered radiation doses induced by exposure to the portable X-ray, the C-arm machine, and to simulate the radiologist without a shield of lead clothing, radiation doses absorbed by medical staff at 2 m from the central exposure point. With the adoption of the Rando Phantom, several frequently X-rayed body parts were exposed to X-ray radiation, and the scattered radiation doses were measured by ionization chamber dosimeters at various angles from the patient. Assuming that the central point of the X-ray was located at the belly button, five detection points were distributed in the operation room at 1 m above the ground and 1-2 m from the central point horizontally. The radiation dose measured at point B was the lowest, and the scattered radiation dose absorbed by the prosthesis from the X-ray's vertical projection was 0.07 ±0.03 μGy, which was less than the background radiation levels. The Fluke biomedical model 660-5DE (400 cc) and 660-3DE (4 cc) ion chambers were used to detect air dose at a distance of approximately two meters from the central point. The AP projection radiation doses at point B was the lowest (0.07±0.03 μGy) and the radiation doses at point D was the highest (0.26±0.08 μGy) .Only taking the vertical projection into account, the radiation doses at point B was the lowest (0.52 μGy), and the radiation doses at point E was the highest (4 μGy).The PA projection radiation at point B was the lowest (0.36 μGy) and the radiation doses at point E was the highest(2.77 μGy), occupying 10-32% of the maximum doses. The maximum dose in five directions was nine times to the minimum dose. When the PX and the C-arm machine were used, the radiation doses at a distance of 2 m were attenuated to the background radiation level. The radiologist without a lead shield should stand at point B of patient's feet. Accordingly, teaching materials on radiation safety for radiological interns and clinical

  5. (⁹⁹m)Tc-MAA overestimates the absorbed dose to the lungs in radioembolization: a quantitative evaluation in patients treated with ¹⁶⁶Ho-microspheres.

    PubMed

    Elschot, Mattijs; Nijsen, Johannes F W; Lam, Marnix G E H; Smits, Maarten L J; Prince, Jip F; Viergever, Max A; van den Bosch, Maurice A A J; Zonnenberg, Bernard A; de Jong, Hugo W A M

    2014-10-01

    Radiation pneumonitis is a rare but serious complication of radioembolic therapy of liver tumours. Estimation of the mean absorbed dose to the lungs based on pretreatment diagnostic (99m)Tc-macroaggregated albumin ((99m)Tc-MAA) imaging should prevent this, with administered activities adjusted accordingly. The accuracy of (99m)Tc-MAA-based lung absorbed dose estimates was evaluated and compared to absorbed dose estimates based on pretreatment diagnostic (166)Ho-microsphere imaging and to the actual lung absorbed doses after (166)Ho radioembolization. This prospective clinical study included 14 patients with chemorefractory, unresectable liver metastases treated with (166)Ho radioembolization. (99m)Tc-MAA-based and (166)Ho-microsphere-based estimation of lung absorbed doses was performed on pretreatment diagnostic planar scintigraphic and SPECT/CT images. The clinical analysis was preceded by an anthropomorphic torso phantom study with simulated lung shunt fractions of 0 to 30 % to determine the accuracy of the image-based lung absorbed dose estimates after (166)Ho radioembolization. In the phantom study, (166)Ho SPECT/CT-based lung absorbed dose estimates were more accurate (absolute error range 0.1 to -4.4 Gy) than (166)Ho planar scintigraphy-based lung absorbed dose estimates (absolute error range 9.5 to 12.1 Gy). Clinically, the actual median lung absorbed dose was 0.02 Gy (range 0.0 to 0.7 Gy) based on posttreatment (166)Ho-microsphere SPECT/CT imaging. Lung absorbed doses estimated on the basis of pretreatment diagnostic (166)Ho-microsphere SPECT/CT imaging (median 0.02 Gy, range 0.0 to 0.4 Gy) were significantly better predictors of the actual lung absorbed doses than doses estimated on the basis of (166)Ho-microsphere planar scintigraphy (median 10.4 Gy, range 4.0 to 17.3 Gy; p < 0.001), (99m)Tc-MAA SPECT/CT imaging (median 2.5 Gy, range 1.2 to 12.3 Gy; p < 0.001), and (99m)Tc-MAA planar scintigraphy (median 5.5 Gy, range 2.3 to 18.2 Gy; p < 0

  6. ESR spectroscopy for detecting gamma-irradiated dried vegetables and estimating absorbed doses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kwon, Joong-Ho; Chung, Hyung-Wook; Byun, Myung-Woo

    2000-03-01

    In view of an increasing demand for food irradiation technology, the development of a reliable means of detection for the control of irradiated foods has become necessary. Various vegetable food materials (dried cabbage, carrot, chunggyungchae, garlic, onion, and green onion), which can be legally irradiated in Korea, were subjected to a detection study using ESR spectroscopy. Correlation coefficients ( R2) between absorbed doses (2.5-15 kGy) and their corresponding ESR signals were identified from ESR signals. Pre-established threshold values were successfully applied to the detection of 54 coded unknown samples of dried clean vegetables ( chunggyungchae, Brassica camestris var. chinensis), both non-irradiated and irradiated. The ESR signals of irradiated chunggyungchae decreased over a longer storage time, however, even after 6 months of ambient storage, these signals were still distinguishable from those of non-irradiated samples. The most successful estimates of absorbed dose (5 and 8 kGy) were obtained immediately after irradiation using a quadratic fit with average values of 4.85 and 8.65 kGy being calculated.

  7. Mean Absorbed Dose to the Anal-Sphincter Region and Fecal Leakage among Irradiated Prostate Cancer Survivors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alsadius, David, E-mail: david.alsadius@oncology.gu.se; Hedelin, Maria; Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm

    2012-10-01

    Purpose: To supplement previous findings that the absorbed dose of ionizing radiation to the anal sphincter or lower rectum affects the occurrence of fecal leakage among irradiated prostate-cancer survivors. We also wanted to determine whether anatomically defining the anal-sphincter region as the organ at risk could increase the degree of evidence underlying clinical guidelines for restriction doses to eliminate this excess risk. Methods and Materials: We identified 985 men irradiated for prostate cancer between 1993 and 2006. In 2008, we assessed long-term gastrointestinal symptoms among these men using a study-specific questionnaire. We restrict the analysis to the 414 men whomore » had been treated with external beam radiation therapy only (no brachytherapy) to a total dose of 70 Gy in 2-Gy daily fractions to the prostate or postoperative prostatic region. On reconstructed original radiation therapy dose plans, we delineated the anal-sphincter region as an organ at risk. Results: We found that the prevalence of long-term fecal leakage at least once per month was strongly correlated with the mean dose to the anal-sphincter region. Examining different dose intervals, we found a large increase at 40 Gy; {>=}40 Gy compared with <40 Gy gave a prevalence ratio of 3.8 (95% confidence interval 1.6-8.6). Conclusions: This long-term study shows that mean absorbed dose to the anal-sphincter region is associated with the occurrence of long-term fecal leakage among irradiated prostate-cancer survivors; delineating the anal-sphincter region separately from the rectum and applying a restriction of a mean dose <40 Gy will, according to our data, reduce the risk considerably.« less

  8. Preclinical Study of 68Ga-DOTATOC: Biodistribution Assessment in Syrian Rats and Evaluation of Absorbed Dose in Human Organs.

    PubMed

    Naderi, Mojdeh; Zolghadri, Samaneh; Yousefnia, Hassan; Ramazani, Ali; Jalilian, Amir Reza

    2016-01-01

    Gallium-68 DOTA-DPhe 1 -Tyr 3 -Octreotide ( 68 Ga-DOTATOC) has been applied by several European centers for the treatment of a variety of human malignancies. Nevertheless, definitive dosimetric data are yet unavailable. According to the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, researchers are investigating the safety and efficacy of this radiotracer to meet Food and Drug Administration requirements. The aim of this study was to introduce the optimized procedure for 68 Ga-DOTATOC preparation, using a novel germanium-68 ( 68 Ge)/ 68 Ga generator in Iran and evaluate the absorbed doses in numerous organs with high accuracy. The optimized conditions for preparing the radiolabeled complex were determined via several experiments by changing the ligand concentration, pH, temperature and incubation time. Radiochemical purity of the complex was assessed, using high-performance liquid chromatography and instant thin-layer chromatography. The absorbed dose of human organs was evaluated, based on biodistribution studies on Syrian rats via Radiation Absorbed Dose Assessment Resource Method. 68 Ga-DOTATOC was prepared with radiochemical purity of >98% and specific activity of 39.6 MBq/nmol. The complex demonstrated great stability at room temperature and in human serum at 37°C at least two hours after preparation. Significant uptake was observed in somatostatin receptor-positive tissues such as pancreatic and adrenal tissues (12.83 %ID/g and 0.91 %ID/g, respectively). Dose estimations in human organs showed that the pancreas, kidneys and adrenal glands received the maximum absorbed doses (0.105, 0.074 and 0.010 mGy/MBq, respectively). Also, the effective absorbed dose was estimated at 0.026 mSv/MBq for 68 Ga-DOTATOC. The obtained results showed that 68 Ga-DOTATOC can be considered as an effective agent for clinical PET imaging in Iran.

  9. Preclinical Study of 68Ga-DOTATOC: Biodistribution Assessment in Syrian Rats and Evaluation of Absorbed Dose in Human Organs

    PubMed Central

    Naderi, Mojdeh; Zolghadri, Samaneh; Yousefnia, Hassan; Ramazani, Ali; Jalilian, Amir Reza

    2016-01-01

    Objective(s): Gallium-68 DOTA-DPhe1-Tyr3-Octreotide (68Ga-DOTATOC) has been applied by several European centers for the treatment of a variety of human malignancies. Nevertheless, definitive dosimetric data are yet unavailable. According to the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, researchers are investigating the safety and efficacy of this radiotracer to meet Food and Drug Administration requirements. The aim of this study was to introduce the optimized procedure for 68Ga-DOTATOC preparation, using a novel germanium-68 (68Ge)/68Ga generator in Iran and evaluate the absorbed doses in numerous organs with high accuracy. Methods: The optimized conditions for preparing the radiolabeled complex were determined via several experiments by changing the ligand concentration, pH, temperature and incubation time. Radiochemical purity of the complex was assessed, using high-performance liquid chromatography and instant thin-layer chromatography. The absorbed dose of human organs was evaluated, based on biodistribution studies on Syrian rats via Radiation Absorbed Dose Assessment Resource Method. Results: 68Ga-DOTATOC was prepared with radiochemical purity of >98% and specific activity of 39.6 MBq/nmol. The complex demonstrated great stability at room temperature and in human serum at 37°C at least two hours after preparation. Significant uptake was observed in somatostatin receptor-positive tissues such as pancreatic and adrenal tissues (12.83 %ID/g and 0.91 %ID/g, respectively). Dose estimations in human organs showed that the pancreas, kidneys and adrenal glands received the maximum absorbed doses (0.105, 0.074 and 0.010 mGy/MBq, respectively). Also, the effective absorbed dose was estimated at 0.026 mSv/MBq for 68Ga-DOTATOC. Conclusion: The obtained results showed that 68Ga-DOTATOC can be considered as an effective agent for clinical PET imaging in Iran. PMID:27904870

  10. Estimation of absorbed doses from paediatric cone-beam CT scans: MOSFET measurements and Monte Carlo simulations.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sangroh; Yoshizumi, Terry T; Toncheva, Greta; Frush, Donald P; Yin, Fang-Fang

    2010-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to establish a dose estimation tool with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. A 5-y-old paediatric anthropomorphic phantom was computed tomography (CT) scanned to create a voxelised phantom and used as an input for the abdominal cone-beam CT in a BEAMnrc/EGSnrc MC system. An X-ray tube model of the Varian On-Board Imager((R)) was built in the MC system. To validate the model, the absorbed doses at each organ location for standard-dose and low-dose modes were measured in the physical phantom with MOSFET detectors; effective doses were also calculated. In the results, the MC simulations were comparable to the MOSFET measurements. This voxelised phantom approach could produce a more accurate dose estimation than the stylised phantom method. This model can be easily applied to multi-detector CT dosimetry.

  11. On the suitability of ultrathin detectors for absorbed dose assessment in the presence of high-density heterogeneities.

    PubMed

    Bueno, M; Carrasco, P; Jornet, N; Muñoz-Montplet, C; Duch, M A

    2014-08-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of several detectors for the determination of absorbed dose in bone. Three types of ultrathin LiF-based thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs)-two LiF:Mg,Cu,P-based (MCP-Ns and TLD-2000F) and a (7)Li-enriched LiF:Mg,Ti-based (MTS-7s)-as well as EBT2 Gafchromic films were used to measure percentage depth-dose distributions (PDDs) in a water-equivalent phantom with a bone-equivalent heterogeneity for 6 and 18 MV and a set of field sizes ranging from 5 x 5 cm2 to 20 x 20 cm2. MCP-Ns, TLD-2000F, MTS-7s, and EBT2 have active layers of 50, 20, 50, and 30 μm, respectively. Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculations (PENELOPE code) were used as the reference and helped to understand the experimental results and to evaluate the potential perturbation of the fluence in bone caused by the presence of the detectors. The energy dependence and linearity of the TLDs' response was evaluated. TLDs exhibited flat energy responses (within 2.5%) and linearity with dose (within 1.1%) within the range of interest for the selected beams. The results revealed that all considered detectors perturb the electron fluence with respect to the energy inside the bone-equivalent material. MCP-Ns and MTS-7s underestimated the absorbed dose in bone by 4%-5%. EBT2 exhibited comparable accuracy to MTS-7s and MCP-Ns. TLD-2000F was able to determine the dose within 2% accuracy. No dependence on the beam energy or field size was observed. The MC calculations showed that a[Formula: see text] thick detector can provide reliable dose estimations in bone regardless of whether it is made of LiF, water or EBT's active layer material. TLD-2000F was found to be suitable for providing reliable absorbed dose measurements in the presence of bone for high-energy x-ray beams.

  12. An estimate by two methods of thyroid absorbed doses due to BRAVO fallout in several Northern Marshall Islands.

    PubMed

    Musolino, S V; Greenhouse, N A; Hull, A P

    1997-10-01

    Estimates of the thyroid absorbed doses due to fallout originating from the 1 March 1954 BRAVO thermonuclear test on Bikini Atoll have been made for several inhabited locations in the Northern Marshall Islands. Rongelap, Utirik, Rongerik and Ailinginae Atolls were also inhabited on 1 March 1954, where retrospective thyroid absorbed doses have previously been reconstructed. The current estimates are based primarily on external exposure data, which were recorded shortly after each nuclear test in the Castle Series, and secondarily on soil concentrations of 137Cs in samples collected in 1978 and 1988, along with aerial monitoring done in 1978. The external exposures and 137Cs soil concentrations were representative of the atmospheric transport and deposition patterns of the entire Castle Series tests and show that the BRAVO test was the major contributor to fallout exposure during the Castle series and other test series which were carried out in the Marshall Islands. These data have been used as surrogates for fission product radioiodines and telluriums in order to estimate the range of thyroid absorbed doses that may have occurred throughout the Marshall Islands. Dosimetry based on these two sets of estimates agreed within a factor of 4 at the locations where BRAVO was the dominant contributor to the total exposure and deposition. Both methods indicate that thyroid absorbed doses in the range of 1 Gy (100 rad) may have been incurred in some of the northern locations, whereas the doses at southern locations did not significantly exceed levels comparable to those from worldwide fallout. The results of these estimates indicate that a systematic medical survey for thyroid disease should be conducted, and that a more definitive dose reconstruction should be made for all the populated atolls and islands in the Northern Marshall Islands beyond Rongelap, Utirik, Rongerik and Ailinginae, which were significantly contaminated by BRAVO fallout.

  13. The estimation of absorbed dose rates for non-human biota : an extended inter-comparison.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Batlle, J. V. I.; Beaugelin-Seiller, K.; Beresford, N. A.

    An exercise to compare 10 approaches for the calculation of unweighted whole-body absorbed dose rates was conducted for 74 radionuclides and five of the ICRP's Reference Animals and Plants, or RAPs (duck, frog, flatfish egg, rat and elongated earthworm), selected for this exercise to cover a range of body sizes, dimensions and exposure scenarios. Results were analysed using a non-parametric method requiring no specific hypotheses about the statistical distribution of data. The obtained unweighted absorbed dose rates for internal exposure compare well between the different approaches, with 70% of the results falling within a range of variation of {+-}20%. Themore » variation is greater for external exposure, although 90% of the estimates are within an order of magnitude of one another. There are some discernible patterns where specific models over- or under-predicted. These are explained based on the methodological differences including number of daughter products included in the calculation of dose rate for a parent nuclide; source-target geometry; databases for discrete energy and yield of radionuclides; rounding errors in integration algorithms; and intrinsic differences in calculation methods. For certain radionuclides, these factors combine to generate systematic variations between approaches. Overall, the technique chosen to interpret the data enabled methodological differences in dosimetry calculations to be quantified and compared, allowing the identification of common issues between different approaches and providing greater assurance on the fundamental dose conversion coefficient approaches used in available models for assessing radiological effects to biota.« less

  14. A mathematical model for calculation of 90Sr absorbed dose in dental tissues: elaboration and comparison to EPR measurements.

    PubMed

    Shishkina, E A; Lyubashevskii, N M; Tolstykh, E I; Ignatiev, E A; Betenekova, T A; Nikiforov, S V

    2001-09-01

    A mathematical model for calculation of the 90Sr absorbed doses in dental tissues is presented. The results of the Monte-Carlo calculations are compared to the data obtained by EPR measurements of dental tissues. Radiometric measurements of the 90Sr concentrations. TLD and EPR dosimetry investigations were performed in animal (dog) study. The importance of the irregular 90Sr distribution in the dentine for absorbed dose formation has been shown. The dominant dose formation factors (main source-tissues) were identified for the crown dentine and enamel. The model has shown agreement with experimental data which allows to determine further directions of the human tooth model development.

  15. Absorbed dose calculations in a brachytherapy pelvic phantom using the Monte Carlo method

    PubMed Central

    Rodríguez, Miguel L.; deAlmeida, Carlos E.

    2002-01-01

    Monte Carlo calculations of the absorbed dose at various points of a brachytherapy anthropomorphic phantom are presented. The phantom walls and internal structures are made of polymethylmethacrylate and its external shape was taken from a female Alderson phantom. A complete Fletcher‐Green type applicator with the uterine tandem was fixed at the bottom of the phantom reproducing a typical geometrical configuration as that attained in a gynecological brachytherapy treatment. The dose rate produced by an array of five 137Cs CDC‐J type sources placed in the applicator colpostats and the uterine tandem was evaluated by Monte Carlo simulations using the code penelope at three points: point A, the rectum, and the bladder. The influence of the applicator in the dose rate was evaluated by comparing Monte Carlo simulations of the sources alone and the sources inserted in the applicator. Differences up to 56% in the dose may be observed for the two cases in the planes including the rectum and bladder. The results show a reduction of the dose of 15.6%, 14.0%, and 5.6% in the rectum, bladder, and point A respectively, when the applicator wall and shieldings are considered. PACS number(s): 87.53Jw, 87.53.Wz, 87.53.Vb, 87.66.Xa PMID:12383048

  16. Radiation Dose Optimization For Critical Organs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khodadadegan, Yasaman

    Ionizing radiation used in the patient diagnosis or therapy has negative effects on the patient body in short term and long term depending on the amount of exposure. More than 700,000 examinations are everyday performed on Interventional Radiology modalities, however; there is no patient-centric information available to the patient or the Quality Assurance for the amount of organ dose received. In this study, we are exploring the methodologies to systematically reduce the absorbed radiation dose in the Fluoroscopically Guided Interventional Radiology procedures. In the first part of this study, we developed a mathematical model which determines a set of geometry settings for the equipment and a level for the energy during a patient exam. The goal is to minimize the amount of absorbed dose in the critical organs while maintaining image quality required for the diagnosis. The model is a large-scale mixed integer program. We performed polyhedral analysis and derived several sets of strong inequalities to improve the computational speed and quality of the solution. Results present the amount of absorbed dose in the critical organ can be reduced up to 99% for a specific set of angles. In the second part, we apply an approximate gradient method to simultaneously optimize angle and table location while minimizing dose in the critical organs with respect to the image quality. In each iteration, we solve a sub-problem as a MIP to determine the radiation field size and corresponding X-ray tube energy. In the computational experiments, results show further reduction (up to 80%) of the absorbed dose in compare with previous method. Last, there are uncertainties in the medical procedures resulting imprecision of the absorbed dose. We propose a robust formulation to hedge from the worst case absorbed dose while ensuring feasibility. In this part, we investigate a robust approach for the organ motions within a radiology procedure. We minimize the absorbed dose for the critical

  17. Evaluation and comparison of absorbed dose for electron beams by LiF and diamond dosimeters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mosia, G. J.; Chamberlain, A. C.

    2007-09-01

    The absorbed dose response of LiF and diamond thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), calibrated in 60Co γ-rays, has been determined using the MCNP4B Monte Carlo code system in mono-energetic megavoltage electron beams from 5 to 20 MeV. Evaluation of the dose responses was done against the dose responses of published works by other investigators. Dose responses of both dosimeters were compared to establish if any relation exists between them. The dosimeters were irradiated in a water phantom with the centre of their top surfaces (0.32×0.32 cm 2), placed at dmax perpendicular to the radiation beam on the central axis. For LiF TLD, dose responses ranged from 0.945±0.017 to 0.997±0.011. For the diamond TLD, the dose response ranged from 0.940±0.017 to 1.018±0.011. To correct for dose responses by both dosimeters, energy correction factors were generated from dose response results of both TLDs. For LiF TLD, these correction factors ranged from 1.003 up to 1.058 and for diamond TLD the factors ranged from 0.982 up to 1.064. The results show that diamond TLDs can be used in the place of the well-established LiF TLDs and that Monte Carlo code systems can be used in dose determinations for radiotherapy treatment planning.

  18. Absorbed dose rates in tissue from prompt gamma emissions from near-thermal neutron absorption

    DOE PAGES

    Schwahn, Scott O.

    2015-10-01

    Prompt gamma emission data from the International Atomic Energy Agency s Prompt Gamma-ray Neutron Activation Analysis database are analyzed to determine the absorbed dose rates in tissue to be expected when natural elements are exposed in a near-thermal neutron environment.

  19. Response functions for computing absorbed dose to skeletal tissues from photon irradiation—an update

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, Perry B.; Bahadori, Amir A.; Eckerman, Keith F.; Lee, Choonsik; Bolch, Wesley E.

    2011-04-01

    A comprehensive set of photon fluence-to-dose response functions (DRFs) is presented for two radiosensitive skeletal tissues—active and total shallow marrow—within 15 and 32 bone sites, respectively, of the ICRP reference adult male. The functions were developed using fractional skeletal masses and associated electron-absorbed fractions as reported for the UF hybrid adult male phantom, which in turn is based upon micro-CT images of trabecular spongiosa taken from a 40 year male cadaver. The new DRFs expand upon both the original set of seven functions produced in 1985, and a 2007 update calculated under the assumption of secondary electron escape from spongiosa. In this study, it is assumed that photon irradiation of the skeleton will yield charged particle equilibrium across all spongiosa regions at energies exceeding 200 keV. Kerma coefficients for active marrow, inactive marrow, trabecular bone and spongiosa at higher energies are calculated using the DRF algorithm setting the electron-absorbed fraction for self-irradiation to unity. By comparing kerma coefficients and DRF functions, dose enhancement factors and mass energy-absorption coefficient (MEAC) ratios for active marrow to spongiosa were derived. These MEAC ratios compared well with those provided by the NIST Physical Reference Data Library (mean difference of 0.8%), and the dose enhancement factors for active marrow compared favorably with values calculated in the well-known study published by King and Spiers (1985 Br. J. Radiol. 58 345-56) (mean absolute difference of 1.9 percentage points). Additionally, dose enhancement factors for active marrow were shown to correlate well with the shallow marrow volume fraction (R2 = 0.91). Dose enhancement factors for the total shallow marrow were also calculated for 32 bone sites representing the first such derivation for this target tissue.

  20. Response functions for computing absorbed dose to skeletal tissues from photon irradiation--an update.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Perry B; Bahadori, Amir A; Eckerman, Keith F; Lee, Choonsik; Bolch, Wesley E

    2011-04-21

    A comprehensive set of photon fluence-to-dose response functions (DRFs) is presented for two radiosensitive skeletal tissues-active and total shallow marrow-within 15 and 32 bone sites, respectively, of the ICRP reference adult male. The functions were developed using fractional skeletal masses and associated electron-absorbed fractions as reported for the UF hybrid adult male phantom, which in turn is based upon micro-CT images of trabecular spongiosa taken from a 40 year male cadaver. The new DRFs expand upon both the original set of seven functions produced in 1985, and a 2007 update calculated under the assumption of secondary electron escape from spongiosa. In this study, it is assumed that photon irradiation of the skeleton will yield charged particle equilibrium across all spongiosa regions at energies exceeding 200 keV. Kerma coefficients for active marrow, inactive marrow, trabecular bone and spongiosa at higher energies are calculated using the DRF algorithm setting the electron-absorbed fraction for self-irradiation to unity. By comparing kerma coefficients and DRF functions, dose enhancement factors and mass energy-absorption coefficient (MEAC) ratios for active marrow to spongiosa were derived. These MEAC ratios compared well with those provided by the NIST Physical Reference Data Library (mean difference of 0.8%), and the dose enhancement factors for active marrow compared favorably with values calculated in the well-known study published by King and Spiers (1985 Br. J. Radiol. 58 345-56) (mean absolute difference of 1.9 percentage points). Additionally, dose enhancement factors for active marrow were shown to correlate well with the shallow marrow volume fraction (R(2) = 0.91). Dose enhancement factors for the total shallow marrow were also calculated for 32 bone sites representing the first such derivation for this target tissue.

  1. SU-E-CAMPUS-I-06: Y90 PET/CT for the Instantaneous Determination of Both Target and Non-Target Absorbed Doses Following Hepatic Radioembolization

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pasciak, A; Kao, J

    2014-06-15

    Purpose The process of converting Yttrium-90 (Y90) PET/CT images into 3D absorbed dose maps will be explained. The simple methods presented will allow the medical physicst to analyze Y90 PET images following radioembolization and determine the absorbed dose to tumor, normal liver parenchyma and other areas of interest, without application of Monte-Carlo radiation transport or dose-point-kernel (DPK) convolution. Methods Absorbed dose can be computed from Y90 PET/CT images based on the premise that radioembolization is a permanent implant with a constant relative activity distribution after infusion. Many Y90 PET/CT publications have used DPK convolution to obtain 3D absorbed dose maps.more » However, this method requires specialized software limiting clinical utility. The Local Deposition method, an alternative to DPK convolution, can be used to obtain absorbed dose and requires no additional computer processing. Pixel values from regions of interest drawn on Y90 PET/CT images can be converted to absorbed dose (Gy) by multiplication with a scalar constant. Results There is evidence that suggests the Local Deposition method may actually be more accurate than DPK convolution and it has been successfully used in a recent Y90 PET/CT publication. We have analytically compared dose-volume-histograms (DVH) for phantom hot-spheres to determine the difference between the DPK and Local Deposition methods, as a function of PET scanner point-spread-function for Y90. We have found that for PET/CT systems with a FWHM greater than 3.0 mm when imaging Y90, the Local Deposition Method provides a more accurate representation of DVH, regardless of target size than DPK convolution. Conclusion Using the Local Deposition Method, post-radioembolization Y90 PET/CT images can be transformed into 3D absorbed dose maps of the liver. An interventional radiologist or a Medical Physicist can perform this transformation in a clinical setting, allowing for rapid prediction of treatment efficacy

  2. Extravasation of radiopharmaceuticals - a study of its frequency and estimation of absorbed doses in diagnosis and therapy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Strand, S.E.; Grafstroem, G.; Kontestabile, E.

    In all injection procedures exists a risk for extravasation. For radiopharmaceuticals, the absorbed dose at the injection site can be high because of high activity concentrations. In radionuclide therapy (RNT), this can cause deterministic effects such as tissue necrosis. To estimate the risk for extravasation, we studied various injection techniques at two nuclear medicine clinics. The frequency and magnitude of extravasations was studied in randomly selected patients. Clinic A used peripheral venous cathethers (PVC), and clinic B used direct injections with injection needles (IN). At clinic A 203 patients were investigated and at clinic B 90. All of these patientsmore » were injected with either 99mTc-DTPA, 99mTc-MAA, 99mTc-MDP or pertechnetate. Both arms were imaged with a scintillation camera as soon as possible after the injection. In the case of an extravasation, the retention time at the injection site was determined with multiple imaging, together with volume estimates. The results for PVC injected patients showed one complete extravasation. We also found that in 8% of these patients the remaining activity at the injection site was up to 2%. For the IN injected patients there was none with complete extravasation. However, in 33% of these patients the remaining activity was up to 18%. The locally absorbed doses in these diagnostically investigated patients were estimated with the MIRD formalism to be up to 0.1 Sv (10 rem). Transforming these results to the RNT, the absorbed doses can be up to 1000 times higher. In addition to the calculated absorbed doses, radionuclides localizing to the cell nucleus could enhance the effects.« less

  3. Relative Efficiency of TLD-100 to Linear Energy Transfer Radiation: Correction to Astronaut Absorbed Dose

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Badhwar, Gautam D.; Cash, B. L.; Semones, E. J.; Yasuda, H.; Fujitaka, K.

    1999-01-01

    Response of thermoluminescent detectors (TLD-100) to high linear energy transfer (LET) particles has been studied using helium, carbon, silicon, and iron ions from the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator at Chiba (Japan), iron ions from the Brookhaven National Laboratory (NY) Alternate Gradient Synchrotron, and 53, 134, 185, and 232 MeV protons from the Loma Linda accelerator. Using the measured relative (to (137)Cs dose efficiency, and measured LET spectra from a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) on 20 Space Shuttle flights, and 7 Mir flights, the underestimation of absorbed dose by these detectors has been evaluated. The dose underestimation is between 15-20% depending upon the flight inclination and shielding location. This has been confirmed by direct correlation of measured dose by TEPC and TLD-100 at a low shielded location in the Shuttle mid-deck. A comparison of efficiency- LET data with a compilation of similar data from TLD-700, shows that shapes of the two curves are nearly identical, but that the TLD-100 curve is systematically lower by about 13%, and is the major cause of dose underestimation. These results strongly suggest that TLDs used for crew dose estimation be regularly calibrated using heavy ions.

  4. Red Marrow-Absorbed Dose for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients Treated with 177Lu-Lilotomab Satetraxetan, a Novel Anti-CD37 Antibody-Radionuclide Conjugate.

    PubMed

    Blakkisrud, Johan; Løndalen, Ayca; Dahle, Jostein; Turner, Simon; Holte, Harald; Kolstad, Arne; Stokke, Caroline

    2017-01-01

    Red marrow (RM) is often the primary organ at risk in radioimmunotherapy; irradiation of marrow may induce short- and long-term hematologic toxicity. 177 Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan is a novel anti-CD37 antibody-radionuclide conjugate currently in phase 1/2a. Two predosing regimens have been investigated, one with 40 mg of unlabeled lilotomab antibody (arm 1) and one without (arm 2). The aim of this work was to compare RM-absorbed doses for the two arms and to correlate absorbed doses with hematologic toxicity. Eight patients with relapsed CD37+ indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma were included for RM dosimetry. Hybrid SPECT and CT images were used to estimate the activity concentration in the RM of L2-L4. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated after measurement of the 177 Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan concentration in blood samples. Adverse events were graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. The mean absorbed doses to RM were 0.9 mGy/MBq for arm 1 (lilotomab+) and 1.5 mGy/MBq for arm 2 (lilotomab-). There was a statistically significant difference between arms 1 and 2 (Student t test, P = 0.02). Total RM-absorbed doses ranged from 67 to 127 cGy in arm 1 and from 158 to 207 cGy in arm 2. For blood, the area under the curve was higher with lilotomab predosing than without (P = 0.001), whereas the volume of distribution and the clearance of 177 Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan was significantly lower (P = 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). Patients with grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia had received significantly higher radiation doses to RM than patients with grade 1/2 thrombocytopenia (P = 0.02). A surrogate, non-imaging-based, method underestimated the RM dose and did not show any correlation with toxicity. Predosing with lilotomab reduces the RM-absorbed dose for 177 Lu-lilotomab satetraxetan patients. The decrease in RM dose could be explained by the lower volume of distribution. Hematologic toxicity was more severe for patients

  5. Fraction of a dose absorbed estimation for structurally diverse low solubility compounds.

    PubMed

    Sugano, Kiyohiko

    2011-02-28

    The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prediction accuracy of the fully mechanistic gastrointestinal unified theoretical (GUT) framework for in vivo oral absorption of low solubility drugs. Solubility in biorelevant media, molecular weight, logP(oct), pK(a), Caco-2 permeability, dose and particle size were used as the input parameters. To neglect the effect of the low stomach pH on dissolution of a drug, the fraction of a dose absorbed (Fa%) of undissociable and free acids were used. In addition, Fa% of free base drugs with the high pH stomach was also included to increase the number of model drugs. In total twenty nine structurally diverse compounds were used as the model drugs. Fa% data at several doses and particle sizes in humans and dogs were collated from the literature (total 110 Fa% data). In approximately 80% cases, the prediction error was within 2 fold, suggesting that the GUT framework has practical predictability for drug discovery, but not for drug development. The GUT framework appropriately captured the dose and particle size dependency of Fa% as the particle drifting effect was taken into account. It should be noted that the present validation results cannot be applied for salt form cases and other special formulations such as solid dispersions and emulsion formulations. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Collision-kerma conversion between dose-to-tissue and dose-to-water by photon energy-fluence corrections in low-energy brachytherapy.

    PubMed

    Giménez-Alventosa, Vicent; Antunes, Paula C G; Vijande, Javier; Ballester, Facundo; Pérez-Calatayud, José; Andreo, Pedro

    2017-01-07

    The AAPM TG-43 brachytherapy dosimetry formalism, introduced in 1995, has become a standard for brachytherapy dosimetry worldwide; it implicitly assumes that charged-particle equilibrium (CPE) exists for the determination of absorbed dose to water at different locations, except in the vicinity of the source capsule. Subsequent dosimetry developments, based on Monte Carlo calculations or analytical solutions of transport equations, do not rely on the CPE assumption and determine directly the dose to different tissues. At the time of relating dose to tissue and dose to water, or vice versa, it is usually assumed that the photon fluence in water and in tissues are practically identical, so that the absorbed dose in the two media can be related by their ratio of mass energy-absorption coefficients. In this work, an efficient way to correlate absorbed dose to water and absorbed dose to tissue in brachytherapy calculations at clinically relevant distances for low-energy photon emitting seeds is proposed. A correction is introduced that is based on the ratio of the water-to-tissue photon energy-fluences. State-of-the art Monte Carlo calculations are used to score photon fluence differential in energy in water and in various human tissues (muscle, adipose and bone), which in all cases include a realistic modelling of low-energy brachytherapy sources in order to benchmark the formalism proposed. The energy-fluence based corrections given in this work are able to correlate absorbed dose to tissue and absorbed dose to water with an accuracy better than 0.5% in the most critical cases (e.g. bone tissue).

  7. Collision-kerma conversion between dose-to-tissue and dose-to-water by photon energy-fluence corrections in low-energy brachytherapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Giménez-Alventosa, Vicent; Antunes, Paula C. G.; Vijande, Javier; Ballester, Facundo; Pérez-Calatayud, José; Andreo, Pedro

    2017-01-01

    The AAPM TG-43 brachytherapy dosimetry formalism, introduced in 1995, has become a standard for brachytherapy dosimetry worldwide; it implicitly assumes that charged-particle equilibrium (CPE) exists for the determination of absorbed dose to water at different locations, except in the vicinity of the source capsule. Subsequent dosimetry developments, based on Monte Carlo calculations or analytical solutions of transport equations, do not rely on the CPE assumption and determine directly the dose to different tissues. At the time of relating dose to tissue and dose to water, or vice versa, it is usually assumed that the photon fluence in water and in tissues are practically identical, so that the absorbed dose in the two media can be related by their ratio of mass energy-absorption coefficients. In this work, an efficient way to correlate absorbed dose to water and absorbed dose to tissue in brachytherapy calculations at clinically relevant distances for low-energy photon emitting seeds is proposed. A correction is introduced that is based on the ratio of the water-to-tissue photon energy-fluences. State-of-the art Monte Carlo calculations are used to score photon fluence differential in energy in water and in various human tissues (muscle, adipose and bone), which in all cases include a realistic modelling of low-energy brachytherapy sources in order to benchmark the formalism proposed. The energy-fluence based corrections given in this work are able to correlate absorbed dose to tissue and absorbed dose to water with an accuracy better than 0.5% in the most critical cases (e.g. bone tissue).

  8. Radon Exposure and the Definition of Low Doses-The Problem of Spatial Dose Distribution.

    PubMed

    Madas, Balázs G

    2016-07-01

    Investigating the health effects of low doses of ionizing radiation is considered to be one of the most important fields in radiological protection research. Although the definition of low dose given by a dose range seems to be clear, it leaves some open questions. For example, the time frame and the target volume in which absorbed dose is measured have to be defined. While dose rate is considered in the current system of radiological protection, the same cancer risk is associated with all exposures, resulting in a given amount of energy absorbed by a single target cell or distributed among all the target cells of a given organ. However, the biological effects and so the health consequences of these extreme exposure scenarios are unlikely to be the same. Due to the heterogeneous deposition of radon progeny within the lungs, heterogeneous radiation exposure becomes a practical issue in radiological protection. While the macroscopic dose is still within the low dose range, local tissue doses on the order of Grays can be reached in the most exposed parts of the bronchial airways. It can be concluded that progress in low dose research needs not only low dose but also high dose experiments where small parts of a biological sample receive doses on the order of Grays, while the average dose over the whole sample remains low. A narrow interpretation of low dose research might exclude investigations with high relevance to radiological protection. Therefore, studies important to radiological protection should be performed in the frame of low dose research even if the applied doses do not fit in the dose range used for the definition of low doses.

  9. RESPONSE FUNCTIONS FOR COMPUTING ABSORBED DOSE TO SKELETAL TISSUES FROM PHOTON IRRADIATION – AN UPDATE

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, Perry; Bahadori, Amir; Eckerman, Keith; Lee, Choonsik; Bolch, Wesley E.

    2014-01-01

    A comprehensive set of photon fluence-to-dose response functions (DRFs) are presented for two radiosensitive skeletal tissues – active and total shallow marrow – within 15 and 32 bones sites, respectively, of the ICRP reference adult male. The functions were developed using fractional skeletal masses and associated electron absorbed fractions as reported for the UF hybrid adult male phantom, which in turn is based upon microCT images of trabecular spongiosa taken from a 40-year male cadaver. The new DRFs expand upon both the original set of seven functions produced in 1985, as well as a 2007 update calculated under the assumption of secondary electron escape from spongiosa. In the present study, it is assumed that photon irradiation of the skeleton will yield charged particle equilibrium across all spongiosa regions at energies exceeding 200 keV. Kerma factors for active marrow, inactive marrow, trabecular bone, and spongiosa at higher energies are calculated using the DRF algorithm setting the electron absorbed fraction for self-irradiation to unity. By comparing kerma factors and DRF functions, dose enhancement factors and mass energy-absorption coefficient (MEAC) ratios for active marrow to spongiosa were derived. These MEAC ratios compared well with those provided by the NIST Physical Reference Data Library (mean difference of 0.8%), and the dose enhancement factors for active marrow compared favorably with values calculated in the well-known study published by King and Spiers (1985) (mean absolute difference of 1.9 percentage points). Additionally, dose enhancement factors for active marrow were shown to correlate well with the shallow marrow volume fraction (R2 = 0.91). Dose enhancement factors for the total shallow marrow were also calculated for 32 bone sites PMID:21427484

  10. Radiation dosimetry in cell biology: comparison of calculated and measured absorbed dose for a range of culture vessels and clinical beam qualities.

    PubMed

    Claridge Mackonis, Elizabeth; Hammond, Lauren; Esteves, Ana I S; Suchowerska, Natalka

    2018-02-01

    Cell culture studies are frequently used to evaluate the effects of cancer treatments such as radiotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, nanoparticle enhancement, and to determine any synergies between the treatments. To achieve valid results, the absorbed dose of each therapy needs to be well known and controlled. In this study, we aim to determine the uncertainty associated with radiation exposure in different experimental conditions. We have performed an in-depth evaluation of the absorbed dose and dose distribution that would be delivered to a cell sample when cultivated in a number of the more popular designs of culture vessels. We focus on exposure to two beam types: a kilovoltage x-ray beam and a megavoltage photon beam, both of which are routinely used to treat cancer patients in the clinical environment. Our results identify large variations of up to 16% in the absorbed dose across multi-well culture plates, which if ignored in radiobiological experiments, have the potential to lead to erroneous conclusions.

  11. Dual-energy computed tomography of the head: a phantom study assessing axial dose distribution, eye lens dose, and image noise level

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matsubara, Kosuke; Kawashima, Hiroki; Hamaguchi, Takashi; Takata, Tadanori; Kobayashi, Masanao; Ichikawa, Katsuhiro; Koshida, Kichiro

    2016-03-01

    The aim of this study was to propose a calibration method for small dosimeters to measure absorbed doses during dual- source dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) and to compare the axial dose distribution, eye lens dose, and image noise level between DE and standard, single-energy (SE) head CT angiography. Three DE (100/Sn140 kVp 80/Sn140 kVp, and 140/80 kVp) and one SE (120 kVp) acquisitions were performed using a second-generation dual-source CT device and a female head phantom, with an equivalent volumetric CT dose index. The axial absorbed dose distribution at the orbital level and the absorbed doses for the eye lens were measured using radiophotoluminescent glass dosimeters. CT attenuation numbers were obtained in the DE composite images and the SE images of the phantom at the orbital level. The doses absorbed at the orbital level and in the eye lens were lower and standard deviations for the CT attenuation numbers were slightly higher in the DE acquisitions than those in the SE acquisition. The anterior surface dose was especially higher in the SE acquisition than that in the DE acquisitions. Thus, DE head CT angiography can be performed with a radiation dose lower than that required for a standard SE head CT angiography, with a slight increase in the image noise level. The 100/Sn140 kVp acquisition revealed the most balanced axial dose distribution. In addition, our proposed method was effective for calibrating small dosimeters to measure absorbed doses in DECT.

  12. The effect of systematic set-up deviations on the absorbed dose distribution for left-sided breast cancer treated with respiratory gating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edvardsson, A.; Ceberg, S.

    2013-06-01

    The aim of this study was 1) to investigate interfraction set-up uncertainties for patients treated with respiratory gating for left-sided breast cancer, 2) to investigate the effect of the inter-fraction set-up on the absorbed dose-distribution for the target and organs at risk (OARs) and 3) optimize the set-up correction strategy. By acquiring multiple set-up images the systematic set-up deviation was evaluated. The effect of the systematic set-up deviation on the absorbed dose distribution was evaluated by 1) simulation in the treatment planning system and 2) measurements with a biplanar diode array. The set-up deviations could be decreased using a no action level correction strategy. Not using the clinically implemented adaptive maximum likelihood factor for the gating patients resulted in better set-up. When the uncorrected set-up deviations were simulated the average mean absorbed dose was increased from 1.38 to 2.21 Gy for the heart, 4.17 to 8.86 Gy to the left anterior descending coronary artery and 5.80 to 7.64 Gy to the left lung. Respiratory gating can induce systematic set-up deviations which would result in increased mean absorbed dose to the OARs if not corrected for and should therefore be corrected for by an appropriate correction strategy.

  13. Relative Efficiency of TLD-100 to High Linear Energy Transfer Radiation: Correction to Astronaut Absorbed Dose

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Badhwar, G. D.; Cash, B. L.; Semones, E. J.; Yasuda, H.; Fujitaka, K.

    1999-01-01

    Response of thermoluminescent detectors (TLD-100) to high linear energy transfer (LET) particles has been studied using helium, carbon, silicon, and iron ions from the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator at Chiba (Japan), iron ions from the Brookhaven National Laboratory (NY) Alternate Gradient Synchrotron, and 53, 134, 185, and 232 MeV protons from the Loma Linda accelerator. Using the measured relative (to 137Cs) dose efficiency, and measured LET spectra from a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) on 20 Space Shuttle flights, and 7 Mir flights, the underestimation of absorbed dose by these detectors has been evaluated. The dose underestimation is between 15-20% depending upon the flight inclination and shielding location. This has been confirmed by direct correlation of measured dose by TEPC and TLD-100 at a low shielded location in the Shuttle mid-deck. A comparison of efficiency- LET data with a compilation of similar data from TLD-700, shows that shapes of the two curves are nearly identical, but that the TLD-100 curve is systematically lower by about 13%, and is the major cause of dose underestimation. These results strongly suggest that TLDs used for crew dose estimation be regularly calibrated using heavy ions.

  14. Prediction of Normal Organ Absorbed Doses for [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 Using [44Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 Pharmacokinetics in Patients With Metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Khawar, Ambreen; Eppard, Elisabeth; Sinnes, Jean Phlippe; Roesch, Frank; Ahmadzadehfar, Hojjat; Kürpig, Stefan; Meisenheimer, Michael; Gaertner, Florian C; Essler, Markus; Bundschuh, Ralph A

    2018-04-23

    In vivo pharmacokinetic analysis of [Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 was used to determine the normal organ-absorbed doses that may result from therapeutic activity of [Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 and to predict the maximum permissible activity of [Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate carcinoma. Pharmacokinetics of [Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 was evaluated in 5 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate carcinoma using dynamic PET/CT, followed by 3 static PET/CT acquisitions and blood sample collection over 19.5 hours, as well as urine sample collection at 2 time points. Total activity measured in source organs by PET imaging, as well as counts per milliliter measured in blood and urine samples, was decay corrected back to the time of injection using the half-life of Sc. Afterward, forward decay correction using the half-life of Lu was performed, extrapolating the pharmacokinetics of [Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 to that of [Lu]Lu-PSMA-617. Source organs residence times and organ-absorbed doses for [Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 were calculated using OLINDA/EXM software. Bone marrow self-dose was determined with indirect blood-based method, and urinary bladder contents residence time was estimated by trapezoidal approximation. The maximum permissible activity of [Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 was calculated for each patient considering external beam radiotherapy toxicity limits for radiation absorbed doses to kidneys, bone marrow, salivary glands, and whole body. The predicted mean organ-absorbed doses were highest in the kidneys (0.44 mSv/MBq), followed by the salivary glands (0.23 mSv/MBq). The maximum permissible activity was highly variable among patients; limited by whole body-absorbed dose (1 patient), marrow-absorbed dose (1 patient), and kidney-absorbed dose (3 patients). [Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 PET/CT imaging is feasible and allows theoretical extrapolation of the pharmacokinetics of [Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 to that of [Lu]Lu-PSMA-617, with the intent of predicting normal organ-absorbed doses and maximum

  15. Primary DNA damage assessed with the comet assay and comparison to the absorbed dose of diagnostic X-rays in children.

    PubMed

    Milkovic, Durdica; Garaj-Vrhovac, Vera; Ranogajec-Komor, Mária; Miljanic, Saveta; Gajski, Goran; Knezevic, Zeljka; Beck, Natko

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this work is to assess DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes of children prior to and following airway X-ray examinations of the chest using the alkaline comet assay and to compare data with the measured absorbed dose. Twenty children with pulmonary diseases, between the ages of 5 and 14 years, are assessed. Absorbed dose measurements are conducted for posterior-anterior projection on the forehead, thyroid gland, gonads, chest, and back. Doses are measured using thermoluminescent and radiophotoluminescent dosimetry systems. Differences between tail lengths, tail intensity, and tail moments as well as for the long-tailed nuclei before and after exposures are statistically significant and are dependent on the individual. The results demonstrate the usefulness of the comet assay as a measure of X-ray damage to lymphocytes in a clinical setting. Doses measured with both dosimeters show satisfactory agreement (0.01 mSv) and are suitable for dosimetric measurements in X-ray diagnostics.

  16. Determination of absorbed dose to water from a miniature kilovoltage x-ray source using a parallel-plate ionization chamber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watson, Peter G. F.; Popovic, Marija; Seuntjens, Jan

    2018-01-01

    Electronic brachytherapy sources are widely accepted as alternatives to radionuclide-based systems. Yet, formal dosimetry standards for these devices to independently complement the dose protocol provided by the manufacturer are lacking. This article presents a formalism for calculating and independently verifying the absorbed dose to water from a kV x-ray source (The INTRABEAM System) measured in a water phantom with an ionization chamber calibrated in terms of air-kerma. This formalism uses a Monte Carlo (MC) calculated chamber conversion factor, CQ , to convert air-kerma in a reference beam to absorbed dose to water in the measurement beam. In this work CQ was determined for a PTW 34013 parallel-plate ionization chamber. Our results show that CQ was sensitive to the chamber plate separation tolerance, with differences of up to 15%. CQ was also found to have a depth dependence which varied with chamber plate separation (0 to 10% variation for the smallest and largest cavity height, over 3 to 30 mm depth). However for all chamber dimensions investigated, CQ was found to be significantly larger than the manufacturer reported value, suggesting that the manufacturer recommended method of dose calculation could be underestimating the dose to water.

  17. Prediction of Therapy Tumor-Absorbed Dose Estimates in I-131 Radioimmunotherapy Using Tracer Data Via a Mixed-Model Fit to Time Activity

    PubMed Central

    Koral, Kenneth F.; Avram, Anca M.; Kaminski, Mark S.; Dewaraja, Yuni K.

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Background For individualized treatment planning in radioimmunotherapy (RIT), correlations must be established between tracer-predicted and therapy-delivered absorbed doses. The focus of this work was to investigate this correlation for tumors. Methods The study analyzed 57 tumors in 19 follicular lymphoma patients treated with I-131 tositumomab and imaged with SPECT/CT multiple times after tracer and therapy administrations. Instead of the typical least-squares fit to a single tumor's measured time-activity data, estimation was accomplished via a biexponential mixed model in which the curves from multiple subjects were jointly estimated. The tumor-absorbed dose estimates were determined by patient-specific Monte Carlo calculation. Results The mixed model gave realistic tumor time-activity fits that showed the expected uptake and clearance phases even with noisy data or missing time points. Correlation between tracer and therapy tumor-residence times (r=0.98; p<0.0001) and correlation between tracer-predicted and therapy-delivered mean tumor-absorbed doses (r=0.86; p<0.0001) were very high. The predicted and delivered absorbed doses were within±25% (or within±75 cGy) for 80% of tumors. Conclusions The mixed-model approach is feasible for fitting tumor time-activity data in RIT treatment planning when individual least-squares fitting is not possible due to inadequate sampling points. The good correlation between predicted and delivered tumor doses demonstrates the potential of using a pretherapy tracer study for tumor dosimetry-based treatment planning in RIT. PMID:22947086

  18. Angular distributions of absorbed dose of Bremsstrahlung and secondary electrons induced by 18-, 28- and 38-MeV electron beams in thick targets.

    PubMed

    Takada, Masashi; Kosako, Kazuaki; Oishi, Koji; Nakamura, Takashi; Sato, Kouichi; Kamiyama, Takashi; Kiyanagi, Yoshiaki

    2013-03-01

    Angular distributions of absorbed dose of Bremsstrahlung photons and secondary electrons at a wide range of emission angles from 0 to 135°, were experimentally obtained using an ion chamber with a 0.6 cm(3) air volume covered with or without a build-up cap. The Bremsstrahlung photons and electrons were produced by 18-, 28- and 38-MeV electron beams bombarding tungsten, copper, aluminium and carbon targets. The absorbed doses were also calculated from simulated photon and electron energy spectra by multiplying simulated response functions of the ion chambers, simulated with the MCNPX code. Calculated-to-experimental (C/E) dose ratios obtained are from 0.70 to 1.57 for high-Z targets of W and Cu, from 15 to 135° and the C/E range from 0.6 to 1.4 at 0°; however, the values of C/E for low-Z targets of Al and C are from 0.5 to 1.8 from 0 to 135°. Angular distributions at the forward angles decrease with increasing angles; on the other hand, the angular distributions at the backward angles depend on the target species. The dependences of absorbed doses on electron energy and target thickness were compared between the measured and simulated results. The attenuation profiles of absorbed doses of Bremsstrahlung beams at 0, 30 and 135° were also measured.

  19. Absorbed dose to water based dosimetry versus air kerma based dosimetry for high-energy photon beams: an experimental study.

    PubMed

    Palmans, Hugo; Nafaa, Laila; De, Jans Jo; Gillis, Sofie; Hoornaert, Marie-Thérèse; Martens, Chantal; Piessens, Marleen; Thierens, Hubert; Van der Plaetsen, Ann; Vynckier, Stefaan

    2002-02-07

    In recent years, a change has been proposed from air kerma based reference dosimetry to absorbed dose based reference dosimetry for all radiotherapy beams of ionizing radiation. In this paper, a dosimetry study is presented in which absorbed dose based dosimetry using recently developed formalisms was compared with air kerma based dosimetry using older formalisms. Three ionization chambers of each of three different types were calibrated in terms of absorbed dose to water and air kerma and sent to five hospitals. There, reference dosimetry with all the chambers was performed in a total of eight high-energy clinical photon beams. The selected chamber types were the NE2571, the PTW-30004 and the Wellhöfer-FC65G (previously Wellhöfer-IC70). Having a graphite wall, they exhibit a stable volume and the presence of an aluminium electrode ensures the robustness of these chambers. The data were analysed with the most important recommendations for clinical dosimetry: IAEA TRS-398, AAPM TG-51, IAEA TRS-277, NCS report-2 (presently recommended in Belgium) and AAPM TG-21. The necessary conversion factors were taken from those protocols, or calculated using the data in the different protocols if data for a chamber type are lacking. Polarity corrections were within 0.1% for all chambers in all beams. Recombination corrections were consistent with theoretical predictions, did not vary within a chamber type and only slightly between different chamber types. The maximum chamber-to-chamber variations of the dose obtained with the different formalisms within the same chamber type were between 0.2% and 0.6% for the NE2571, between 0.2% and 0.6% for the PTW-30004 and 0.1% and 0.3% for the Wellhöfer-FC65G for the different beams. The absorbed dose results for the NE2571 and Wellhöfer-FC65G chambers were in good agreement for all beams and all formalisms. The PTW-30004 chambers gave a small but systematically higher result compared to the result for the NE2571 chambers (on the

  20. Relative Importance of Hip and Sacral Pain Among Long-Term Gynecological Cancer Survivors Treated With Pelvic Radiotherapy and Their Relationships to Mean Absorbed Doses

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Waldenstroem, Ann-Charlotte, E-mail: ann-charlotte.waldenstrom@oncology.gu.se; Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg; Olsson, Caroline

    Purpose: To investigate the relative importance of patient-reported hip and sacral pain after pelvic radiotherapy (RT) for gynecological cancer and its relationship to the absorbed doses in these organs. Methods and Materials: We used data from a population-based study that included 650 long-term gynecological cancer survivors treated with pelvic RT in the Gothenburg and Stockholm areas in Sweden with a median follow-up of 6 years (range, 2-15) and 344 population controls. Symptoms were assessed through a study-specific postal questionnaire. We also analyzed the hip and sacral dose-volume histogram data for 358 of the survivors. Results: Of the survivors, one inmore » three reported having or having had hip pain after completing RT. Daily pain when walking was four times as common among the survivors compared to controls. Symptoms increased in frequency with a mean absorbed dose >37.5 Gy. Also, two in five survivors reported pain in the sacrum. Sacral pain also affected their walking ability and tended to increase with a mean absorbed dose >42.5 Gy. Conclusions: Long-term survivors of gynecological cancer treated with pelvic RT experience hip and sacral pain when walking. The mean absorbed dose was significantly related to hip pain and was borderline significantly related to sacral pain. Keeping the total mean absorbed hip dose below 37.5 Gy during treatment might lower the occurrence of long-lasting pain. In relation to the controls, the survivors had a lower occurrence of pain and pain-related symptoms from the hips and sacrum compared with what has previously been reported for the pubic bone.« less

  1. Absorbed dose evaluation of Auger electron-emitting radionuclides: impact of input decay spectra on dose point kernels and S-values

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Falzone, Nadia; Lee, Boon Q.; Fernández-Varea, José M.; Kartsonaki, Christiana; Stuchbery, Andrew E.; Kibédi, Tibor; Vallis, Katherine A.

    2017-03-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of decay data provided by the newly developed stochastic atomic relaxation model BrIccEmis on dose point kernels (DPKs - radial dose distribution around a unit point source) and S-values (absorbed dose per unit cumulated activity) of 14 Auger electron (AE) emitting radionuclides, namely 67Ga, 80mBr, 89Zr, 90Nb, 99mTc, 111In, 117mSn, 119Sb, 123I, 124I, 125I, 135La, 195mPt and 201Tl. Radiation spectra were based on the nuclear decay data from the medical internal radiation dose (MIRD) RADTABS program and the BrIccEmis code, assuming both an isolated-atom and condensed-phase approach. DPKs were simulated with the PENELOPE Monte Carlo (MC) code using event-by-event electron and photon transport. S-values for concentric spherical cells of various sizes were derived from these DPKs using appropriate geometric reduction factors. The number of Auger and Coster-Kronig (CK) electrons and x-ray photons released per nuclear decay (yield) from MIRD-RADTABS were consistently higher than those calculated using BrIccEmis. DPKs for the electron spectra from BrIccEmis were considerably different from MIRD-RADTABS in the first few hundred nanometres from a point source where most of the Auger electrons are stopped. S-values were, however, not significantly impacted as the differences in DPKs in the sub-micrometre dimension were quickly diminished in larger dimensions. Overestimation in the total AE energy output by MIRD-RADTABS leads to higher predicted energy deposition by AE emitting radionuclides, especially in the immediate vicinity of the decaying radionuclides. This should be taken into account when MIRD-RADTABS data are used to simulate biological damage at nanoscale dimensions.

  2. SU-F-I-53: Coded Aperture Coherent Scatter Spectral Imaging of the Breast: A Monte Carlo Evaluation of Absorbed Dose

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Morris, R; Lakshmanan, M; Fong, G

    Purpose: Coherent scatter based imaging has shown improved contrast and molecular specificity over conventional digital mammography however the biological risks have not been quantified due to a lack of accurate information on absorbed dose. This study intends to characterize the dose distribution and average glandular dose from coded aperture coherent scatter spectral imaging of the breast. The dose deposited in the breast from this new diagnostic imaging modality has not yet been quantitatively evaluated. Here, various digitized anthropomorphic phantoms are tested in a Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate the absorbed dose distribution and average glandular dose using clinically feasible scanmore » protocols. Methods: Geant4 Monte Carlo radiation transport simulation software is used to replicate the coded aperture coherent scatter spectral imaging system. Energy sensitive, photon counting detectors are used to characterize the x-ray beam spectra for various imaging protocols. This input spectra is cross-validated with the results from XSPECT, a commercially available application that yields x-ray tube specific spectra for the operating parameters employed. XSPECT is also used to determine the appropriate number of photons emitted per mAs of tube current at a given kVp tube potential. With the implementation of the XCAT digital anthropomorphic breast phantom library, a variety of breast sizes with differing anatomical structure are evaluated. Simulations were performed with and without compression of the breast for dose comparison. Results: Through the Monte Carlo evaluation of a diverse population of breast types imaged under real-world scan conditions, a clinically relevant average glandular dose for this new imaging modality is extrapolated. Conclusion: With access to the physical coherent scatter imaging system used in the simulation, the results of this Monte Carlo study may be used to directly influence the future development of the modality to keep breast

  3. MO-AB-BRA-03: Calorimetry-Based Absorbed Dose to Water Measurements Using Interferometry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Flores-Martinez, E; Malin, M; DeWerd, L

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: Interferometry-based calorimetry is a novel technique to measure radiation-induced temperature changes allowing the measurement of absorbed dose to water (ADW). There are no mechanical components in the field. This technique also has the possibility of obtaining 2D dose distributions. The goal of this investigation is to calorimetrically-measure doses between 2.5 and 5 Gy over a single projection in a photon beam using interferometry and compare the results with doses calculated using the TG-51 linac calibration. Methods: ADW was determined by measuring radiation-induced phase shifts (PSs) of light passing through water irradiated with a 6 MV photon beam. A 9×9×9more » cm{sup 3} glass phantom filled with water and placed in an arm of a Michelson interferometer was irradiated with 300, 400, 500 and 600 monitor units. The whole system was thermally insulated to achieve sufficient passive temperature control. The depth of measurement was 4.5 cm with a field size of 7×7 cm{sup 2}. The intensity of the fringe pattern was monitored with a photodiode and used to calculate the time-dependent PS curve. Data was acquired 60 s before and after the irradiation. The radiation-induced PS was calculated by taking the difference in the pre- and post-irradiation drifts extrapolated to the midpoint of the irradiation. Results were compared to computed doses. Results: Average comparison of calculated ADW values with interferometry-measured values showed an agreement to within 9.5%. k=1 uncertainties were 4.3% for calculations and 14.7% for measurements. The dominant source of uncertainty for the measurements was a temperature drift of about 30 µK/s caused by heat conduction from the interferometer’s surroundings. Conclusion: This work presented the first absolute ADW measurements using interferometry in the dose range of linac-based radiotherapy. Future work to improve measurements’ reproducibility includes the implementation of active thermal control techniques.« less

  4. Detailed Distribution Map of Absorbed Dose Rate in Air in Tokatsu Area of Chiba Prefecture, Japan, Constructed by Car-Borne Survey 4 Years after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident.

    PubMed

    Inoue, Kazumasa; Arai, Moeko; Fujisawa, Makoto; Saito, Kyouko; Fukushi, Masahiro

    2017-01-01

    A car-borne survey was carried out in the northwestern, or Tokatsu, area of Chiba Prefecture, Japan, to make a detailed distribution map of absorbed dose rate in air four years after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. This area was chosen because it was the most heavily radionuclide contaminated part of Chiba Prefecture and it neighbors metropolitan Tokyo. Measurements were performed using a 3-in × 3-in NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer in June 2015. The survey route covered the whole Tokatsu area which includes six cities. A heterogeneous distribution of absorbed dose rate in air was observed on the dose distribution map. Especially, higher absorbed dose rates in air exceeding 80 nGy h-1 were observed along national roads constructed using high porosity asphalt, whereas lower absorbed dose rates in air were observed along local roads constructed using low porosity asphalt. The difference between these asphalt types resulted in a heterogeneous dose distribution in the Tokatsu area. The mean of the contribution ratio of artificial radionuclides to absorbed dose rate in air measured 4 years after the accident was 29% (9-50%) in the Tokatsu area. The maximum absorbed dose rate in air, 201 nGy h-1 was observed at Kashiwa City. Radiocesium was deposited in the upper 1 cm surface layer of the high porosity asphalt which was collected in Kashiwa City and the environmental half-life of the absorbed dose rate in air was estimated to be 1.7 years.

  5. Detailed Distribution Map of Absorbed Dose Rate in Air in Tokatsu Area of Chiba Prefecture, Japan, Constructed by Car-Borne Survey 4 Years after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

    PubMed Central

    Inoue, Kazumasa; Arai, Moeko; Fujisawa, Makoto; Saito, Kyouko; Fukushi, Masahiro

    2017-01-01

    A car-borne survey was carried out in the northwestern, or Tokatsu, area of Chiba Prefecture, Japan, to make a detailed distribution map of absorbed dose rate in air four years after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. This area was chosen because it was the most heavily radionuclide contaminated part of Chiba Prefecture and it neighbors metropolitan Tokyo. Measurements were performed using a 3-in × 3-in NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer in June 2015. The survey route covered the whole Tokatsu area which includes six cities. A heterogeneous distribution of absorbed dose rate in air was observed on the dose distribution map. Especially, higher absorbed dose rates in air exceeding 80 nGy h-1 were observed along national roads constructed using high porosity asphalt, whereas lower absorbed dose rates in air were observed along local roads constructed using low porosity asphalt. The difference between these asphalt types resulted in a heterogeneous dose distribution in the Tokatsu area. The mean of the contribution ratio of artificial radionuclides to absorbed dose rate in air measured 4 years after the accident was 29% (9–50%) in the Tokatsu area. The maximum absorbed dose rate in air, 201 nGy h-1 was observed at Kashiwa City. Radiocesium was deposited in the upper 1 cm surface layer of the high porosity asphalt which was collected in Kashiwa City and the environmental half-life of the absorbed dose rate in air was estimated to be 1.7 years. PMID:28129382

  6. Effect of low dose and moderate dose gamma irradiation on the mechanical properties of bone and soft tissue allografts.

    PubMed

    Balsly, Colleen R; Cotter, Andrew T; Williams, Lisa A; Gaskins, Barton D; Moore, Mark A; Wolfinbarger, Lloyd

    2008-12-01

    The increased use of allograft tissue for musculoskeletal repair has brought more focus to the safety of allogenic tissue and the efficacy of various sterilization techniques. Gamma irradiation is an effective method for providing terminal sterilization to biological tissue, but it is also reported to have deleterious effects on tissue mechanics in a dose-dependent manner. At irradiation ranges up to 25 kGy, a clear relationship between mechanical strength and dose has yet to be established. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical properties of bone and soft tissue allografts, irradiated on dry ice at a low absorbed dose (18.3-21.8 kGy) and a moderate absorbed dose (24.0-28.5 kGy), using conventional compressive and tensile testing, respectively. Bone grafts consisted of Cloward dowels and iliac crest wedges, while soft tissue grafts consisted of patellar tendons, anterior tibialis tendons, semitendinosus tendons, and fascia lata. There were no statistical differences in mechanical strength or modulus of elasticity for any graft irradiated at a low absorbed dose, compared to control groups. Also, bone allografts and two soft tissue allografts (anterior tibialis and semitendinosus tendon) that were irradiated at a moderate dose demonstrated similar strength and modulus of elasticity values to control groups. The results of this study support the use of low dose and moderate dose gamma irradiation of bone grafts. For soft tissue grafts, the results support the use of low dose irradiation.

  7. An example of problems in dose reconstruction from doses formed by electromagnetic irradiation by different energy sources.

    PubMed

    Kirillov, Vladimir; Kuchuro, Joseph; Tolstik, Sergey; Leonova, Tatyana

    2010-02-01

    Dose reconstruction for citizens of Belarus affected by the Chernobyl accident showed an unexpectedly wide range of doses. Using the EPR tooth enamel dosimetry method, it has been demonstrated that when the tooth enamel dose was formed due to x-rays with effective energy of 34 keV and the additional irradiation of enamel samples was performed by gamma radiation with mean energy of 1,250 keV, it led to a considerable increase in the reconstructed absorbed dose as compared with the applied. In the case when the dose was formed due to gamma radiation and the additional irradiation was performed by x-rays, it led to a considerable decrease in the reconstructed dose as compared with the applied. When the dose formation and the additional irradiation were carried out from external sources of electromagnetic radiation of equal energy, the reconstructed dose value was close to that of the applied. The obtained data show that for adequate reconstruction of individual absorbed doses by the EPR tooth enamel spectra, it is necessary to take into account the contribution from diagnostic x-ray examination of the teeth, jaw, and skull of some individuals who were exposed to a combined effect of the external gamma radiation and x-rays.

  8. Comparison of absorbed-dose-to-water units for Co-60 and high-energy x-rays between PTB and LNE-LNHB

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Delaunay, F.; Kapsch, R.-P.; Gouriou, J.; Illemann, J.; Krauss, A.; Le Roy, M.; Ostrowsky, A.; Sommier, L.; Vermesse, D.

    2012-10-01

    During the Euramet project JRP7 ‘External Beam Cancer Therapy’, PTB and LNE-LNHB used primary standards to determine the absorbed dose to water under IMRT conditions (in small fields). PTB used a water calorimeter to determine the absorbed-dose-to-water references in 6 MV and 10 MV beams for field sizes of 10 cm × 10 cm and 3 cm × 3 cm while LNE-LNHB used graphite calorimeters in 6 MV and 12 MV beams for field sizes of 10 cm × 10 cm, 4 cm × 4 cm and 2 cm × 2 cm. The purpose of this study is to compare PTB and LNE-LNHB new absorbed-dose-to-water references. LNE-LNHB sent an Exradin A1SL ionization chamber traceable to its primary standard to the PTB for calibration in 60Co and in linac beams and PTB sent a PTW 31010 ionization chamber traceable to its primary standard to LNE-LNHB for calibration in 60Co and in linac beams. Calculated Sw,air will be used as beam quality specifier for the ionization chamber comparison at different field sizes. The standard uncertainties (k = 1) of PTB and LNE-LNHB calibration coefficients lie respectively between 0.25% (60Co) and 0.40% (linac) and between 0.29% and 0.46%. PTB and LNE-LNHB absorbed-dose-to-water references developed for this project, based respectively on water calorimetry and on graphite calorimetry, agree within 1.5 standard deviations for field size of 10 cm × 10 cm down to 2 cm × 2 cm and for beams of 6 MV to 10 MV.

  9. Estimation of absorbed dose in clinical radiotherapy linear accelerator beams: Effect of ion chamber calibration and long-term stability

    PubMed Central

    Ravichandran, Ramamoorthy; Binukumar, Johnson Pichy; Davis, Cheriyathmanjiyil Antony

    2013-01-01

    The measured dose in water at reference point in phantom is a primary parameter for planning the treatment monitor units (MU); both in conventional and intensity modulated/image guided treatments. Traceability of dose accuracy therefore still depends mainly on the calibration factor of the ion chamber/dosimeter provided by the accredited Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratories (SSDLs), under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) network of laboratories. The data related to Nd,water calibrations, thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) postal dose validation, inter-comparison of different dosimeter/electrometers, and validity of Nd,water calibrations obtained from different calibration laboratories were analyzed to find out the extent of accuracy achievable. Nd,w factors in Gray/Coulomb calibrated at IBA, GmBH, Germany showed a mean variation of about 0.2% increase per year in three Farmer chambers, in three subsequent calibrations. Another ion chamber calibrated in different accredited laboratory (PTW, Germany) showed consistent Nd,w for 9 years period. The Strontium-90 beta check source response indicated long-term stability of the ion chambers within 1% for three chambers. Results of IAEA postal TL “dose intercomparison” for three photon beams, 6 MV (two) and 15 MV (one), agreed well within our reported doses, with mean deviation of 0.03% (SD 0.87%) (n = 9). All the chamber/electrometer calibrated by a single SSDL realized absorbed doses in water within 0.13% standard deviations. However, about 1-2% differences in absorbed dose estimates observed when dosimeters calibrated from different calibration laboratories are compared in solid phantoms. Our data therefore imply that the dosimetry level maintained for clinical use of linear accelerator photon beams are within recommended levels of accuracy, and uncertainties are within reported values. PMID:24672156

  10. Reconstruction of Absorbed Doses to Fibroglandular Tissue of the Breast of Women undergoing Mammography (1960 to the Present)

    PubMed Central

    Thierry-Chef, Isabelle; Simon, Steven L.; Weinstock, Robert M.; Kwon, Deukwoo; Linet, Martha S.

    2013-01-01

    The assessment of potential benefits versus harms from mammographic examinations as described in the controversial breast cancer screening recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Task Force included limited consideration of absorbed dose to the fibroglandular tissue of the breast (glandular tissue dose), the tissue at risk for breast cancer. Epidemiological studies on cancer risks associated with diagnostic radiological examinations often lack accurate information on glandular tissue dose, and there is a clear need for better estimates of these doses. Our objective was to develop a quantitative summary of glandular tissue doses from mammography by considering sources of variation over time in key parameters including imaging protocols, x-ray target materials, voltage, filtration, incident air kerma, compressed breast thickness, and breast composition. We estimated the minimum, maximum, and mean values for glandular tissue dose for populations of exposed women within 5-year periods from 1960 to the present, with the minimum to maximum range likely including 90% to 95% of the entirety of the dose range from mammography in North America and Europe. Glandular tissue dose from a single view in mammography is presently about 2 mGy, about one-sixth the dose in the 1960s. The ratio of our estimates of maximum to minimum glandular tissue doses for average-size breasts was about 100 in the 1960s compared to a ratio of about 5 in recent years. Findings from our analysis provide quantitative information on glandular tissue doses from mammographic examinations which can be used in epidemiologic studies of breast cancer. PMID:21988547

  11. Case control study to assess the possibility of decrease the risk of osteoradionecrosis in relation to the dose of radiation absorbed by the jaw

    PubMed Central

    Carini, Fabrizio; Bucalo, Concetta; Saggese, Vito; Monai, Dario; Porcaro, Gianluca

    2012-01-01

    Summary Aims the assessment of the limit dose for the organs at risk in external radiotherapy is a fundamental step to guarantee an optimal risk-benefit ratio. The aim of this study was to assess, through contouring the single dental cavities, the absorbed radiation dose on irradiated alveolar bones during the treatment of cervico-facial tumours, so as to test the correlation between the absorbed dose of radiation at alveolar level and the level of individual surgical risk for osteonecrosis. Materials and methods we selected 45 out of 89 patients on the basis of different exclusion criteria. Nine of these patients showed evidence of osteoradionecrosis. The patients were treated either with 3D conformational radiation therapy (3D-CRT) or with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), there after alveolar bones were contoured using computed axial tomography (CAT scans) carried out following oncological and dental treatment. The dose-volume histograms (DVH) were obtained on the basis of such data, which included those relating to the dental cavities in addition to those inherent to the tumours and the organs at risk. Results all patients, irrespective of type of treatment, received an average of 60 to 70 grays in 30/35 sittings. The patients treated with IMRT showed higher variation in absorbed radiation dose than those treated with 3D-CRT. The alveolar encirclement allowed the assessment of the absorbed radiation dose, and consequently it also allowed to assess the individual surgical risk for osteonecrosis in patients with head and neck tumours who underwent radiography treatment. Conclusions the study of DVH allows the assessment of limit dose and the detection of the areas at greater risk for osteoradionecrosis before dental surgery. PMID:23285316

  12. Determination of absorbed dose to water around a clinical HDR (192)Ir source using LiF:Mg,Ti TLDs demonstrates an LET dependence of detector response.

    PubMed

    Carlsson Tedgren, Asa; Elia, Rouba; Hedtjarn, Hakan; Olsson, Sara; Alm Carlsson, Gudrun

    2012-02-01

    Experimental radiation dosimetry with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), calibrated in a (60)Co or megavoltage (MV) photon beam, is recommended by AAPM TG-43U1for verification of Monte Carlo calculated absorbed doses around brachytherapy sources. However, it has been shown by Carlsson Tedgren et al. [Med. Phys. 38, 5539-5550 (2011)] that for TLDs of LiF:Mg,Ti, detector response was 4% higher in a (137)Cs beam than in a (60)Co one. The aim of this work was to investigate if similar over-response exists when measuring absorbed dose to water around (192)Ir sources, using LiF:Mg,Ti dosimeters calibrated in a 6 MV photon beam. LiF dosimeters were calibrated to measure absorbed dose to water in a 6 MV photon beam and used to measure absorbed dose to water at distances of 3, 5, and 7 cm from a clinical high dose rate (HDR) (192)Ir source in a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) phantom. Measured values were compared to values of absorbed dose to water calculated using a treatment planning system (TPS) including corrections for the difference in energy absorption properties between calibration quality and the quality in the users' (192)Ir beam and for the use of a PMMA phantom instead of the water phantom underlying dose calculations in the TPS. Measured absorbed doses to water around the (192)Ir source were overestimated by 5% compared to those calculated by the TPS. Corresponding absorbed doses to water measured in a previous work with lithium formate electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dosimeters by Antonovic et al. [Med. Phys. 36, 2236-2247 (2009)], using the same irradiation setup and calibration procedure as in this work, were 2% lower than those calculated by the TPS. The results obtained in the measurements in this work and those obtained using the EPR lithium formate dosimeters were, within the expanded (k = 2) uncertainty, in agreement with the values derived by the TPS. The discrepancy between the results using LiF:Mg,Ti TLDs and the EPR lithium formate

  13. Response functions for computing absorbed dose to skeletal tissues from neutron irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bahadori, Amir A.; Johnson, Perry; Jokisch, Derek W.; Eckerman, Keith F.; Bolch, Wesley E.

    2011-11-01

    Spongiosa in the adult human skeleton consists of three tissues—active marrow (AM), inactive marrow (IM) and trabecularized mineral bone (TB). AM is considered to be the target tissue for assessment of both long-term leukemia risk and acute marrow toxicity following radiation exposure. The total shallow marrow (TM50), defined as all tissues lying within the first 50 µm of the bone surfaces, is considered to be the radiation target tissue of relevance for radiogenic bone cancer induction. For irradiation by sources external to the body, kerma to homogeneous spongiosa has been used as a surrogate for absorbed dose to both of these tissues, as direct dose calculations are not possible using computational phantoms with homogenized spongiosa. Recent micro-CT imaging of a 40 year old male cadaver has allowed for the accurate modeling of the fine microscopic structure of spongiosa in many regions of the adult skeleton (Hough et al 2011 Phys. Med. Biol. 56 2309-46). This microstructure, along with associated masses and tissue compositions, was used to compute specific absorbed fraction (SAF) values for protons originating in axial and appendicular bone sites (Jokisch et al 2011 Phys. Med. Biol. 56 6857-72). These proton SAFs, bone masses, tissue compositions and proton production cross sections, were subsequently used to construct neutron dose-response functions (DRFs) for both AM and TM50 targets in each bone of the reference adult male. Kerma conditions were assumed for other resultant charged particles. For comparison, AM, TM50 and spongiosa kerma coefficients were also calculated. At low incident neutron energies, AM kerma coefficients for neutrons correlate well with values of the AM DRF, while total marrow (TM) kerma coefficients correlate well with values of the TM50 DRF. At high incident neutron energies, all kerma coefficients and DRFs tend to converge as charged-particle equilibrium is established across the bone site. In the range of 10 eV to 100 Me

  14. RESPONSE FUNCTIONS FOR COMPUTING ABSORBED DOSE TO SKELETAL TISSUES FROM NEUTRON IRRADIATION

    PubMed Central

    Bahadori, Amir A.; Johnson, Perry; Jokisch, Derek W.; Eckerman, Keith F.; Bolch, Wesley E.

    2016-01-01

    Spongiosa in the adult human skeleton consists of three tissues - active marrow (AM), inactive marrow (IM), and trabecularized mineral bone (TB). Active marrow is considered to be the target tissue for assessment of both long-term leukemia risk and acute marrow toxicity following radiation exposure. The total shallow marrow (TM50), defined as all tissues laying within the first 50 μm the bone surfaces, is considered to be the radiation target tissue of relevance for radiogenic bone cancer induction. For irradiation by sources external to the body, kerma to homogeneous spongiosa has been used as a surrogate for absorbed dose to both of these tissues, as direct dose calculations are not possible using computational phantoms with homogenized spongiosa. Recent microCT imaging of a 40-year-old male cadaver has allowed for the accurate modeling of the fine microscopic structure of spongiosa in many regions of the adult skeleton [Hough et al PMB (2011)]. This microstructure, along with associated masses and tissue compositions, was used to compute specific absorbed fractions (SAF) values for protons originating in axial and appendicular bone sites [Jokisch et al PMB (submitted)]. These proton SAFs, bone masses, tissue compositions, and proton production cross-sections, were subsequently used to construct neutron dose response functions (DRFs) for both AM and TM50 targets in each bone of the reference adult male. Kerma conditions were assumed for other resultant charged particles. For comparison, active marrow, total shallow marrow, and spongiosa kerma coefficients were also calculated. At low incident neutron energies, AM kerma coefficients for neutrons correlate well with values of the AM DRF, while total marrow (TM) kerma coefficients correlate well with values of the TM50 DRF. At high incident neutron energies, all kerma coefficients and DRFs tend to converge as charged particle equilibrium (CPE) is established across the bone site. In the range of 10 eV to 100 Me

  15. Response functions for computing absorbed dose to skeletal tissues from neutron irradiation.

    PubMed

    Bahadori, Amir A; Johnson, Perry; Jokisch, Derek W; Eckerman, Keith F; Bolch, Wesley E

    2011-11-07

    Spongiosa in the adult human skeleton consists of three tissues-active marrow (AM), inactive marrow (IM) and trabecularized mineral bone (TB). AM is considered to be the target tissue for assessment of both long-term leukemia risk and acute marrow toxicity following radiation exposure. The total shallow marrow (TM(50)), defined as all tissues lying within the first 50 µm of the bone surfaces, is considered to be the radiation target tissue of relevance for radiogenic bone cancer induction. For irradiation by sources external to the body, kerma to homogeneous spongiosa has been used as a surrogate for absorbed dose to both of these tissues, as direct dose calculations are not possible using computational phantoms with homogenized spongiosa. Recent micro-CT imaging of a 40 year old male cadaver has allowed for the accurate modeling of the fine microscopic structure of spongiosa in many regions of the adult skeleton (Hough et al 2011 Phys. Med. Biol. 56 2309-46). This microstructure, along with associated masses and tissue compositions, was used to compute specific absorbed fraction (SAF) values for protons originating in axial and appendicular bone sites (Jokisch et al 2011 Phys. Med. Biol. 56 6857-72). These proton SAFs, bone masses, tissue compositions and proton production cross sections, were subsequently used to construct neutron dose-response functions (DRFs) for both AM and TM(50) targets in each bone of the reference adult male. Kerma conditions were assumed for other resultant charged particles. For comparison, AM, TM(50) and spongiosa kerma coefficients were also calculated. At low incident neutron energies, AM kerma coefficients for neutrons correlate well with values of the AM DRF, while total marrow (TM) kerma coefficients correlate well with values of the TM(50) DRF. At high incident neutron energies, all kerma coefficients and DRFs tend to converge as charged-particle equilibrium is established across the bone site. In the range of 10 eV to 100 Me

  16. Neutron relative biological effectiveness for solid cancer incidence in the Japanese A-bomb survivors: an analysis considering the degree of independent effects from γ-ray and neutron absorbed doses with hierarchical partitioning.

    PubMed

    Walsh, Linda

    2013-03-01

    It has generally been assumed that the neutron and γ-ray absorbed doses in the data from the life span study (LSS) of the Japanese A-bomb survivors are too highly correlated for an independent separation of the all solid cancer risks due to neutrons and due to γ-rays. However, with the release of the most recent data for all solid cancer incidence and the increased statistical power over previous datasets, it is instructive to consider alternatives to the usual approaches. Simple excess relative risk (ERR) models for radiation-induced solid cancer incidence fitted to the LSS epidemiological data have been applied with neutron and γ-ray absorbed doses as separate explanatory covariables. A simple evaluation of the degree of independent effects from γ-ray and neutron absorbed doses on the all solid cancer risk with the hierarchical partitioning (HP) technique is presented here. The degree of multi-collinearity between the γ-ray and neutron absorbed doses has also been considered. The results show that, whereas the partial correlation between the neutron and γ-ray colon absorbed doses may be considered to be high at 0.74, this value is just below the level beyond which remedial action, such as adding the doses together, is usually recommended. The resulting variance inflation factor is 2.2. Applying HP indicates that just under half of the drop in deviance resulting from adding the γ-ray and neutron absorbed doses to the baseline risk model comes from the joint effects of the neutrons and γ-rays-leaving a substantial proportion of this deviance drop accounted for by individual effects of the neutrons and γ-rays. The average ERR/Gy γ-ray absorbed dose and the ERR/Gy neutron absorbed dose that have been obtained here directly for the first time, agree well with previous indirect estimates. The average relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of neutrons relative to γ-rays, calculated directly from fit parameters to the all solid cancer ERR model with both

  17. Using RADFET for the real-time measurement of gamma radiation dose rate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andjelković, Marko S.; Ristić, Goran S.; Jakšić, Aleksandar B.

    2015-02-01

    RADFETs (RADiation sensitive Field Effect Transistors) are integrating ionizing radiation dosimeters operating on the principle of conversion of radiation-induced threshold voltage shift into absorbed dose. However, one of the major drawbacks of RADFETs is the inability to provide the information on the dose rate in real-time using the conventional absorbed dose measurement technique. The real-time monitoring of dose rate and absorbed dose can be achieved with the current mode dosimeters such as PN and PIN diodes/photodiodes, but these dosimeters have some limitations as absorbed dose meters and hence they are often not a suitable replacement for RADFETs. In that sense, this paper investigates the possibility of using the RADFET as a real-time dose rate meter so that it could be applied for simultaneous online measurement of the dose rate and absorbed dose. A RADFET sample, manufactured by Tyndall National Institute, Cork, Ireland, was tested as a dose rate meter under gamma irradiation from a Co-60 source. The RADFET was configured as a PN junction, such that the drain, gate and source terminals were grounded, while the radiation-induced current was measured at the bulk terminal, whereby the bulk was successively biased with 0 , 10 , 20  and 30 V. In zero-bias mode the radiation-induced current was unstable, but in the biased mode the current response was stable for the investigated dose rates from 0.65  to 32.1 Gy h-1 and up to the total absorbed dose of 25 Gy. The current increased with the dose rate in accordance with the power law, whereas the sensitivity of the current read-out was linear with respect to the applied bias voltage. Comparison with previously analyzed PIN photodiodes has shown that the investigated RADFET is competitive with PIN photodiodes as a gamma radiation dose rate meter and therefore has the potential to be employed for the real-time monitoring of the dose rate and absorbed dose.

  18. Estimation of absorbed radiation dose rates in wild rodents inhabiting a site severely contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

    PubMed

    Kubota, Yoshihisa; Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Watanabe, Yoshito; Fuma, Shoichi; Kawaguchi, Isao; Aoki, Masanari; Kubota, Masahide; Furuhata, Yoshiaki; Shigemura, Yusaku; Yamada, Fumio; Ishikawa, Takahiro; Obara, Satoshi; Yoshida, Satoshi

    2015-04-01

    The dose rates of radiation absorbed by wild rodents inhabiting a site severely contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident were estimated. The large Japanese field mouse (Apodemus speciosus), also called the wood mouse, was the major rodent species captured in the sampling area, although other species of rodents, such as small field mice (Apodemus argenteus) and Japanese grass voles (Microtus montebelli), were also collected. The external exposure of rodents calculated from the activity concentrations of radiocesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) in litter and soil samples using the ERICA (Environmental Risk from Ionizing Contaminants: Assessment and Management) tool under the assumption that radionuclides existed as the infinite plane isotropic source was almost the same as those measured directly with glass dosimeters embedded in rodent abdomens. Our findings suggest that the ERICA tool is useful for estimating external dose rates to small animals inhabiting forest floors; however, the estimated dose rates showed large standard deviations. This could be an indication of the inhomogeneous distribution of radionuclides in the sampled litter and soil. There was a 50-fold difference between minimum and maximum whole-body activity concentrations measured in rodents at the time of capture. The radionuclides retained in rodents after capture decreased exponentially over time. Regression equations indicated that the biological half-life of radiocesium after capture was 3.31 d. At the time of capture, the lowest activity concentration was measured in the lung and was approximately half of the highest concentration measured in the mixture of muscle and bone. The average internal absorbed dose rate was markedly smaller than the average external dose rate (<10% of the total absorbed dose rate). The average total absorbed dose rate to wild rodents inhabiting the sampling area was estimated to be approximately 52 μGy h(-1) (1.2 mGy d(-1)), even 3 years after

  19. Whole-body biodistribution and estimation of radiation-absorbed doses of the dopamine D1 receptor radioligand 11C-NNC 112 in humans.

    PubMed

    Cropley, Vanessa L; Fujita, Masahiro; Musachio, John L; Hong, Jinsoo; Ghose, Subroto; Sangare, Janet; Nathan, Pradeep J; Pike, Victor W; Innis, Robert B

    2006-01-01

    The present study estimated radiation-absorbed doses of the dopamine D(1) receptor radioligand [(11)C]((+)-8-chloro-5-(7-benzofuranyl)-7-hydroxy-3-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine) (NNC 112) in humans, based on dynamic whole-body PET in healthy subjects. Whole-body PET was performed on 7 subjects after injection of 710 +/- 85 MBq of (11)C-NNC 112. Fourteen frames were acquired for a total of 120 min in 7 segments of the body. Regions of interest were drawn on compressed planar images of source organs that could be identified. Radiation dose estimates were calculated from organ residence times using the OLINDA 1.0 program. The organs with the highest radiation-absorbed doses were the gallbladder, liver, lungs, kidneys, and urinary bladder wall. Biexponential fitting of mean bladder activity demonstrated that 15% of activity was excreted via the urine. With a 2.4-h voiding interval, the effective dose was 5.7 microSv/MBq (21.1 mrem/mCi). (11)C-NNC 112 displays a favorable radiation dose profile in humans and would allow multiple PET examinations per year to be performed on the same subject.

  20. Considerations on the calibration of small thermoluminescent dosimeters used for measurement of beta particle absorbed doses in liquid environments.

    PubMed

    Demidecki, A J; Williams, L E; Wong, J Y; Wessels, B W; Yorke, E D; Strandh, M; Strand, S E

    1993-01-01

    An investigation has been carried out on the factors which affect the absolute calibration of thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) used in beta particle absorbed dose evaluations. Four effects on light output (LO) were considered: decay of detector sensitivity with time, finite TLD volume, dose linearity, and energy dependence. Most important of these was the decay of LO with time in culture medium, muscle tissue, and gels. This permanent loss of sensitivity was as large as an order of magnitude over a 21-day interval for the nominally 20-microns-thick disc-shaped CaSO4(Dy) TLDs in gel. Associated leaching of the dosimeter crystals out of the Teflon matrix was observed using scanning electron microscopy. Large channels leading from the outside environment into the TLDs were identified using SEM images. A possibility of batch dependence of fading was indicated. The second most important effect was the apparent reduction of light output due to finite size and increased specific gravity of the dosimeter (volume effect). We estimated this term by calculations as 10% in standard "mini" rods for beta particles from 90Y, but nearly a factor of 3 for 131I beta particles in the same geometry. No significant nonlinearity of the log (light output) with log (absorbed dose) over the range 0.05-20.00 Gy was discovered. Energy dependence of the LO was found to be not detectable, within measurement errors, over the range of 0.60-6.0 MeV mean energy electrons. With careful understanding of these effects, calibration via gel phantom would appear to be an acceptable strategy for mini TLDs used in beta absorbed dose evaluations in media.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  1. Determination of absorbed dose to water around a clinical HDR {sup 192}Ir source using LiF:Mg,Ti TLDs demonstrates an LET dependence of detector response

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Carlsson Tedgren, Aasa; Elia, Rouba; Hedtjaern, Haakan

    2012-02-15

    Purpose: Experimental radiation dosimetry with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), calibrated in a {sup 60}Co or megavoltage (MV) photon beam, is recommended by AAPM TG-43U1for verification of Monte Carlo calculated absorbed doses around brachytherapy sources. However, it has been shown by Carlsson Tedgren et al.[Med. Phys. 38, 5539-5550 (2011)] that for TLDs of LiF:Mg,Ti, detector response was 4% higher in a {sup 137}Cs beam than in a {sup 60}Co one. The aim of this work was to investigate if similar over-response exists when measuring absorbed dose to water around {sup 192}Ir sources, using LiF:Mg,Ti dosimeters calibrated in a 6 MV photon beam.more » Methods: LiF dosimeters were calibrated to measure absorbed dose to water in a 6 MV photon beam and used to measure absorbed dose to water at distances of 3, 5, and 7 cm from a clinical high dose rate (HDR) {sup 192}Ir source in a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) phantom. Measured values were compared to values of absorbed dose to water calculated using a treatment planning system (TPS) including corrections for the difference in energy absorption properties between calibration quality and the quality in the users'{sup 192}Ir beam and for the use of a PMMA phantom instead of the water phantom underlying dose calculations in the TPS. Results: Measured absorbed doses to water around the {sup 192}Ir source were overestimated by 5% compared to those calculated by the TPS. Corresponding absorbed doses to water measured in a previous work with lithium formate electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dosimeters by Antonovic et al. [Med. Phys. 36, 2236-2247 (2009)], using the same irradiation setup and calibration procedure as in this work, were 2% lower than those calculated by the TPS. The results obtained in the measurements in this work and those obtained using the EPR lithium formate dosimeters were, within the expanded (k = 2) uncertainty, in agreement with the values derived by the TPS. The discrepancy between the

  2. Absorbed dose in AgBr in direct film for photon energies ( < 150 keV): relation to optical density. Theoretical calculation and experimental evaluation.

    PubMed

    Helmrot, E; Alm Carlsson, G

    1996-01-01

    In the radiological process it is necessary to develop tools so as to explore how X-rays can be used in the most effective way. Evaluation of models to derive measures of image quality and risk-related parameters is one possibility of getting such a tool. Modelling the image receptor, an important part of the imaging chain, is then required. The aim of this work was to find convenient and accurate ways of describing the blackening of direct dental films by X-rays. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the relation between optical density and photon interactions in the silver bromide in X-ray films has been investigated by many authors. The first attempts used simple quantum theories with no consideration of underlying physical interaction processes. The theories were gradually made more realistic by the introduction of dosimetric concepts and cavity theory. A review of cavity theories for calculating the mean absorbed dose in the AgBr grains of the film emulsion is given in this work. The cavity theories of GREENING (15) and SPIERS-CHARLTON (37) were selected for calculating the mean absorbed dose in the AgBr grains relative to the air collision kerma (Kc,air) of the incident photons of Ultra-speed and Ektaspeed (intraoral) films using up-to-date values of interaction coefficients. GREENING'S theory is a multi-grain theory and the results depend on the relative amounts of silver bromide and gelatine in the emulsion layer. In the single grain theory of SPIERS-CHARLTON, the shape and size of the silver bromide grain are important. Calculations of absorbed dose in the silver bromide were compared with measurements of optical densities in Ultra-speed and Ektaspeed films for a broad range (25-145 kV) of X-ray energy. The calculated absorbed dose values were appropriately averaged over the complete photon energy spectrum, which was determined experimentally using a Compton spectrometer. For the whole range of tube potentials used, the measured optical densities of the

  3. Leuco-crystal-violet micelle gel dosimeters: Component effects on dose-rate dependence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xie, J. C.; Katz, E. A. B.; Alexander, K. M.; Schreiner, L. J.; McAuley, K. B.

    2017-05-01

    Designed experiments were performed to produce empirical models for the dose sensitivity, initial absorbance, and dose-rate dependence respectively for leucocrystal violet (LCV) micelle gel dosimeters containing cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and 2,2,2-trichloroethanol (TCE). Previous gels of this type showed dose-rate dependent behaviour, producing an ˜18% increase in dose sensitivity between dose rates of 100 and 600 cGy min-1. Our models predict that the dose rate dependence can be reduced by increasing the concentration of TCE, CTAB and LCV. Increasing concentrations of LCV and CTAB produces a significant increase in dose sensitivity with a corresponding increase in initial absorbance. An optimization procedure was used to determine a nearly dose-rate independent gel which maintained high sensitivity and low initial absorbance. This gel which contains 33 mM CTAB, 1.25 mM LCV, and 96 mM TCE in 25 mM trichloroacetic acid and 4 wt% gelatin showed an increase in dose sensitivity of only 4% between dose rates of 100 and 600 cGy min-1, and provides an 80% greater dose sensitivity compared to Jordan’s standard gels with similar initial absorbance.

  4. PHITS simulations of absorbed dose out-of-field and neutron energy spectra for ELEKTA SL25 medical linear accelerator.

    PubMed

    Puchalska, Monika; Sihver, Lembit

    2015-06-21

    Monte Carlo (MC) based calculation methods for modeling photon and particle transport, have several potential applications in radiotherapy. An essential requirement for successful radiation therapy is that the discrepancies between dose distributions calculated at the treatment planning stage and those delivered to the patient are minimized. It is also essential to minimize the dose to radiosensitive and critical organs. With MC technique, the dose distributions from both the primary and scattered photons can be calculated. The out-of-field radiation doses are of particular concern when high energy photons are used, since then neutrons are produced both in the accelerator head and inside the patients. Using MC technique, the created photons and particles can be followed and the transport and energy deposition in all the tissues of the patient can be estimated. This is of great importance during pediatric treatments when minimizing the risk for normal healthy tissue, e.g. secondary cancer. The purpose of this work was to evaluate 3D general purpose PHITS MC code efficiency as an alternative approach for photon beam specification. In this study, we developed a model of an ELEKTA SL25 accelerator and used the transport code PHITS for calculating the total absorbed dose and the neutron energy spectra infield and outside the treatment field. This model was validated against measurements performed with bubble detector spectrometers and Boner sphere for 18 MV linacs, including both photons and neutrons. The average absolute difference between the calculated and measured absorbed dose for the out-of-field region was around 11%. Taking into account a simplification for simulated geometry, which does not include any potential scattering materials around, the obtained result is very satisfactorily. A good agreement between the simulated and measured neutron energy spectra was observed while comparing to data found in the literature.

  5. PHITS simulations of absorbed dose out-of-field and neutron energy spectra for ELEKTA SL25 medical linear accelerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Puchalska, Monika; Sihver, Lembit

    2015-06-01

    Monte Carlo (MC) based calculation methods for modeling photon and particle transport, have several potential applications in radiotherapy. An essential requirement for successful radiation therapy is that the discrepancies between dose distributions calculated at the treatment planning stage and those delivered to the patient are minimized. It is also essential to minimize the dose to radiosensitive and critical organs. With MC technique, the dose distributions from both the primary and scattered photons can be calculated. The out-of-field radiation doses are of particular concern when high energy photons are used, since then neutrons are produced both in the accelerator head and inside the patients. Using MC technique, the created photons and particles can be followed and the transport and energy deposition in all the tissues of the patient can be estimated. This is of great importance during pediatric treatments when minimizing the risk for normal healthy tissue, e.g. secondary cancer. The purpose of this work was to evaluate 3D general purpose PHITS MC code efficiency as an alternative approach for photon beam specification. In this study, we developed a model of an ELEKTA SL25 accelerator and used the transport code PHITS for calculating the total absorbed dose and the neutron energy spectra infield and outside the treatment field. This model was validated against measurements performed with bubble detector spectrometers and Boner sphere for 18 MV linacs, including both photons and neutrons. The average absolute difference between the calculated and measured absorbed dose for the out-of-field region was around 11%. Taking into account a simplification for simulated geometry, which does not include any potential scattering materials around, the obtained result is very satisfactorily. A good agreement between the simulated and measured neutron energy spectra was observed while comparing to data found in the literature.

  6. Errors in the absorbed and the administered 131I therapeutic dose in patients with Graves' disease. A suggested more precise technique.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yangchun; Huang, Jincheng; Wang, Yuehui; Xie, Sipei; He, Fang

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative error (RE) in the thyroid absorbed dose (TD) of iodine-131 ( 131 I) in patients with Graves' disease comparing the simplified Quimby-Marinelli-Hine formula method (sQMHF) and the Standard Operational Procedures for dosimetry (SOPD) recommended by the European Association of Nuclear Medicine. This study included 45 patients with Graves' disease 12 men and 33 women; age 44.1±12.8 years. Thyroid mass (TM) was measured using ultrasound. Uptake of 131 I (RAIU) was tested at 2, 4-6, 24, 48-72, and 96-168h after its administration and the half-life (T 1/2eff ) and resident time (RT) of 131 I were computed. According to the sQMHF, a prescribed TD of 75Gy required 3.7MBq/g of 131 I, correction based on the RAIU 24h and T 1/2eff . Subsequently, the therapeutic TD was computed according to the SOPD and the RE was recorded. The data were analyzed using t-tests. The TM, RAIU 24h , therapeutic TD, and RE were 36.5±23.9g, 0.54±0.14, 89.4±9.4Gy, and -0.01±0.02, respectively. There was a significant difference (t-value 9.84, P<0.01) between the prescribed and therapeutic TD because the sQMHF ignores the absorbed dose deposited in the thyroid during the first 24h, which is included in the SOPD. In addition, the RE was significantly smaller than the variable coefficient (VC) of the therapeutic TD (t=-39.6, P<0.01). When the activity of 131 I was calculated using the simplified Q-M-H formula, the therapeutic absorbed thyroid dose was significantly higher than what was expected for the prescribed dose. Precision of the individualized therapeutic absorbed dose could be improved by computing the activity of 131 I using the standard operational procedures for dosimetry of the EANM.

  7. Estimated human absorbed dose of ¹⁷⁷Lu-BPAMD based on mice data: Comparison with ¹⁷⁷Lu-EDTMP.

    PubMed

    Yousefnia, Hassan; Zolghadri, Samaneh; Shanehsazzadeh, Saeed

    2015-10-01

    In this work, the absorbed dose of human organs for (177)Lu-BPAMD was evaluated based on biodistribution studies into the Syrian mice by RADAR method and was compared with (177)Lu-EDTMP as the only clinically used Lu-177 bone-seeking agent. The highest absorbed dose for both (177)Lu-BPAMD and (177)Lu-EDTMP is observed on the bone surface with 8.007 and 4.802 mSv/MBq. Generally, (177)Lu-BPAMD has considerable characteristics compared with (177)Lu-EDTMP and can be considered as a promising agent for the bone pain palliation therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Dose estimation for astronauts using dose conversion coefficients calculated with the PHITS code and the ICRP/ICRU adult reference computational phantoms.

    PubMed

    Sato, Tatsuhiko; Endo, Akira; Sihver, Lembit; Niita, Koji

    2011-03-01

    Absorbed-dose and dose-equivalent rates for astronauts were estimated by multiplying fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients in the units of Gy.cm(2) and Sv.cm(2), respectively, and cosmic-ray fluxes around spacecrafts in the unit of cm(-2) s(-1). The dose conversion coefficients employed in the calculation were evaluated using the general-purpose particle and heavy ion transport code system PHITS coupled to the male and female adult reference computational phantoms, which were released as a common ICRP/ICRU publication. The cosmic-ray fluxes inside and near to spacecrafts were also calculated by PHITS, using simplified geometries. The accuracy of the obtained absorbed-dose and dose-equivalent rates was verified by various experimental data measured both inside and outside spacecrafts. The calculations quantitatively show that the effective doses for astronauts are significantly greater than their corresponding effective dose equivalents, because of the numerical incompatibility between the radiation quality factors and the radiation weighting factors. These results demonstrate the usefulness of dose conversion coefficients in space dosimetry. © Springer-Verlag 2010

  9. Evaluation of factors to convert absorbed dose calibrations from graphite to water for the NPL high-energy photon calibration service.

    PubMed

    Nutbrown, R F; Duane, S; Shipley, D R; Thomas, R A S

    2002-02-07

    The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) provides a high-energy photon calibration service using 4-19 MV x-rays and 60Co gamma-radiation for secondary standard dosemeters in terms of absorbed dose to water. The primary standard used for this service is a graphite calorimeter and so absorbed dose calibrations must be converted from graphite to water. The conversion factors currently in use were determined prior to the launch of this service in 1988. Since then, it has been found that the differences in inherent filtration between the NPL LINAC and typical clinical machines are large enough to affect absorbed dose calibrations and, since 1992, calibrations have been performed in heavily filtered qualities. The conversion factors for heavily filtered qualities were determined by interpolation and extrapolation of lightly filtered results as a function of tissue phantom ratio 20,10 (TPR20,10). This paper aims to evaluate these factors for all mega-voltage photon energies provided by the NPL LINAC for both lightly and heavily filtered qualities and for 60Co y-radiation in two ways. The first method involves the use of the photon fluence-scaling theorem. This states that if two blocks of different material are irradiated by the same photon beam, and if all dimensions are scaled in the inverse ratio of the electron densities of the two media, then, assuming that all photon interactions occur by Compton scatter the photon attenuation and scatter factors at corresponding scaled points of measurement in the phantom will be identical. The second method involves making in-phantom measurements of chamber response at a constant target-chamber distance. Monte Carlo techniques are then used to determine the corresponding dose to the medium in order to determine the chamber calibration factor directly. Values of the ratio of absorbed dose calibration factors in water and in graphite determined in these two ways agree with each other to within 0.2% (1sigma uncertainty). The best fit

  10. Computational assessment of effective dose and patient specific doses for kilovoltage stereotactic radiosurgery of wet age-related macular degeneration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hanlon, Justin Mitchell

    Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss and a major health problem for people over the age of 50 in industrialized nations. The current standard of care, ranibizumab, is used to help slow and in some cases stabilize the process of AMD, but requires frequent invasive injections into the eye. Interest continues for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), an option that provides a non-invasive treatment for the wet form of AMD, through the development of the IRay(TM) (Oraya Therapeutics, Inc., Newark, CA). The goal of this modality is to destroy choroidal neovascularization beneath the pigment epithelium via delivery of three 100 kVp photon beams entering through the sclera and overlapping on the macula delivering up to 24 Gy of therapeutic dose over a span of approximately 5 minutes. The divergent x-ray beams targeting the fovea are robotically positioned and the eye is gently immobilized by a suction-enabled contact lens. Device development requires assessment of patient effective dose, reference patient mean absorbed doses to radiosensitive tissues, and patient specific doses to the lens and optic nerve. A series of head phantoms, including both reference and patient specific, was derived from CT data and employed in conjunction with the MCNPX 2.5.0 radiation transport code to simulate treatment and evaluate absorbed doses to potential tissues-at-risk. The reference phantoms were used to evaluate effective dose and mean absorbed doses to several radiosensitive tissues. The optic nerve was modeled with changeable positions based on individual patient variability seen in a review of head CT scans gathered. Patient specific phantoms were used to determine the effect of varying anatomy and gaze. The results showed that absorbed doses to the non-targeted tissues were below the threshold levels for serious complications; specifically the development of radiogenic cataracts and radiation induced optic neuropathy (RON). The effective dose

  11. Neutron dose estimation in a zero power nuclear reactor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Triviño, S.; Vedelago, J.; Cantargi, F.; Keil, W.; Figueroa, R.; Mattea, F.; Chautemps, A.; Santibañez, M.; Valente, M.

    2016-10-01

    This work presents the characterization and contribution of neutron and gamma components to the absorbed dose in a zero power nuclear reactor. A dosimetric method based on Fricke gel was implemented to evaluate the separation between dose components in the mixed field. The validation of this proposed method was performed by means of direct measurements of neutron flux in different positions using Au and Mg-Ni activation foils. Monte Carlo simulations were conversely performed using the MCNP main code with a dedicated subroutine to incorporate the exact complete geometry of the nuclear reactor facility. Once nuclear fuel elements were defined, the simulations computed the different contributions to the absorbed dose in specific positions inside the core. Thermal/epithermal contributions of absorbed dose were assessed by means of Fricke gel dosimetry using different isotopic compositions aimed at modifying the sensitivity of the dosimeter for specific dose components. Clear distinctions between gamma and neutron capture dose were obtained. Both Monte Carlo simulations and experimental results provided reliable estimations about neutron flux rate as well as dose rate during the reactor operation. Simulations and experimental results are in good agreement in every positions measured and simulated in the core.

  12. [Investigation of radiation dose for lower tube voltage CT using automatic exposure control].

    PubMed

    Takata, Mitsuo; Matsubara, Kousuke; Koshida, Kichirou; Tarohda, Tohru

    2015-04-01

    The purpose of our study was to investigate radiation dose for lower tube voltage CT using automatic exposure control (AEC). An acrylic body phantom was used, and volume CT dose indices (CTDIvol) for tube voltages of 80, 100, 120, and 135 kV were investigated with combination of AEC. Average absorbed dose in the abdomen for 100 and 120 kV were also measured using thermoluminescence dosimeters. In addition, we examined noise characteristics under the same absorbed doses. As a result, the exposure dose was not decreased even when the tube voltage was lowered, and the organ absorbed dose value became approximately 30% high. And the noise was increased under the radiographic condition to be an equal absorbed dose. Therefore, radiation dose increases when AEC is used for lower tube voltage CT under the same standard deviation (SD) setting with 120 kV, and the optimization of SD setting is crucial.

  13. A feasibility study on the use of phantoms with statistical lung masses for determining the uncertainty in the dose absorbed by the lung from broad beams of incident photons and neutrons

    PubMed Central

    Khankook, Atiyeh Ebrahimi; Hakimabad, Hashem Miri

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Computational models of the human body have gradually become crucial in the evaluation of doses absorbed by organs. However, individuals may differ considerably in terms of organ size and shape. In this study, the authors sought to determine the energy-dependent standard deviations due to lung size of the dose absorbed by the lung during external photon and neutron beam exposures. One hundred lungs with different masses were prepared and located in an adult male International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) reference phantom. Calculations were performed using the Monte Carlo N-particle code version 5 (MCNP5). Variation in the lung mass caused great uncertainty: ~90% for low-energy broad parallel photon beams. However, for high-energy photons, the lung-absorbed dose dependency on the anatomical variation was reduced to <1%. In addition, the results obtained indicated that the discrepancy in the lung-absorbed dose varied from 0.6% to 8% for neutron beam exposure. Consequently, the relationship between absorbed dose and organ volume was found to be significant for low-energy photon sources, whereas for higher energy photon sources the organ-absorbed dose was independent of the organ volume. In the case of neutron beam exposure, the maximum discrepancy (of 8%) occurred in the energy range between 0.1 and 5 MeV. PMID:28077627

  14. SU-F-207-05: Excess Heat Corrections in a Prototype Calorimeter for Direct Realization of CT Absorbed Dose to Phantom

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen-Mayer, H; Tosh, R

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: To reconcile air kerma and calorimetry measurements in a prototype calorimeter for obtaining absorbed dose in diagnostic CT beams. While corrections for thermal artifacts are routine and generally small in calorimetry of radiotherapy beams, large differences in relative stopping powers of calorimeter materials at the lower energies typical of CT beams greatly magnify their effects. Work-to-date on the problem attempts to reconcile laboratory measurements with modeling output from Monte Carlo and finite-element analysis of heat transfer. Methods: Small thermistor beads were embedded in a polystyrene (PS) core element of 1 cm diameter, which was inserted into a cylindrical HDPEmore » phantom of 30 cm diameter and subjected to radiation in a diagnostic CT x-ray imaging system. Resistance changes in the thermistors due to radiation heating were monitored via lock-in amplifier. Multiple 3-second exposures were recorded at 8 different dose-rates from the CT system, and least-squares fits to experimental data were compared to an expected thermal response obtained by finite-element analysis incorporating source terms based on semi-empirical modeling and Monte Carlo simulation. Results: Experimental waveforms exhibited large thermal artifacts with fast time constants, associated with excess heat in wires and glass, and smaller steps attributable to radiation heating of the core material. Preliminary finite-element analysis follows the transient component of the signal qualitatively, but predicts a slower decay of temperature spikes. This was supplemented by non-linear least-squares fits incorporating semi-empirical formulae for heat transfer, which were used to obtain dose-to-PS in reasonable agreement with the output of Monte Carlo calculations that converts air kerma to absorbed dose. Conclusion: Discrepancies between the finite-element analysis and our experimental data testify to the very significant heat transfer correction required for absorbed dose

  15. Verification of Internal Dose Calculations.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aissi, Abdelmadjid

    The MIRD internal dose calculations have been in use for more than 15 years, but their accuracy has always been questionable. There have been attempts to verify these calculations; however, these attempts had various shortcomings which kept the question of verification of the MIRD data still unanswered. The purpose of this research was to develop techniques and methods to verify the MIRD calculations in a more systematic and scientific manner. The research consisted of improving a volumetric dosimeter, developing molding techniques, and adapting the Monte Carlo computer code ALGAM to the experimental conditions and vice versa. The organic dosimetric system contained TLD-100 powder and could be shaped to represent human organs. The dosimeter possessed excellent characteristics for the measurement of internal absorbed doses, even in the case of the lungs. The molding techniques are inexpensive and were used in the fabrication of dosimetric and radioactive source organs. The adaptation of the computer program provided useful theoretical data with which the experimental measurements were compared. The experimental data and the theoretical calculations were compared for 6 source organ-7 target organ configurations. The results of the comparison indicated the existence of an agreement between measured and calculated absorbed doses, when taking into consideration the average uncertainty (16%) of the measurements, and the average coefficient of variation (10%) of the Monte Carlo calculations. However, analysis of the data gave also an indication that the Monte Carlo method might overestimate the internal absorbed doses. Even if the overestimate exists, at least it could be said that the use of the MIRD method in internal dosimetry was shown to lead to no unnecessary exposure to radiation that could be caused by underestimating the absorbed dose. The experimental and the theoretical data were also used to test the validity of the Reciprocity Theorem for heterogeneous

  16. A feasibility study on the use of phantoms with statistical lung masses for determining the uncertainty in the dose absorbed by the lung from broad beams of incident photons and neutrons.

    PubMed

    Khankook, Atiyeh Ebrahimi; Hakimabad, Hashem Miri; Motavalli, Laleh Rafat

    2017-05-01

    Computational models of the human body have gradually become crucial in the evaluation of doses absorbed by organs. However, individuals may differ considerably in terms of organ size and shape. In this study, the authors sought to determine the energy-dependent standard deviations due to lung size of the dose absorbed by the lung during external photon and neutron beam exposures. One hundred lungs with different masses were prepared and located in an adult male International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) reference phantom. Calculations were performed using the Monte Carlo N-particle code version 5 (MCNP5). Variation in the lung mass caused great uncertainty: ~90% for low-energy broad parallel photon beams. However, for high-energy photons, the lung-absorbed dose dependency on the anatomical variation was reduced to <1%. In addition, the results obtained indicated that the discrepancy in the lung-absorbed dose varied from 0.6% to 8% for neutron beam exposure. Consequently, the relationship between absorbed dose and organ volume was found to be significant for low-energy photon sources, whereas for higher energy photon sources the organ-absorbed dose was independent of the organ volume. In the case of neutron beam exposure, the maximum discrepancy (of 8%) occurred in the energy range between 0.1 and 5 MeV. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

  17. Contrast-enhanced radiotherapy: feasibility and characteristics of the physical absorbed dose distribution for deep-seated tumors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garnica-Garza, H. M.

    2009-09-01

    Radiotherapy using kilovoltage x-rays in conjunction with contrast agents incorporated into the tumor, gold nanoparticles in particular, could represent a potential alternative to current techniques based on high-energy linear accelerators. In this paper, using the voxelized Zubal phantom in conjunction with the Monte Carlo code PENELOPE to model a prostate cancer treatment, it is shown that in combination with a 360° arc delivery technique, tumoricidal doses of radiation can be delivered to deep-seated tumors while still providing acceptable doses to the skin and other organs at risk for gold concentrations in the tumor within the range of 7-10 mg-Au per gram of tissue. Under these conditions and using a x-ray beam with 90% of the fluence within the range of 80-200 keV, a 72 Gy physical absorbed dose to the prostate can be delivered, while keeping the rectal wall, bladder, skin and femoral heads below 65 Gy, 55 Gy, 40 Gy and 30 Gy, respectively. However, it is also shown that non-uniformities in the contrast agent concentration lead to a severe degradation of the dose distribution and that, therefore, techniques to locally quantify the presence of the contrast agent would be necessary in order to determine the incident x-ray fluence that best reproduces the dosimetry obtained under conditions of uniform contrast agent distribution.

  18. A Comparison of Model Calculation and Measurement of Absorbed Dose for Proton Irradiation. Chapter 5

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zapp, N.; Semones, E.; Saganti, P.; Cucinotta, F.

    2003-01-01

    With the increase in the amount of time spent EVA that is necessary to complete the construction and subsequent maintenance of ISS, it will become increasingly important for ground support personnel to accurately characterize the radiation exposures incurred by EVA crewmembers. Since exposure measurements cannot be taken within the organs of interest, it is necessary to estimate these exposures by calculation. To validate the methods and tools used to develop these estimates, it is necessary to model experiments performed in a controlled environment. This work is such an effort. A human phantom was outfitted with detector equipment and then placed in American EMU and Orlan-M EVA space suits. The suited phantom was irradiated at the LLUPTF with proton beams of known energies. Absorbed dose measurements were made by the spaceflight operational dosimetrist from JSC at multiple sites in the skin, eye, brain, stomach, and small intestine locations in the phantom. These exposures are then modeled using the BRYNTRN radiation transport code developed at the NASA Langley Research Center, and the CAM (computerized anatomical male) human geometry model of Billings and Yucker. Comparisons of absorbed dose calculations with measurements show excellent agreement. This suggests that there is reason to be confident in the ability of both the transport code and the human body model to estimate proton exposure in ground-based laboratory experiments.

  19. MONTE CARLO STUDY OF THE CARDIAC ABSORBED DOSE DURING X-RAY EXAMINATION OF AN ADULT PATIENT.

    PubMed

    Kadri, O; Manai, K; Alfuraih, A

    2016-12-01

    The computational voxel phantom 'High-Definition Reference Korean-Man (HDRK-Man)' was implemented into the Monte Carlo transport toolkit Geant4. The voxel model, adjusted to the Reference Korean Man, is 171 cm in height and 68 kg in weight and composed of ∼30 million voxels whose size is 1.981 × 1.981 × 2.0854 mm 3 The Geant4 code is then utilised to compute the dose conversion coefficients (DCCs) expressed in absorbed dose per air kerma free in air for >30 tissues and organs, including almost all organs required in the new recommendation of the ICRP 103, due to a broad parallel beam of monoenergetic photons impinging in antero-postero direction with energy ranging from 10 to 150 keV. The computed DCCs of different organs are found to be in good agreement with data published using other simulation codes. Also, the influence of patient size on DCC values was investigated for a representative body size of the adult Korean patient population. The study was performed using five different sizes covering the range of 0.8-1.2 magnification order of the original HDRK-Man. It focussed on the computation of DCC for the human heart. Moreover, the provided DCCs were used to present an analytical parameterisation for the calculation of the cardiac absorbed dose for any arbitrary X-ray spectrum and for those patient sizes. Thus, the present work can be considered as an enhancement of the continuous studies performed by medical physicist as part of quality control tests and radiation protection dosimetry. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Cosmic ray LET spectra and doses on board Cosmos-2044 biosatellite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dudkin, V. E.; Kovalev, E. E.; Potapov, Y. V.; Benton, E. V.; Frank, A. L.; Benton, E. R.; Watts, J. W. Jr; Parnell, T. A.; Schopper, E.; Baican, B.; hide

    1992-01-01

    Results of the experiments on board Cosmos-2044 (Biosatellite 9) are presented. Various nuclear track detectors (NTD) (dielectric, AgCl-based, nuclear emulsions) were used to obtain the LET spectra inside and outside the satellite. The spectra from the different NTDs have proved to be in general agreement. The results of LET spectra calculations using two different models are also presented. The resultant LET distributions are used to calculate the absorbed and equivalent doses and the orbit-averaged quality factors (QF) of the cosmic rays (CR). Absorbed dose rates inside (approximately 20 g cm-2 shielding) and outside (1 g cm-2) the spacecraft, omitting electrons, were found to be 4.8 and 8.6 mrad d-1, respectively, while the corresponding equivalent doses were 8.8 and 19.7 mrem d-1. The effects of the flight parameters on the total fluence of, and on the dose from, the CR particles are analyzed. Integral dose distributions of the detected particles are also determined. The LET values which separate absorbed and equivalent doses into 50% intervals are estimated. The CR-39 dielectric NTD is shown to detect 20-30% of the absorbed dose and 60-70% of the equivalent dose in the Cosmos-2044 orbit. The influence of solar activity phase on the magnitude of CR flux is discussed.

  1. Cosmic ray LET spectra and doses on board Cosmos-2044 biosatellite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Watts, J. W., Jr.; Parnell, T. A.; Dudkin, V. E.; Kovalev, E. E.; Potapov, Yu. V.; Benton, E. V.; Frank, A. L.; Benton, E. R.; Beaujean, R.; Heilmann, C.

    1995-01-01

    Results of the experiments on board Cosmos-2044 (Biosatellite 9) are presented. Various nuclear track detectors (NTD) (dielectric, AgCl-based, nuclear emulsions) were used to obtain the Linear Energy Transfer (LET) spectra inside and outside the satellite. The spectra from the different NTDs have proved to be in general agreement. The results of LET spectra calculations using two different models are also presented. The resultant LET distributions are used to calculate the absorbed and equivalent doses and the orbit-averaged quality factors (QF) of the cosmic rays (CR). Absorbed dose rates inside (approximately 20 g cm (exp -2) shielding) and outside (1 g cm(exp -2) the spacecraft, omitting electrons, were found to be 4.8 and 8.6 mrad d (exp -1), respectively, while the corresponding equivalent doses were 8.8 and 19.7 mrem d(exp -1). The effects of the flight parameters on the total fluence of, and on the dose from the CR particles are analyzed. Integral dose distributions of the detected particles are also determined. The LET values which separate absorbed and equivalent doses into 50% intervals are estimated. The CR-39 dielectric NTD is shown to detect 20-30% of the absorbed dose and 60-70% of the equivalent dose in the Cosmos-2044 orbit. The influence of solar activity phase on the magnitude of CR flux is discussed.

  2. Dose distribution for dental cone beam CT and its implication for defining a dose index

    PubMed Central

    Pauwels, R; Theodorakou, C; Walker, A; Bosmans, H; Jacobs, R; Horner, K; Bogaerts, R

    2012-01-01

    Objectives To characterize the dose distribution for a range of cone beam CT (CBCT) units, investigating different field of view sizes, central and off-axis geometries, full or partial rotations of the X-ray tube and different clinically applied beam qualities. The implications of the dose distributions on the definition and practicality of a CBCT dose index were assessed. Methods Dose measurements on CBCT devices were performed by scanning cylindrical head-size water and polymethyl methacrylate phantoms, using thermoluminescent dosemeters, a small-volume ion chamber and radiochromic films. Results It was found that the dose distribution can be asymmetrical for dental CBCT exposures throughout a homogeneous phantom, owing to an asymmetrical positioning of the isocentre and/or partial rotation of the X-ray source. Furthermore, the scatter tail along the z-axis was found to have a distinct shape, generally resulting in a strong drop (90%) in absorbed dose outside the primary beam. Conclusions There is no optimal dose index available owing to the complicated exposure geometry of CBCT and the practical aspects of quality control measurements. Practical validation of different possible dose indices is needed, as well as the definition of conversion factors to patient dose. PMID:22752320

  3. Fluence-to-Absorbed Dose Conversion Coefficients for Use in Radiological Protection of Embryo and Foetus Against External Exposure to Muons from 20MeV to 50GeV

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen Jing

    2008-08-07

    This study used the Monte-Carlo code MCNPX to determine mean absorbed doses to the embryo and foetus when the mother is exposed to external muon fields. Monoenergetic muons ranging from 20 MeV to 50 GeV were considered. The irradiation geometries include anteroposterior (AP), postero-anterior (PA), lateral (LAT), rotational (ROT), isotropic (ISO), and top-down (TOP). At each of these irradiation geometries, absorbed doses to the foetal body were calculated for the embryo of 8 weeks and the foetus of 3, 6 or 9 months, respectively. Muon fluence-to-absorbed-dose conversion coefficients were derived for the four prenatal ages. Since such conversion coefficients aremore » yet unknown, the results presented here fill a data gap.« less

  4. Using LiF:Mg,Cu,P TLDs to estimate the absorbed dose to water in liquid water around an 192Ir brachytherapy source.

    PubMed

    Lucas, P Avilés; Aubineau-Lanièce, I; Lourenço, V; Vermesse, D; Cutarella, D

    2014-01-01

    The absorbed dose to water is the fundamental reference quantity for brachytherapy treatment planning systems and thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs) have been recognized as the most validated detectors for measurement of such a dosimetric descriptor. The detector response in a wide energy spectrum as that of an (192)Ir brachytherapy source as well as the specific measurement medium which surrounds the TLD need to be accounted for when estimating the absorbed dose. This paper develops a methodology based on highly sensitive LiF:Mg,Cu,P TLDs to directly estimate the absorbed dose to water in liquid water around a high dose rate (192)Ir brachytherapy source. Different experimental designs in liquid water and air were constructed to study the response of LiF:Mg,Cu,P TLDs when irradiated in several standard photon beams of the LNE-LNHB (French national metrology laboratory for ionizing radiation). Measurement strategies and Monte Carlo techniques were developed to calibrate the LiF:Mg,Cu,P detectors in the energy interval characteristic of that found when TLDs are immersed in water around an (192)Ir source. Finally, an experimental system was designed to irradiate TLDs at different angles between 1 and 11 cm away from an (192)Ir source in liquid water. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to correct measured results to provide estimates of the absorbed dose to water in water around the (192)Ir source. The dose response dependence of LiF:Mg,Cu,P TLDs with the linear energy transfer of secondary electrons followed the same variations as those of published results. The calibration strategy which used TLDs in air exposed to a standard N-250 ISO x-ray beam and TLDs in water irradiated with a standard (137)Cs beam provided an estimated mean uncertainty of 2.8% (k = 1) in the TLD calibration coefficient for irradiations by the (192)Ir source in water. The 3D TLD measurements performed in liquid water were obtained with a maximum uncertainty of 11% (k = 1) found at 1 cm

  5. [An investigation of ionizing radiation dose in a manufacturing enterprise of ion-absorbing type rare earth ore].

    PubMed

    Zhang, W F; Tang, S H; Tan, Q; Liu, Y M

    2016-08-20

    Objective: To investigate radioactive source term dose monitoring and estimation results in a manufacturing enterprise of ion-absorbing type rare earth ore and the possible ionizing radiation dose received by its workers. Methods: Ionizing radiation monitoring data of the posts in the control area and supervised area of workplace were collected, and the annual average effective dose directly estimated or estimated using formulas was evaluated and analyzed. Results: In the control area and supervised area of the workplace for this rare earth ore, α surface contamination activity had a maximum value of 0.35 Bq/cm 2 and a minimum value of 0.01 Bq/cm 2 ; β radioactive surface contamination activity had a maximum value of 18.8 Bq/cm 2 and a minimum value of 0.22 Bq/cm 2 . In 14 monitoring points in the workplace, the maximum value of the annual average effective dose of occupational exposure was 1.641 mSv/a, which did not exceed the authorized limit for workers (5 mSv/a) , but exceeded the authorized limit for general personnel (0.25 mSv/a) . The radionuclide specific activity of ionic mixed rare earth oxides was determined to be 0.9. Conclusion: The annual average effective dose of occupational exposure in this enterprise does not exceed the authorized limit for workers, but it exceeds the authorized limit for general personnel. We should pay attention to the focus of the radiation process, especially for public works radiation.

  6. Characterization of Thymol blue Radiochromic dosimeters for high dose applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aldweri, Feras M.; Abuzayed, Manar H.; Al-Ajaleen, Musab S.; Rabaeh, Khalid A.

    2018-03-01

    Thymol blue (TB) solutions and Thymol blue Polyvinyl Alcohol (TB-PVA) films have been introduced as Radiochromic dosimeter for high dose applications. The dosimeters were irradiated with gamma ray (60Co source) from 5 to 30 kGy for film, and from 0.150 kGy to 4 kGy for solution. The optical density of unirradiated and irradiated TB solution as well as TB-PVA film dosimeters were studied in terms of absorbance at 434 nm using UV/VIS spectrophotometer. The effects of scan temperature, light pre-gamma irradiation, dose rate, relative humidity and stability of the absorbance of solutions and films after irradiation were investigated. We found the dose sensitivity of TB solution and TB-PVA film dosimeters increases significantly with increases of the absorbed dose as well as with the increases of TB dye concentrations. The useful dose range of developed TB solutions and TB-PVA films dosimeters is in the range 0.125-1 kGy and of 5-20 kGy, respectively.

  7. Neutron fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients for embryo and fetus.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jing; Meyerhof, Dorothy; Vlahovich, Slavica

    2004-01-01

    A problem of concern in radiation protection is the exposure of pregnant women to ionising radiation, because of the high radiosensitivity of the embryo and fetus. External neutron exposure is of concern when pregnant women travel by aeroplane. Dose assessments for neutrons frequently rely on fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients. While neutron fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients for adults are recommended in International Commission on Radiological Protection publications and International Commission on Radiological Units and Measurements reports, conversion coefficients for embryos and fetuses are not given in the publications. This study undertakes Monte Carlo calculations to determine the mean absorbed doses to the embryo and fetus when the mother is exposed to neutron fields. A new set of mathematical models for the embryo and fetus has been developed at Health Canada and is used together with mathematical phantoms of a pregnant female developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Monoenergetic neutrons from 1 eV to 10 MeV are considered in this study. The irradiation geometries include antero-posterior (AP), postero-anterior (PA), lateral (LAT), rotational (ROT) and isotropic (ISO) geometries. At each of these standard irradiation geometries, absorbed doses to the fetal brain and body are calculated; for the embryo at 8 weeks and the fetus at 3, 6 or 9 months. Neutron fluence-to-absorbed dose conversion coefficients are derived for the four age groups. Neutron fluence-to-equivalent dose conversion coefficients are given for the AP irradiations which yield the highest radiation dose to the fetal body in the neutron energy range considered here. The results indicate that for neutrons <10 MeV more protection should be given to pregnant women in the first trimester due to the higher absorbed dose per unit neutron fluence to the fetus.

  8. Dose Calculations for [131I] Meta-Iodobenzylguanidine-Induced Bystander Effects

    PubMed Central

    Gow, M. D.; Seymour, C. B.; Boyd, M.; Mairs, R. J.; Prestiwch, W. V.; Mothersill, C. E.

    2014-01-01

    Targeted radiotherapy is a potentially useful treatment for some cancers and may be potentiated by bystander effects. However, without estimation of absorbed dose, it is difficult to compare the effects with conventional external radiation treatment. Methods: Using the Vynckier – Wambersie dose point kernel, a model for dose rate evaluation was created allowing for calculation of absorbed dose values to two cell lines transfected with the noradrenaline transporter (NAT) gene and treated with [131I]MIBG. Results: The mean doses required to decrease surviving fractions of UVW/NAT and EJ138/NAT cells, which received medium from [131I]MIBG-treated cells, to 25 – 30% were 1.6 and 1.7 Gy respectively. The maximum mean dose rates achieved during [131I]MIBG treatment were 0.09 – 0.75 Gy/h for UVW/NAT and 0.07 – 0.78 Gy/h for EJ138/NAT. These were significantly lower than the external beam gamma radiation dose rate of 15 Gy/h. In the case of control lines which were incapable of [131I]MIBG uptake the mean absorbed doses following radiopharmaceutical were 0.03 – 0.23 Gy for UVW and 0.03 – 0.32 Gy for EJ138. Conclusion: [131I]MIBG treatment for ICCM production elicited a bystander dose-response profile similar to that generated by external beam gamma irradiation but with significantly greater cell death. PMID:24659931

  9. Interferometer-Based Calorimetric Measurements of Absorbed Dose to Water in External Beam Radiotherapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Flores-Martinez, Everardo

    Calorimetry is often used to establish high-energy photon absorbed dose to water (ADW) primary standards as calorimetry is a direct measurement of the energy imparted to the water by ionizing radiation. Current calorimeters use thermistors to establish national standards but there is the possibility of systematic errors in these instruments because thermistors overheat due to their low heat capacity. For this reason, there has been renewed interest in using alternative temperature measurement techniques, especially those that do not require a mechanical probe. Interferometer-based thermometry is a technique that exploits the temperature dependence of the refractive index of water and can be used as an alternative method for temperature measurement in radiation calorimetry. A distinctive advantage of the use of interferometry for radiation calorimetry is the capability of obtaining 2D or 3D temperature/dose distributions. Compared to thermistor-based measurements, the use of interferometer-based ADW measurements has been limited by the low measurement resolution. Optimized setups with higher accuracy and precision are necessary to perform measurements at clinically relevant dose rates. A calorimeter for thermistor-based ADW measurements was developed. The instrument was used to measure thermal drifts and noise were measured using the instrument in a water phantom. Residual thermal drifts were accounted for by using a three-step measurement protocol. Additionally, the instrument was used to measure ADW from a 6MV photon beam from a medical linear accelerator. A Michelson-type interferometer was built, characterized, and placed inside the calorimeter with the water phantom at the reference arm. Interferometer and phantom temperature fluctuations were minimized by means of the passive thermal control provide by the calorimeter enclosure, leading to increased fringe pattern stability. The interferometer characterization included phase shift measurements induced by

  10. Efficacy of a radiation absorbing shield in reducing dose to the interventionalist during peripheral endovascular procedures: a single centre pilot study.

    PubMed

    Power, S; Mirza, M; Thakorlal, A; Ganai, B; Gavagan, L D; Given, M F; Lee, M J

    2015-06-01

    This prospective pilot study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of using a radiation absorbing shield to reduce operator dose from scatter during lower limb endovascular procedures. A commercially available bismuth shield system (RADPAD) was used. Sixty consecutive patients undergoing lower limb angioplasty were included. Thirty procedures were performed without the RADPAD (control group) and thirty with the RADPAD (study group). Two separate methods were used to measure dose to a single operator. Thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) badges were used to measure hand, eye, and unshielded body dose. A direct dosimeter with digital readout was also used to measure eye and unshielded body dose. To allow for variation between control and study groups, dose per unit time was calculated. TLD results demonstrated a significant reduction in median body dose per unit time for the study group compared with controls (p = 0.001), corresponding to a mean dose reduction rate of 65 %. Median eye and hand dose per unit time were also reduced in the study group compared with control group, however, this was not statistically significant (p = 0.081 for eye, p = 0.628 for hand). Direct dosimeter readings also showed statistically significant reduction in median unshielded body dose rate for the study group compared with controls (p = 0.037). Eye dose rate was reduced for the study group but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.142). Initial results are encouraging. Use of the shield resulted in a statistically significant reduction in unshielded dose to the operator's body. Measured dose to the eye and hand of operator were also reduced but did not reach statistical significance in this pilot study.

  11. SU-E-T-204: Comparison of Absorbed-Dose to Water in High-Energy Photon Beams Based On Addendum AAPM TG-51, IAEA TRS-398, and JSMP 12

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kinoshita, N; Kita, A; Yoshioka, C

    Purpose: Several clinical reference dosimetry protocols for absorbed-dose to water have recently been published: The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) published an Addendum to the AAPM’s TG-51 (Addendum TG-51) in April 2014, and the Japan Society of Medical Physics (JSMP) published the Japan Society of Medical Physics 12 (JSMP12), a clinical reference dosimetry protocol, in September 2012. This investigation compared and evaluated the absorbed-dose to water of high-energy photon beams according to Addendum TG-51, International Atomic Energy Agency Technical Report Series No. 398 (TRS-398), and JSMP12. Methods: Differences in the respective beam quality conversion factors with Addendum TG-51,more » TRS-398, and JSMP12 were analyzed and the absorbed-dose to water using 6- and 10-MV photon beams was measured according to the protocols recommended in Addendum TG-51, TRS-398, and JSMP12. The measurements were conducted using two Farmer-type ionization chambers, Exradin A12 and PTW 30013. Results: The beam quality conversion factors for both the 6- and 10-MV photon beams with Addendum TG-51 were within 0.6%, in agreement with the beam quality conversion factors with TRS-398 and JSMP12. The Exradin A12 provided an absorbed-dose to water ratio from 1.003 to 1.006 with TRS-398 / Addendum TG-51 and from 1.004 to 1.005 with JSMP 12 / Addendum TG-51, whereas the PTW 30013 provided a ratio of 1.001 with TRS-398 / Addendum TG-51 and a range from 0.997 to 0.999 with JSMP 12 / Addendum TG-51. Conclusion: Despite differences in the beam quality conversion factor, no major differences were seen in the absorbed-dose to water with Addendum TG-51, TRS-398, and JSMP12. However, Addendum TG-51 provides the most recent data for beam quality conversion factors based on Monte Carlo simulation and greater detail for the measurement protocol. Therefore, the absorbed-dose to water measured with Addendum TG-51 is an estimate with less uncertainty.« less

  12. Assessment of the actual light dose in photodynamic therapy.

    PubMed

    Schaberle, Fabio A

    2018-06-09

    Photodynamic therapy (PDT) initiates with the absorption of light, which depends on the spectral overlap between the light source emission and the photosensitizer absorption, resulting in the number of photons absorbed, the key parameter starting PDT processes. Most papers report light doses regardless if the light is only partially absorbed or shifted relatively to the absorption peak, misleading the actual light dose value and not allowing quantitative comparisons between photosensitizers and light sources. In this manuscript a method is presented to calculate the actual light dose delivered by any light source for a given photosensitizer. This method allows comparing light doses delivered for any combination of light source (broad or narrow band or daylight) and photosensitizer. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Cytogenetic effect of low dose gamma-radiation in Hordeum vulgare seedlings: non-linear dose-effect relationship.

    PubMed

    Geras'kin, Stanislav A; Oudalova, Alla A; Kim, Jin Kyu; Dikarev, Vladimir G; Dikareva, Nina S

    2007-03-01

    The induction of chromosome aberrations in Hordeum vulgare germinated seeds was studied after ionizing irradiation with doses in the range of 10-1,000 mGy. The relationship between the frequency of aberrant cells and the absorbed dose was found to be nonlinear. A dose-independent plateau in the dose range from about 50 to 500 mGy was observed, where the level of cytogenetic damage was significantly different from the spontaneous level. The comparison of the goodness of the experimental data fitting with mathematical models of different complexity, using the most common quantitative criteria, demonstrated the advantage of a piecewise linear model over linear and polynomial models in approximating the frequency of cytogenetical disturbances. The results of the study support the hypothesis of indirect mechanisms of mutagenesis induced by low doses. Fundamental and applied implications of these findings are discussed.

  14. Dose Assessments to the Hands of Radiopharmaceutical Workers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ilas, Dan; Eckerman, Keith F; Sherbini, Sami

    This paper describes the characterization of radiation doses to the hands of nuclear medicine technicians resulting from the handling of radiopharmaceuticals. Radiation monitoring using ring dosimeters indicates that finger dosimeters may overestimate or underestimate the radiation doses to the skin that are used to show compliance with applicable regulations depending on the nature of the particular procedure and the radioisotope being handled. To better understand the parameters governing the absorbed dose distributions, a detailed model of the hands was created and used in Monte Carlo simulations of selected nuclear medicine procedures. Simulations on realistic configurations typical for workers handling radiopharmaceuticalsmore » were performed for a range of energies of the source photons. The lack of charged-particle equilibrium necessitated full photon-electron coupled transport calculations. The results show that the dose to different regions of the fingers can differ substantially from the dosimeters' readings when the dosimeters are located at the base of the finger. We tried to identify consistent patterns that relate the actual dose to the dosimeter readings. These patterns depend on the specific work conditions and can be used to better assess the absorbed dose to different regions of the exposed skin.« less

  15. Bayesian estimation of dose thresholds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Groer, P. G.; Carnes, B. A.

    2003-01-01

    An example is described of Bayesian estimation of radiation absorbed dose thresholds (subsequently simply referred to as dose thresholds) using a specific parametric model applied to a data set on mice exposed to 60Co gamma rays and fission neutrons. A Weibull based relative risk model with a dose threshold parameter was used to analyse, as an example, lung cancer mortality and determine the posterior density for the threshold dose after single exposures to 60Co gamma rays or fission neutrons from the JANUS reactor at Argonne National Laboratory. The data consisted of survival, censoring times and cause of death information for male B6CF1 unexposed and exposed mice. The 60Co gamma whole-body doses for the two exposed groups were 0.86 and 1.37 Gy. The neutron whole-body doses were 0.19 and 0.38 Gy. Marginal posterior densities for the dose thresholds for neutron and gamma radiation were calculated with numerical integration and found to have quite different shapes. The density of the threshold for 60Co is unimodal with a mode at about 0.50 Gy. The threshold density for fission neutrons declines monotonically from a maximum value at zero with increasing doses. The posterior densities for all other parameters were similar for the two radiation types.

  16. Organ dose measurement using Optically Stimulated Luminescence Detector (OSLD) during CT examination

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yusuf, Muhammad; Alothmany, Nazeeh; Abdulrahman Kinsara, Abdulraheem

    2017-10-01

    This study provides detailed information regarding the imaging doses to patient radiosensitive organs from a kilovoltage computed tomography (CT) scan procedure using OSLD. The study reports discrepancies between the measured dose and the calculated dose from the ImPACT scan, as well as a comparison with the dose from a chest X-ray radiography procedure. OSLDs were inserted in several organs, including the brain, eyes, thyroid, lung, heart, spinal cord, breast, spleen, stomach, liver and ovaries, of the RANDO phantom. Standard clinical scanning protocols were used for each individual site, including the brain, thyroid, lung, breast, stomach, liver and ovaries. The measured absorbed doses were then compared with the simulated dose obtained from the ImPACT scan. Additionally, the equivalent doses for each organ were calculated and compared with the dose from a chest X-ray radiography procedure. Absorbed organ doses measured by OSLD in the RANDO phantom of up to 17 mGy depend on the organ scanned and the scanning protocols used. A maximum 9.82% difference was observed between the target organ dose measured by OSLD and the results from the ImPACT scan. The maximum equivalent organ dose measured during this experiment was equal to 99.899 times the equivalent dose from a chest X-ray radiography procedure. The discrepancies between the measured dose with the OSLD and the calculated dose from the ImPACT scan were within 10%. This report recommends the use of OSLD for measuring the absorbed organ dose during CT examination.

  17. Absorbed Dose Rate Due to Intake of Natural Radionuclides by Tilapia Fish (Tilapia nilotica,Linnaeus, 1758) Estimated Near Uranium Mining at Caetite, Bahia, Brazil

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pereira, Wagner de S; Universidade Federal Fluminense, Programa de Pos-graduacao em Biologia Marinha; Kelecom, Alphonse

    2008-08-07

    The uranium mining at Caetite (Uranium Concentrate Unit--URA) is in its operational phase. Aiming to estimate the radiological environmental impact of the URA, a monitoring program is underway. In order to preserve the biota of the deleterious effects from radiation and to act in a pro-active way as expected from a licensing body, the present work aims to use an environmental protection methodology based on the calculation of absorbed dose rate in biota. Thus, selected target organism was the Tilapia fish (Tilapia nilotica, Linnaeus, 1758) and the radionuclides were: uranium (U-238), thorium (Th-232), radium (Ra-226 and Ra-228) and lead (Pb-210).more » As, in Brazil there are no radiation exposure limits adopted for biota the value proposed by the Department of Energy (DOE) of the United States of 3.5x10{sup 3} {mu}Gy y{sup -1} has been used. The derived absorbed dose rate calculated for Tilapia was 2.51x10{sup 0} {mu}Gy y{sup -1}, that is less than 0.1% of the dose limit established by DOE. The critical radionuclide was Ra-226, with 56% of the absorbed dose rate, followed by U-238 with 34% and Th-232 with 9%. This value of 0.1% of the limit allows to state that, in the operational conditions analyzed, natural radionuclides do not represent a radiological problem to biota.« less

  18. Absorbed Dose Rate Due to Intake of Natural Radionuclides by Tilapia Fish (Tilapia nilotica,Linnaeus, 1758) Estimated Near Uranium Mining at Caetité, Bahia, Brazil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pereira, Wagner de S.; Kelecom, Alphonse; Py Júnior, Delcy de Azevedo

    2008-08-01

    The uranium mining at Caetité (Uranium Concentrate Unit—URA) is in its operational phase. Aiming to estimate the radiological environmental impact of the URA, a monitoring program is underway. In order to preserve the biota of the deleterious effects from radiation and to act in a pro-active way as expected from a licensing body, the present work aims to use an environmental protection methodology based on the calculation of absorbed dose rate in biota. Thus, selected target organism was the Tilapia fish (Tilapia nilotica, Linnaeus, 1758) and the radionuclides were: uranium (U-238), thorium (Th-232), radium (Ra-226 and Ra-228) and lead (Pb-210). As, in Brazil there are no radiation exposure limits adopted for biota the value proposed by the Department of Energy (DOE) of the United States of 3.5×103 μGy y-1 has been used. The derived absorbed dose rate calculated for Tilapia was 2.51×100 μGy y-1, that is less than 0.1% of the dose limit established by DOE. The critical radionuclide was Ra-226, with 56% of the absorbed dose rate, followed by U-238 with 34% and Th-232 with 9%. This value of 0.1% of the limit allows to state that, in the operational conditions analyzed, natural radionuclides do not represent a radiological problem to biota.

  19. Efficacy of a Radiation Absorbing Shield in Reducing Dose to the Interventionalist During Peripheral Endovascular Procedures: A Single Centre Pilot Study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Power, S.; Mirza, M.; Thakorlal, A.

    PurposeThis prospective pilot study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of using a radiation absorbing shield to reduce operator dose from scatter during lower limb endovascular procedures.Materials and MethodsA commercially available bismuth shield system (RADPAD) was used. Sixty consecutive patients undergoing lower limb angioplasty were included. Thirty procedures were performed without the RADPAD (control group) and thirty with the RADPAD (study group). Two separate methods were used to measure dose to a single operator. Thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) badges were used to measure hand, eye, and unshielded body dose. A direct dosimeter with digital readout was also used tomore » measure eye and unshielded body dose. To allow for variation between control and study groups, dose per unit time was calculated.ResultsTLD results demonstrated a significant reduction in median body dose per unit time for the study group compared with controls (p = 0.001), corresponding to a mean dose reduction rate of 65 %. Median eye and hand dose per unit time were also reduced in the study group compared with control group, however, this was not statistically significant (p = 0.081 for eye, p = 0.628 for hand). Direct dosimeter readings also showed statistically significant reduction in median unshielded body dose rate for the study group compared with controls (p = 0.037). Eye dose rate was reduced for the study group but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.142).ConclusionInitial results are encouraging. Use of the shield resulted in a statistically significant reduction in unshielded dose to the operator’s body. Measured dose to the eye and hand of operator were also reduced but did not reach statistical significance in this pilot study.« less

  20. Ir-192 HDR transit dose and radial dose function determination using alanine/EPR dosimetry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guzmán Calcina, Carmen S.; de Almeida, Adelaide; Oliveira Rocha, José R.; Abrego, Felipe Chen; Baffa, Oswaldo

    2005-03-01

    Source positioning close to the tumour in high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is not instantaneous. An increment of dose will be delivered during the movement of the source in the trajectory to its static position. This increment is the transit dose, often not taken into account in brachytherapeutic treatment planning. The transit dose depends on the prescribed dose, number of treatment fractions, velocity and activity of the source. Combining all these factors, the transit dose can be 5% higher than the prescribed absorbed dose value (Sang-Hyun and Muller-Runkel, 1994 Phys. Med. Biol. 39 1181 8, Nath et al 1995 Med. Phys. 22 209 34). However, it cannot exceed this percentage (Nath et al 1995). In this work, we use the alanine-EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) dosimetric system using analysis of the first derivative of the signal. The transit dose was evaluated for an HDR system and is consistent with that already presented for TLD dosimeters (Bastin et al 1993 Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 26 695 702). Also using the same dosimetric system, the radial dose function, used to evaluate the geometric dose degradation around the source, was determined and its behaviour agrees better with those obtained by Monte Carlo simulations (Nath et al 1995, Williamson and Nath 1991 Med. Phys. 18 434 48, Ballester et al 1997 Med. Phys. 24 1221 8, Ballester et al 2001 Phys. Med. Biol. 46 N79 90) than with TLD measurements (Nath et al 1990 Med. Phys. 17 1032 40).

  1. Ir-192 HDR transit dose and radial dose function determination using alanine/EPR dosimetry.

    PubMed

    Calcina, Carmen S Guzmán; de Almeida, Adelaide; Rocha, José R Oliveira; Abrego, Felipe Chen; Baffa, Oswaldo

    2005-03-21

    Source positioning close to the tumour in high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is not instantaneous. An increment of dose will be delivered during the movement of the source in the trajectory to its static position. This increment is the transit dose, often not taken into account in brachytherapeutic treatment planning. The transit dose depends on the prescribed dose, number of treatment fractions, velocity and activity of the source. Combining all these factors, the transit dose can be 5% higher than the prescribed absorbed dose value (Sang-Hyun and Muller-Runkel, 1994 Phys. Med. Biol. 39 1181-8, Nath et al 1995 Med. Phys. 22 209-34). However, it cannot exceed this percentage (Nath et al 1995). In this work, we use the alanine-EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) dosimetric system using analysis of the first derivative of the signal. The transit dose was evaluated for an HDR system and is consistent with that already presented for TLD dosimeters (Bastin et al 1993 Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 26 695-702). Also using the same dosimetric system, the radial dose function, used to evaluate the geometric dose degradation around the source, was determined and its behaviour agrees better with those obtained by Monte Carlo simulations (Nath et al 1995, Williamson and Nath 1991 Med. Phys. 18 434-48, Ballester et al 1997 Med. Phys. 24 1221-8, Ballester et al 2001 Phys. Med. Biol. 46 N79-90) than with TLD measurements (Nath et al 1990 Med. Phys. 17 1032-40).

  2. Response Funtions for Computing Absorbed Dose to Skeletal Tissues from Photon Irradiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Eckerman, Keith F; Bolch, W E; Zankl, M

    2007-01-01

    The calculation of absorbed dose in skeletal tissues at radiogenic risk has been a difficult problem because the relevant structures cannot be represented in conventional geometric terms nor can they be visualised in the tomographic image data used to define the computational models of the human body. The active marrow, the tissue of concern in leukaemia induction, is present within the spongiosa regions of trabecular bone, whereas the osteoprogenitor cells at risk for bone cancer induction are considered to be within the soft tissues adjacent to the mineral surfaces. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommends averaging the absorbedmore » energy over the active marrow within the spongiosa and over the soft tissues within 10 mm of the mineral surface for leukaemia and bone cancer induction, respectively. In its forthcoming recommendation, it is expected that the latter guidance will be changed to include soft tissues within 50 mm of the mineral surfaces. To address the computational problems, the skeleton of the proposed ICRP reference computational phantom has been subdivided to identify those voxels associated with cortical shell, spongiosa and the medullary cavity of the long bones. It is further proposed that the Monte Carlo calculations with these phantoms compute the energy deposition in the skeletal target tissues as the product of the particle fluence in the skeletal subdivisions and applicable fluence-to-dose response functions. This paper outlines the development of such response functions for photons.« less

  3. Investigation of the Entrance Surface Dose and Dose to Different Organs in Lumbar Spine Imaging

    PubMed Central

    Sina, S; Zeinali, B; Karimipoorfard, M; Lotfalizadeh, F; Sadeghi, M; Zamani, E; Faghihi, R

    2014-01-01

    Background: Dose assessment using proper dosimeters is especially important in radiation protection optimization and imaging justification in diagnostic radiology. Objective: The aim of this study is to obtain the Entrance Skin Dose (ESD) of patients undergoing lumbar spine imaging using two thermoluminescence dosimeters TLD-100 (LiF: Mg, Ti) and GR-200 (LiF: Mg, Cu, P) and also to obtain the absorbed dose to different organs in lumbar spine imaging with several views. Methods: To measure the ESD values of the patients undergoing lumbar spine imaging, the two TLD types were put on their skin surface. The ESD values for different views of lumbar spine imaging were also measured by putting the TLDs at the surface of the Rando phantom. Several TLD chips were inserted inside different organs of Rando phantom to measure the absorbed dose to different organs in lumbar spine imaging. Results: The results indicate that there is a close agreement between the results of the two dosimeters. Based on the results of this experiment, the ESD dose of the 16 patients included in this study varied between 2.71 mGy and 26.29 mGy with the average of 11.89 mGy for TLD-100, and between 2.55 mGy and 27.41 mGy with the average of 12.32 mGy for GR-200 measurements. The ESDs obtained by putting the two types of TLDs at the surface of Rando phantom are in close agreement. Conclusion: According to the results, the GR200 has greater sensitivity than the TLD-100. PMID:25599058

  4. Role of shielding in modulating the effects of solar particle events: Monte Carlo calculation of absorbed dose and DNA complex lesions in different organs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ballarini, F.; Biaggi, M.; De Biaggi, L.; Ferrari, A.; Ottolenghi, A.; Panzarasa, A.; Paretzke, H. G.; Pelliccioni, M.; Sala, P.; Scannicchio, D.; hide

    2004-01-01

    Distributions of absorbed dose and DNA clustered damage yields in various organs and tissues following the October 1989 solar particle event (SPE) were calculated by coupling the FLUKA Monte Carlo transport code with two anthropomorphic phantoms (a mathematical model and a voxel model), with the main aim of quantifying the role of the shielding features in modulating organ doses. The phantoms, which were assumed to be in deep space, were inserted into a shielding box of variable thickness and material and were irradiated with the proton spectra of the October 1989 event. Average numbers of DNA lesions per cell in different organs were calculated by adopting a technique already tested in previous works, consisting of integrating into "condensed-history" Monte Carlo transport codes--such as FLUKA--yields of radiobiological damage, either calculated with "event-by-event" track structure simulations, or taken from experimental works available in the literature. More specifically, the yields of "Complex Lesions" (or "CL", defined and calculated as a clustered DNA damage in a previous work) per unit dose and DNA mass (CL Gy-1 Da-1) due to the various beam components, including those derived from nuclear interactions with the shielding and the human body, were integrated in FLUKA. This provided spatial distributions of CL/cell yields in different organs, as well as distributions of absorbed doses. The contributions of primary protons and secondary hadrons were calculated separately, and the simulations were repeated for values of Al shielding thickness ranging between 1 and 20 g/cm2. Slight differences were found between the two phantom types. Skin and eye lenses were found to receive larger doses with respect to internal organs; however, shielding was more effective for skin and lenses. Secondary particles arising from nuclear interactions were found to have a minor role, although their relative contribution was found to be larger for the Complex Lesions than for the

  5. Role of shielding in modulating the effects of solar particle events: Monte Carlo calculation of absorbed dose and DNA complex lesions in different organs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ballarini, F.; Biaggi, M.; De Biaggi, L.; Ferrari, A.; Ottolenghi, A.; Panzarasa, A.; Paretzke, H. G.; Pelliccioni, M.; Sala, P.; Scannicchio, D.; Zankl, M.

    2004-01-01

    Distributions of absorbed dose and DNA clustered damage yields in various organs and tissues following the October 1989 solar particle event (SPE) were calculated by coupling the FLUKA Monte Carlo transport code with two anthropomorphic phantoms (a mathematical model and a voxel model), with the main aim of quantifying the role of the shielding features in modulating organ doses. The phantoms, which were assumed to be in deep space, were inserted into a shielding box of variable thickness and material and were irradiated with the proton spectra of the October 1989 event. Average numbers of DNA lesions per cell in different organs were calculated by adopting a technique already tested in previous works, consisting of integrating into "condensed-history" Monte Carlo transport codes - such as FLUKA - yields of radiobiological damage, either calculated with "event-by-event" track structure simulations, or taken from experimental works available in the literature. More specifically, the yields of "Complex Lesions" (or "CL", defined and calculated as a clustered DNA damage in a previous work) per unit dose and DNA mass (CL Gy -1 Da -1) due to the various beam components, including those derived from nuclear interactions with the shielding and the human body, were integrated in FLUKA. This provided spatial distributions of CL/cell yields in different organs, as well as distributions of absorbed doses. The contributions of primary protons and secondary hadrons were calculated separately, and the simulations were repeated for values of Al shielding thickness ranging between 1 and 20 g/cm 2. Slight differences were found between the two phantom types. Skin and eye lenses were found to receive larger doses with respect to internal organs; however, shielding was more effective for skin and lenses. Secondary particles arising from nuclear interactions were found to have a minor role, although their relative contribution was found to be larger for the Complex Lesions than for

  6. Dose-specific transcriptional responses in thyroid tissue in mice after (131)I administration.

    PubMed

    Rudqvist, Nils; Schüler, Emil; Parris, Toshima Z; Langen, Britta; Helou, Khalil; Forssell-Aronsson, Eva

    2015-03-01

    In the present investigation, microarray analysis was used to monitor transcriptional activity in thyroids in mice 24 h after (131)I exposure. The aims of this study were to 1) assess the transcriptional patterns associated with (131)I exposure in normal mouse thyroid tissue and 2) propose biomarkers for (131)I exposure of the thyroid. Adult BALB/c nude mice were i.v. injected with 13, 130 or 260 kBq of (131)I and killed 24h after injection (absorbed dose to thyroid: 0.85, 8.5, or 17 Gy). Mock-treated mice were used as controls. Total RNA was extracted from thyroids and processed using the Illumina platform. In total, 497, 546, and 90 transcripts were regulated (fold change ≥1.5) in the thyroid after 0.85, 8.5, and 17 Gy, respectively. These were involved in several biological functions, e.g. oxygen access, inflammation and immune response, and apoptosis/anti-apoptosis. Approximately 50% of the involved transcripts at each absorbed dose level were dose-specific, and 18 transcripts were commonly detected at all absorbed dose levels. The Agpat9, Plau, Prf1, and S100a8 gene expression displayed a monotone decrease in regulation with absorbed dose, and further studies need to be performed to evaluate if they may be useful as dose-related biomarkers for 131I exposure. Distinct and substantial differences in gene expression and affected biological functions were detected at the different absorbed dose levels. The transcriptional profiles were specific for the different absorbed dose levels. We propose that the Agpat9, Plau, Prf1, and S100a8 genes might be novel potential absorbed dose-related biomarkers to (131)I exposure of thyroid. During the recent years, genomic techniques have been developed; however, they have not been fully utilized in nuclear medicine and radiation biology. We have used RNA microarrays to investigate genome-wide transcriptional regulations in thyroid tissue in mice after low, intermediate, and high absorbed doses from (131)I exposure in vivo

  7. Calculated and TLD-based absorbed dose estimates for I-131-labeled 3F8 monoclonal antibody in a human neuroblastoma xenograft nude mouse model.

    PubMed

    Ugur, O; Scott, A M; Kostakoglu, L; Hui, T E; Masterson, M E; Febo, R; Sgouros, G; Rosa, E; Mehta, B M; Fisher, D R

    1995-01-01

    Preclinical evaluation of the therapeutic potential of radiolabeled antibodies is commonly performed in a xenografted nude mouse model. To assess therapeutic efficacy it is important to estimate the absorbed dose to the tumor and normal tissues of the nude mouse. The current study was designed to accurately measure radiation does to human neuroblastoma xenografts and normal organs in nude mice treated with I-131-labeled 3F8 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) against disialoganglioside GD2 antigen. Absorbed dose estimates were obtained using two different approaches: (1) measurement with teflon-imbedded CaSO4:Dy mini-thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) and (2) calculations using mouse S-factors. The calculated total dose to tumor one week after i.v. injection of the 50 microCi I-131-3F8 MoAb was 604 cGy. The corresponding decay corrected and not corrected TLD measurements were 109 +/- 9 and 48.7 +/- 3.4 cGy respectively. The calculated to TLD-derived dose ratios for tumor ranged from 6.1 at 24 h to 5.5 at 1 week. The light output fading rate was found to depend upon the tissue type within which the TLDs were implanted. The decay rate in tumor, muscle, subcutaneous tissue and in vitro, were 9.5, 5.0, 3.7 and 0.67% per day, respectively. We have demonstrated that the type of tissue in which the TLD was implanted strongly influenced the in vivo decay of light output. Even with decay correction, a significant discrepancy was observed between MIRD-based calculated and CaSO4:Dy mini-TLD measured absorbed doses. Batch dependence, pH of the tumor or other variables associated with TLDs which are not as yet well known may account for this discrepancy.

  8. Method for preparing dosimeter for measuring skin dose

    DOEpatents

    Jones, Donald E.; Parker, DeRay; Boren, Paul R.

    1982-01-01

    A personnel dosimeter includes a plurality of compartments containing thermoluminescent dosimeter phosphors for registering radiation dose absorbed in the wearer's sensitive skin layer and for registering more deeply penetrating radiation. Two of the phosphor compartments communicate with thin windows of different thicknesses to obtain a ratio of shallowly penetrating radiation, e.g. beta. A third phosphor is disposed within a compartment communicating with a window of substantially greater thickness than the windows of the first two compartments for estimating the more deeply penetrating radiation dose. By selecting certain phosphors that are insensitive to neutrons and by loading the holder material with neutron-absorbing elements, energetic neutron dose can be estimated separately from other radiation dose. This invention also involves a method of injection molding of dosimeter holders with thin windows of consistent thickness at the corresponding compartments of different holders. This is achieved through use of a die insert having the thin window of precision thickness in place prior to the injection molding step.

  9. Risk equivalent of exposure versus dose of radiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bond, V.P.

    This report describes a risk analysis study of low-dose irradiation and the resulting biological effects on a cell. The author describes fundamental differences between the effects of high-level exposure (HLE) and low-level exposure (LLE). He stresses that the concept of absorbed dose to an organ is not a dose but a level of effect produced by a particular number of particles. He discusses the confusion between a linear-proportional representation of dose limits and a threshold-curvilinear representation, suggesting that a LLE is a composite of both systems. (TEM)

  10. ANALYSIS OF UNCERTAINTIES IN DOSE RECONSTRUCTION FROM BIOMARKERS: IMPACT ON STUDY DESIGN

    EPA Science Inventory

    The absorbed dose is defined as the quantity which has passed through the barriers (skin, GI tract, The absorbed dose of a pesticide can be estimated from its established urinary biomarker. ungs). For an exposure study, there are several options for biomarker collection, each w...

  11. Radioiodine therapy in Graves' disease based on tissue-absorbed dose calculations: effect of pre-treatment thyroid volume on clinical outcome.

    PubMed

    Reinhardt, Michael J; Brink, Ingo; Joe, Alexius Y; Von Mallek, Dirk; Ezziddin, Samer; Palmedo, Holger; Krause, Thomas M

    2002-09-01

    This study was performed with three aims. The first was to analyse the effectiveness of radioiodine therapy in Graves' disease patients with and without goitres under conditions of mild iodine deficiency using several tissue-absorbed doses. The second aim was to detect further parameters which might be predictive for treatment outcome. Finally, we wished to determine the deviation of the therapeutically achieved dose from that intended. Activities of 185-2,220 MBq radioiodine were calculated by means of Marinelli's formula to deliver doses of 150, 200 or 300 Gy to the thyroids of 224 patients with Graves' disease and goitres up to 130 ml in volume. Control of hyperthyroidism, change in thyroid volume and thyrotropin-receptor antibodies were evaluated 15+/-9 months after treatment for each dose. The results were further evaluated with respect to pre-treatment parameters which might be predictive for therapy outcome. Thyroidal radioiodine uptake was measured every day during therapy to determine the therapeutically achieved target dose and its coefficient of variation. There was a significant dose dependency in therapeutic outcome: frequency of hypothyroidism increased from 27.4% after 150 Gy to 67.7% after 300 Gy, while the frequency of persistent hyperthyroidism decreased from 27.4% after 150 Gy to 8.1% after 300 Gy. Patients who became hypothyroid had a maximum thyroid volume of 42 ml and received a target dose of 256+/-80 Gy. The coefficient of variation for the achieved target dose ranged between 27.7% for 150 Gy and 17.8% for 300 Gy. When analysing further factors which might influence therapeutic outcome, only pre-treatment thyroid volume showed a significant relationship to the result of treatment. It is concluded that a target dose of 250 Gy is essential to achieve hypothyroidism within 1 year after radioiodine therapy in Graves' disease patients with goitres up to 40 ml in volume. Patients with larger goitres might need higher doses.

  12. Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced MR finding of radiation-induced hepatic injury: relationship to absorbed dose and time course after irradiation.

    PubMed

    Okamoto, Daisuke; Nishie, Akihiro; Asayama, Yoshiki; Tajima, Tsuyoshi; Ishigami, Kousei; Kakihara, Daisuke; Nakayama, Tomohiro; Ohga, Saiji; Yoshitake, Tadamasa; Shioyama, Yoshiyuki; Honda, Hiroshi

    2014-07-01

    To evaluate if Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI could identify liver tissue damage caused by radiation exposure in patients undergoing external beam radiation therapy. We enrolled 11 patients who underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI during or after radiotherapy in which the radiation field included the liver. External beam radiotherapy was delivered through multiple fields using a 10-MV linear accelerator. The hepatobiliary phase images of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were qualitatively evaluated for the presence of a decreased uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA in the irradiated area in the liver. Next, signal intensity (SI) ratio of the irradiated area to the non-irradiated liver parenchyma was also calculated. The absorbed dose of the irradiated area in the liver was standardized using equivalent dose in 2Gy fraction (EQD2) and biological effective dose (BED). The results of qualitative analysis were compared with EQD2 or BED, and linear regression analysis was performed between EQD2 or BED and SI ratio. Twenty-two irradiated areas were evaluated. Qualitative analysis revealed a decreased uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA in 14 areas and no decreased uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA in eight areas. The thresholds of EQD2 and BED causing a decreased uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA were considered to be 24 to 29Gy and 29 to 35Gy, respectively. Quantitatively, SI ratio decreased as EQD2 or BED increased (r=0.89, p<0.001), and the inverse relationship between signal enhancement and the absorbed dose in the irradiated area was obtained. One area with EQD2 of 50Gy and BED of 60Gy showed a slightly decreased uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA on the 40th day but a clearly decreased uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA on the 123rd day from initiation of radiotherapy. Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI described RLI as a decreased uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA matching the irradiated area. The occurrence of this finding was significantly correlated with the absorbed dose of the irradiated area in the liver. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Evaluation of a lithium formate EPR dosimetry system for dose measurements around {sup 192}Ir brachytherapy sources

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Antonovic, Laura; Gustafsson, Haakan; Alm Carlsson, Gudrun

    2009-06-15

    A dosimetry system using lithium formate monohydrate (HCO{sub 2}Li{center_dot}H{sub 2}O) as detector material and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy for readout has been used to measure absorbed dose distributions around clinical {sup 192}Ir sources. Cylindrical tablets with diameter of 4.5 mm, height of 4.8 mm, and density of 1.26 g/cm{sup 3} were manufactured. Homogeneity test and calibration of the dosimeters were performed in a 6 MV photon beam. {sup 192}Ir irradiations were performed in a PMMA phantom using two different source models, the GammaMed Plus HDR and the microSelectron PDR-v1 model. Measured absorbed doses to water in the PMMA phantommore » were converted to the corresponding absorbed doses to water in water phantoms of dimensions used by the treatment planning systems (TPSs) using correction factors explicitly derived for this experiment. Experimentally determined absorbed doses agreed with the absorbed doses to water calculated by the TPS to within {+-}2.9%. Relative standard uncertainties in the experimentally determined absorbed doses were estimated to be within the range of 1.7%-1.3% depending on the radial distance from the source, the type of source (HDR or PDR), and the particular absorbed doses used. This work shows that a lithium formate dosimetry system is well suited for measurements of absorbed dose to water around clinical HDR and PDR {sup 192}Ir sources. Being less energy dependent than the commonly used thermoluminescent lithium fluoride (LiF) dosimeters, lithium formate monohydrate dosimeters are well suited to measure absorbed doses in situations where the energy dependence cannot easily be accounted for such as in multiple-source irradiations to verify treatment plans. Their wide dynamic range and linear dose response over the dose interval of 0.2-1000 Gy make them suitable for measurements on sources of the strengths used in clinical applications. The dosimeter size needs, however, to be reduced for application

  14. Approximate distribution of dose among foetal organs for radioiodine uptake via placenta transfer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Millard, R. K.; Saunders, M.; Palmer, A. M.; Preece, A. W.

    2001-11-01

    Absorbed radiation doses to internal foetal organs were calculated according to the medical internal radiation dose (MIRD) technique in this study. Anthropomorphic phantoms of the pregnant female as in MIRDOSE3 enabled estimation of absorbed dose to the whole foetus at two stages of gestation. Some foetal organ self-doses could have been estimated by invoking simple spherical models for thyroid, liver, etc, but we investigated the use of the MIRDOSE3 new-born phantom as a surrogate for the stage 3 foetus, scaled to be compatible with total foetal body mean absorbed dose/cumulated activity. We illustrate the method for obtaining approximate dose distribution in the foetus near term following intake of 1 MBq of 123I, 124I, 125I or 131I as sodium iodide by the mother using in vivo biodistribution data examples from a good model of placenta transfer. Doses to the foetal thyroid of up to 1.85 Gy MBq-1 were predicted from the 131I uptake data. Activity in the foetal thyroid was the largest contributor to absorbed dose in the foetal body, brain, heart and thymus. Average total doses to the whole foetus ranged from 0.16 to 1.2 mGy MBq-1 for stages 1 and 3 of pregnancy using the MIRDOSE3 program, and were considerably higher than those predicted from the maternal contributions alone. Doses to the foetal thymus and stomach were similar, around 2-3 mGy MBq-1. Some foetal organ doses from the radioiodides were ten times higher than to the corresponding organs of the mother, and up to 100 times higher to the thyroid. The fraction of activity uptakes in foetal organs were distributed similarly to the maternal ones.

  15. Absorbed dose assessment of 177Lu-zoledronate and 177Lu-EDTMP for human based on biodistribution data in rats

    PubMed Central

    Yousefnia, Hassan; Zolghadri, Samaneh; Jalilian, Amir Reza

    2015-01-01

    Over the past few decades, several bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals including various bisphosphonate ligands and β-emitting radionuclides have been developed for bone pain palliation. Recently, 177Lu was successfully labeled with zoledronic acid (177Lu-ZLD) as a new generation potential bisphosphonate and demonstrated significant accumulation in bone tissue. In this work, the absorbed dose to each organ of human for 177Lu-ZLD and 177Lu-ethylenediaminetetramethylene phosphonic acid (177Lu-EDTMP;as the only clinically bone pain palliation agent) was investigated based on biodistribution data in rats by medical internal radiation dosimetry (MIRD) method. 177Lu-ZLD and 177Lu-EDTMP were prepared in high radiochemical purity (>99%, instant thin layer chromatography (ITLC)) at the optimized condition. The biodistribution of the complexes demonstrated fast blood clearance and major accumulation in the bone tissue. The highest absorbed dose for both 177Lu-ZLD and 177Lu-EDTMP is observed in trabecular bone surface with 12.173 and 10.019 mSv/MBq, respectively. The results showed that 177Lu-ZLD has better characteristics compared to 177Lu-EDTMP and can be a good candidate for bone pain palliation. PMID:26170557

  16. ORGAN-SPECIFIC EXTERNAL DOSE COEFFICIENTS AND PROTECTIVE APRON TRANSMISSION FACTORS FOR HISTORICAL DOSE RECONSTRUCTION FOR MEDICAL PERSONNEL

    PubMed Central

    Simon, Steven L.

    2014-01-01

    While radiation absorbed dose (Gy) to the skin or other organs is sometimes estimated for patients from diagnostic radiologic examinations or therapeutic procedures, rarely is occupationally-received radiation absorbed dose to individual organs/tissues estimated for medical personnel, e.g., radiologic technologists or radiologists. Generally, for medical personnel, equivalent or effective radiation doses are estimated for compliance purposes. In the very few cases when organ doses to medical personnel are reconstructed, the data is usually for the purpose of epidemiologic studies, e.g., a study of historical doses and risks to a cohort of about 110,000 radiologic technologists presently underway at the U.S. National Cancer Institute. While ICRP and ICRU have published organ-specific external dose conversion coefficients (DCCs), i.e., absorbed dose to organs and tissues per unit air kerma and dose equivalent per unit air kerma, those factors have been primarily published for mono-energetic photons at selected energies. This presents two related problems for historical dose reconstruction, both of which are addressed here. It is necessary to derive conversion factors values for (i) continuous distributions of energy typical of diagnostic medical x rays (bremsstrahlung radiation), and (ii) for energies of particular radioisotopes used in medical procedures, neither of which are presented in published tables. For derivation of DCCs for bremsstrahlung radiation, combinations of x-ray tube potentials and filtrations were derived for different time periods based on a review of relevant literature. Three peak tube potentials (70 kV, 80 kV, and 90 kV) with four different amounts of beam filtration were determined to be applicable for historic dose reconstruction. The probability of these machine settings were assigned to each of the four time periods (earlier than 1949, 1949-1954, 1955-1968, and after 1968). Continuous functions were fit to each set of discrete values of

  17. Organ-specific external dose coefficients and protective apron transmission factors for historical dose reconstruction for medical personnel.

    PubMed

    Simon, Steven L

    2011-07-01

    While radiation absorbed dose (Gy) to the skin or other organs is sometimes estimated for patients from diagnostic radiologic examinations or therapeutic procedures, rarely is occupationally-received radiation absorbed dose to individual organs/tissues estimated for medical personnel; e.g., radiologic technologists or radiologists. Generally, for medical personnel, equivalent or effective radiation doses are estimated for compliance purposes. In the very few cases when organ doses to medical personnel are reconstructed, the data is usually for the purpose of epidemiologic studies; e.g., a study of historical doses and risks to a cohort of about 110,000 radiologic technologists presently underway at the U.S. National Cancer Institute. While ICRP and ICRU have published organ-specific external dose conversion coefficients (DCCs) (i.e., absorbed dose to organs and tissues per unit air kerma and dose equivalent per unit air kerma), those factors have been published primarily for mono-energetic photons at selected energies. This presents two related problems for historical dose reconstruction, both of which are addressed here. It is necessary to derive conversion factor values for (1) continuous distributions of energy typical of diagnostic medical x-rays (bremsstrahlung radiation), and (2) energies of particular radioisotopes used in medical procedures, neither of which are presented in published tables. For derivation of DCCs for bremsstrahlung radiation, combinations of x-ray tube potentials and filtrations were derived for different time periods based on a review of relevant literature. Three peak tube potentials (70 kV, 80 kV, and 90 kV) with four different amounts of beam filtration were determined to be applicable for historic dose reconstruction. The probabilities of these machine settings were assigned to each of the four time periods (earlier than 1949, 1949-1954, 1955-1968, and after 1968). Continuous functions were fit to each set of discrete values of the

  18. Dose specification for radiation therapy: dose to water or dose to medium?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, C.-M.; Li, Jinsheng

    2011-05-01

    The Monte Carlo method enables accurate dose calculation for radiation therapy treatment planning and has been implemented in some commercial treatment planning systems. Unlike conventional dose calculation algorithms that provide patient dose information in terms of dose to water with variable electron density, the Monte Carlo method calculates the energy deposition in different media and expresses dose to a medium. This paper discusses the differences in dose calculated using water with different electron densities and that calculated for different biological media and the clinical issues on dose specification including dose prescription and plan evaluation using dose to water and dose to medium. We will demonstrate that conventional photon dose calculation algorithms compute doses similar to those simulated by Monte Carlo using water with different electron densities, which are close (<4% differences) to doses to media but significantly different (up to 11%) from doses to water converted from doses to media following American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group 105 recommendations. Our results suggest that for consistency with previous radiation therapy experience Monte Carlo photon algorithms report dose to medium for radiotherapy dose prescription, treatment plan evaluation and treatment outcome analysis.

  19. Estimation of background radiation doses for the Peninsular Malaysia's population by ESR dosimetry of tooth enamel.

    PubMed

    Rodzi, Mohd; Zhumadilov, Kassym; Ohtaki, Megu; Ivannikov, Alexander; Bhattacharjee, Deborshi; Fukumura, Akifumi; Hoshi, Masaharu

    2011-08-01

    Background radiation dose is used in dosimetry for estimating occupational doses of radiation workers or determining radiation dose of an individual following accidental exposure. In the present study, the absorbed dose and the background radiation level are determined using the electron spin resonance (ESR) method on tooth samples. The effect of using different tooth surfaces and teeth exposed with single medical X-rays on the absorbed dose are also evaluated. A total of 48 molars of position 6-8 were collected from 13 district hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia. Thirty-six teeth had not been exposed to any excessive radiation, and 12 teeth had been directly exposed to a single X-ray dose during medical treatment prior to extraction. There was no significant effect of tooth surfaces and exposure with single X-rays on the measured absorbed dose of an individual. The mean measured absorbed dose of the population is 34 ± 6.2 mGy, with an average tooth enamel age of 39 years. From the slope of a regression line, the estimated annual background dose for Peninsular Malaysia is 0.6 ± 0.3 mGy y(-1). This value is slightly lower than the yearly background dose for Malaysia, and the radiation background dose is established by ESR tooth measurements on samples from India and Russia.

  20. KEY COMPARISON: Comparison of the standards for absorbed dose to water of the ENEA-INMRI (Italy) and the BIPM for 60Co γ rays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kessler, C.; Allisy-Roberts, P. J.; Burns, D. T.; Guerra, A. S.; Laitano, R. F.; Pimpinella, M.

    2010-01-01

    A comparison of the standards for absorbed dose to water of the Istituto Nazionale di Metrologia delle Radiazioni Ionizzanti of the Ente per le Nuove Tecnologie, l'Energia e l'Ambiente, Italy (ENEA-INMRI), and of the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) has been made in 60Co gamma radiation under the auspices of the key comparison BIPM.RI(I)-K4. The comparison result, based on the calibration coefficients for three transfer standards and expressed as a ratio of the ENEA and the BIPM standards for absorbed dose to water, is 0.9999 (0.0044). The present 2007 result replaces the earlier ENEA value in this key comparison. The degrees of equivalence between the ENEA and the other participants in this comparison have been calculated and the results are given in the form of a matrix for the ten national metrology institutes (NMIs) that have published results in this ongoing comparison for absorbed dose to water. A graphical presentation is also given. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCRI Section I, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

  1. Monte Carlo Analysis of Pion Contribution to Absorbed Dose from Galactic Cosmic Rays

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aghara, S.K.; Battnig, S.R.; Norbury, J.W.; Singleterry, R.C.

    2009-01-01

    Accurate knowledge of the physics of interaction, particle production and transport is necessary to estimate the radiation damage to equipment used on spacecraft and the biological effects of space radiation. For long duration astronaut missions, both on the International Space Station and the planned manned missions to Moon and Mars, the shielding strategy must include a comprehensive knowledge of the secondary radiation environment. The distribution of absorbed dose and dose equivalent is a function of the type, energy and population of these secondary products. Galactic cosmic rays (GCR) comprised of protons and heavier nuclei have energies from a few MeV per nucleon to the ZeV region, with the spectra reaching flux maxima in the hundreds of MeV range. Therefore, the MeV - GeV region is most important for space radiation. Coincidentally, the pion production energy threshold is about 280 MeV. The question naturally arises as to how important these particles are with respect to space radiation problems. The space radiation transport code, HZETRN (High charge (Z) and Energy TRaNsport), currently used by NASA, performs neutron, proton and heavy ion transport explicitly, but it does not take into account the production and transport of mesons, photons and leptons. In this paper, we present results from the Monte Carlo code MCNPX (Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended), showing the effect of leptons and mesons when they are produced and transported in a GCR environment.

  2. SU-F-19A-02: Comparison of Absorbed Dose to Water Standards for HDR Ir-192 Brachytherapy Between the LCR, Brazil and NRC, Canada

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Salata, C; David, M; Almeida, C de

    2014-06-15

    Purpose: To compare absorbed dose to water standards for HDR brachytherapy dosimetry developed by the Radiological Science Laboratory of Rio de Janeiro State University (LCR) and the National Research Council, Canada (NRC). Methods: The two institutions have separately developed absorbed dose standards based on the Fricke dosimetry system. There are important differences between the two standards, including: preparation and read-out of the Fricke solution, irradiation geometry of the Fricke holder in relation to the Ir-192 source, and determination of the G-value to be used at Ir-192 energies. All measurements for both standards were made directly at the NRC laboratory (i.e.,more » no transfer instrument was used) using a single Ir-192 source (microSelectron v2). In addition, the NRC group has established a self-consistent method to determine the G-value for Ir-192, based on an interpolation between G-values obtained at Co-60 and 250kVp X-rays, and this measurement was repeated using the LCR Fricke solution to investigate possible systematic uncertainties. Results: G-values for Co-60 and 250 kVp x-rays, obtained using the LCR Fricke system, agreed with the NRC values within 0.5 % and 1 % respectively, indicating that the general assumption of universal G-values is appropriate in this case. The standard uncertainty in the determination of G for Ir-192 is estimated to be 0.6 %. For the comparison of absorbed dose measurements at the reference point for Ir-192 (1 cm depth in water, perpendicular to the seed long-axis), the ratio Dw(NRC)/Dw(LCR) was found to be 1.011 with a combined standard uncertainty of 1.7 %, k=1. Conclusion: The agreement in the absorbed dose to water values for the LCR and NRC systems is very encouraging. Combined with the lower uncertainty in this approach compared to the present air-kerma approach, these results reaffirm the use of Fricke solution as a potential primary standard for HDR Ir-192 brachytherapy.« less

  3. Calibration of GafChromic EBT3 for absorbed dose measurements in 5 MeV proton beam and (60)Co γ-rays.

    PubMed

    Vadrucci, M; Esposito, G; Ronsivalle, C; Cherubini, R; Marracino, F; Montereali, R M; Picardi, L; Piccinini, M; Pimpinella, M; Vincenti, M A; De Angelis, C

    2015-08-01

    To study EBT3 GafChromic film in low-energy protons, and for comparison purposes, in a reference (60)Co beam in order to use it as a calibrated dosimetry system in the proton irradiation facility under construction within the framework of the Oncological Therapy with Protons (TOP)-Intensity Modulated Proton Linear Accelerator for RadioTherapy (IMPLART) Project at ENEA-Frascati, Italy. EBT3 film samples were irradiated at the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Italy, with a 5 MeV proton beam generated by a 7 MV Van de Graaff CN accelerator. The nominal dose rates used were 2.1 Gy/min and 40 Gy/min. The delivered dose was determined by measuring the particle fluence and the energy spectrum in air with silicon surface barrier detector monitors. A preliminary study of the EBT3 film beam quality dependence in low-energy protons was conducted by passively degrading the beam energy. EBT3 films were also irradiated at ENEA-National Institute of Ionizing Radiation Metrology with gamma radiation produced by a (60)Co source characterized by an absorbed dose to water rate of 0.26 Gy/min as measured by a calibrated Farmer type ionization chamber. EBT3 film calibration curves were determined by means of a set of 40 film pieces irradiated to various doses ranging from 0.5 Gy to 30 Gy absorbed dose to water. An EPSON Expression 11000XL color scanner in transmission mode was used for film analysis. Scanner response stability, intrafilm uniformity, and interfilm reproducibility were verified. Optical absorption spectra measurements were performed on unirradiated and irradiated EBT3 films to choose the most sensitive color channel to the dose range used. EBT3 GafChromic films show an under response up to about 33% for low-energy protons with respect to (60)Co gamma radiation, which is consistent with the linear energy transfer dependence already observed with higher energy protons, and a negligible dose-rate dependence in the 2-40 Gy/min range

  4. TLD postal dose intercomparison for megavoltage units in Poland.

    PubMed

    Izewska, J; Gajewski, R; Gwiazdowska, B; Kania, M; Rostkowska, J

    1995-08-01

    The aim of the TLD pilot study was to investigate and to reduce the uncertainties involved in the measurements of absorbed dose and to improve the consistency in dose determination in the regional radiotherapy centres in Poland. The intercomparison was organized by the SSDL. It covered absorbed dose measurements under reference conditions for Co-60, high energy X-rays and electron beams. LiF powder type MT-N was used for the irradiations and read with the Harshaw TLD reader model 2000B/2000C. The TLD system was set up and an analysis of the factors influencing the accuracy of absorbed dose measurements with TL-detectors was performed to evaluate and minimize the measurement uncertainty. A fading not exceeding 2% in 12 weeks was found. The relative energy correction factor did not exceed 3% for X-rays in the range 4-15 MV, and 4% for electron beams between 6 and 20 MeV. A total of 34 beams was checked. Deviation of +/- 3.5% stated and evaluated dose was considered acceptable for photons and +/- 5% for electron beams. The results for Co-60, high energy X-rays and electron beams showed that there were two, three and no centres, respectively, beyond acceptance levels. The sources of errors for all deviations out of this range were thoroughly investigated, discussed and corrected, however two deviations remained unexplained. The pilot study resulted in an improvement of the accuracy and consistency of dosimetry in Poland.

  5. Patient dose, gray level and exposure index with a computed radiography system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silva, T. R.; Yoshimura, E. M.

    2014-02-01

    Computed radiography (CR) is gradually replacing conventional screen-film system in Brazil. To assess image quality, manufactures provide the calculation of an exposure index through the acquisition software of the CR system. The objective of this study is to verify if the CR image can be used as an evaluator of patient absorbed dose too, through a relationship between the entrance skin dose and the exposure index or the gray level values obtained in the image. The CR system used for this study (Agfa model 30-X with NX acquisition software) calculates an exposure index called Log of the Median (lgM), related to the absorbed dose to the IP. The lgM value depends on the average gray level (called Scan Average Level (SAL)) of the segmented pixel value histogram of the whole image. A Rando male phantom was used to simulate a human body (chest and head), and was irradiated with an X-ray equipment, using usual radiologic techniques for chest exams. Thermoluminescent dosimeters (LiF, TLD100) were used to evaluate entrance skin dose and exit dose. The results showed a logarithm relation between entrance dose and SAL in the image center, regardless of the beam filtration. The exposure index varies linearly with the entrance dose, but the angular coefficient is beam quality dependent. We conclude that, with an adequate calibration, the CR system can be used to evaluate the patient absorbed dose.

  6. Detection and quantification of 223Ra uptake in bone metastases of patients with castration resistant prostate carcinoma, with the aim of determining the absorbed dose in the metastases.

    PubMed

    Mínguez, P; Gómez de Iturriaga, A; Fernández, I L; Rodeño, E

    To obtain the necessary acquisition and calibration parameters in order to evaluate the possibility of detecting and quantifying 223 Ra uptake in bone metastases of patients treated for castration resistant prostate carcinoma. Furthermore, in the cases in which the activity can be quantified, to determine the absorbed dose. Acquisitions from a Petri dish filled with 223 Ra were performed in the gamma camera. Monte Carlo simulations were also performed to study the partial volume effect. Formulae to obtain the detection and quantification limits of 223 Ra uptake were applied to planar images of two patients 7 days post-administration of 55kBq/kg of 223 Ra. In order to locate the lesions in advance, whole-body scans and SPECT/CT images were acquired after injecting 99m Tc-HDP. The optimal energy window was found to be at 82keV with a medium-energy collimator MEGP. Of the lesions found in the patients, only those that had been detected in both the AP and PA projections could be quantified. These lesions were those which had shown a higher 99m Tc-HDP uptake. The estimated values of absorbed doses ranged between 0.7Gy and 7.8Gy. Of the lesions that can be detected, it is not possible to quantify the activity uptake in some of them, which means that the absorbed dose cannot be determined either. This does not mean that the absorbed dose in these lesions can be regarded as negligible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

  7. Absorbed dose estimates from a single measurement one to three days after the administration of 177Lu-DOTATATE/-TOC.

    PubMed

    Hänscheid, Heribert; Lapa, Constantin; Buck, Andreas K; Lassmann, Michael; Werner, Rudolf A

    2017-01-01

    To retrospectively analyze the accuracy of absorbed dose estimates from a single measurement of the activity concentrations in tumors and relevant organs one to three days after the administration of 177 Lu-DOTA-TATE/TOC assuming tissue specific effective half-lives. Activity kinetics in 54 kidneys, 30 neuroendocrine tumor lesions, 25 livers, and 27 spleens were deduced from series of planar images in 29 patients. After adaptation of mono- or bi-exponential fit functions to the measured data, it was analyzed for each fit function how precise the time integral can be estimated from fixed tissue-specific half-lives and a single measurement at 24, 48, or 72 h after the administration. For the kidneys, assuming a fixed tissue-specific half-life of 50 h, the deviations of the estimate from the actual integral were median (5 % percentile, 95 % percentile): -3 °% (-15 %>; +16 °%) for measurements after 24 h, +2 %> (-9 %>; +12 %>) for measurements after 48 h, and 0 % (-2 %; +12 %) for measurements after 72 h. The corresponding values for the other tissues, assuming fixed tissue-specific half-lives of 67 h for liver and spleen and 77 h for tumors, were +2 % (-25 %; +20 %) for measurements after 24 h, +2 °% (-16 %>; +17 %>) for measurements after 48 h, and +2 %> (-11 %>; +10 %>) for measurements after 72 h. Especially for the kidneys, which often represent the dose limiting organ, but also for liver, spleen, and neuroendocrine tumors, a meaningful absorbed dose estimate is possible from a single measurement after 2, more preferably 3 days after the administration of 177 Lu-DOTA-TATE/-TOC assuming fixed tissue specific effective half-lives. Schattauer GmbH.

  8. The estimation of galactic cosmic ray penetration and dose rates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burrell, M. O.; Wright, J. J.

    1972-01-01

    This study is concerned with approximation methods that can be readily applied to estimate the absorbed dose rate from cosmic rays in rads - tissue or rems inside simple geometries of aluminum. The present work is limited to finding the dose rate at the center of spherical shells or behind plane slabs. The dose rate is calculated at tissue-point detectors or for thin layers of tissue. This study considers cosmic-rays dose rates for both free-space and earth-orbiting missions.

  9. Modeling gamma radiation dose in dwellings due to building materials.

    PubMed

    de Jong, Peter; van Dijk, Willem

    2008-01-01

    A model is presented that calculates the absorbed dose rate in air of gamma radiation emitted by building materials in a rectangular body construction. The basis for these calculations is formed by a fixed set of specific absorbed dose rates (the dose rate per Bq kg(-1) 238U, 232Th, and 40K), as determined for a standard geometry with the dimensions 4 x 5 x 2.8 m3. Using the computer codes Marmer and MicroShield, correction factors are assessed that quantify the influence of several room and material related parameters on the specific absorbed dose rates. The investigated parameters are the position in the construction; the thickness, density, and dimensions of the construction parts; the contribution from the outer leave; the presence of doors and windows; the attenuation by internal partition walls; the contribution from building materials present in adjacent rooms; and the effect of non-equilibrium due to 222Rn exhalation. To verify the precision, the proposed method is applied to three Dutch reference dwellings, i.e., a row house, a coupled house, and a gallery apartment. The averaged difference with MCNP calculations is found to be 4%.

  10. Optimizing a readout protocol for low dose retrospective OSL-dosimetry using household salt.

    PubMed

    Christiansson, Maria; Mattsson, Sören; Bernhardsson, Christian; Rääf, Christopher L

    2012-06-01

    The authors' aim has been to find a single aliquot regenerative dose (SAR) protocol that accurately recovers an unknown absorbed dose in the region between 1-250 mGy in household salt. The main investigation has been conducted on a specific mine salt (>98.5% NaCl) intended for household use, using optical stimulation by blue LED (λ = 462 nm). The most accurate dose recovery for this brand of salt is found to be achieved when using Peak Signal Summing (PSS) of the OSL-decay and a preheat temperature of 200°C after the test dose. A SAR protocol for the household salt with preset values of regenerative doses (R1--R5) and a test dose (TED) of 17 mGy is also suggested here. Under laboratory conditions, the suggested protocol recovers unknown absorbed doses in this particular brand within 5% (2 SD) in the dose range between 1-250 mGy. This is a very promising result for low dose applications of household salt as a retrospective dosimeter after a nuclear or radiological event.

  11. Boundary Electron and Beta Dosimetry-Quantification of the Effects of Dissimilar Media on Absorbed Dose

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nunes, Josane C.

    1991-02-01

    This work quantifies the changes effected in electron absorbed dose to a soft-tissue equivalent medium when part of this medium is replaced by a material that is not soft -tissue equivalent. That is, heterogeneous dosimetry is addressed. Radionuclides which emit beta particles are the electron sources of primary interest. They are used in brachytherapy and in nuclear medicine: for example, beta -ray applicators made with strontium-90 are employed in certain ophthalmic treatments and iodine-131 is used to test thyroid function. More recent medical procedures under development and which involve beta radionuclides include radioimmunotherapy and radiation synovectomy; the first is a cancer modality and the second deals with the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, the possibility of skin surface contamination exists whenever there is handling of radioactive material. Determination of absorbed doses in the examples of the preceding paragraph requires considering boundaries of interfaces. Whilst the Monte Carlo method can be applied to boundary calculations, for routine work such as in clinical situations, or in other circumstances where doses need to be determined quickly, analytical dosimetry would be invaluable. Unfortunately, few analytical methods for boundary beta dosimetry exist. Furthermore, the accuracy of results from both Monte Carlo and analytical methods has to be assessed. Although restricted to one radionuclide, phosphorus -32, the experimental data obtained in this work serve several purposes, one of which is to provide standards against which calculated results can be tested. The experimental data also contribute to the relatively sparse set of published boundary dosimetry data. At the same time, they may be useful in developing analytical boundary dosimetry methodology. The first application of the experimental data is demonstrated. Results from two Monte Carlo codes and two analytical methods, which were developed elsewhere, are compared

  12. Dose tracking and dose auditing in a comprehensive computed tomography dose-reduction program.

    PubMed

    Duong, Phuong-Anh; Little, Brent P

    2014-08-01

    Implementation of a comprehensive computed tomography (CT) radiation dose-reduction program is a complex undertaking, requiring an assessment of baseline doses, an understanding of dose-saving techniques, and an ongoing appraisal of results. We describe the role of dose tracking in planning and executing a dose-reduction program and discuss the use of the American College of Radiology CT Dose Index Registry at our institution. We review the basics of dose-related CT scan parameters, the components of the dose report, and the dose-reduction techniques, showing how an understanding of each technique is important in effective auditing of "outlier" doses identified by dose tracking. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Determination of spatial dose distribution in UCC treatments with LDR brachytherapy using Monte Carlo methods.

    PubMed

    Benites-Rengifo, Jorge Luis; Vega-Carrillo, Hector Rene

    2018-05-19

    Using Monte Carlos methods, with the MCNP5 code, a gynecological phantom and a vaginal cylinder were modeled. The spatial distribution of absorbed dose rates in Uterine Cervical Cancer treatment through low dose rate brachytherapy was determined. A liquid water gynecology computational phantom, including a vaginal cylinder applicator made of Lucite, was designed. The applicator has a linear array of four radioactive sources of Cesium 137. Around the vaginal cylinder, 13 water spherical cells of 0.5 cm-diameter were modeled to calculate absorbed dose emulating the procedure made by the treatment planning system. The gamma-ray fluence distribution was estimated, as well as the absorbed doses resulting approximately symmetrical for cells located at upper and lower of vaginal cylinder. Obtained results allow the use of the radioactive decay law to determine dose rate for Uterine Cervical Cancer using low dose rate brachytherapy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. A methodological approach to a realistic evaluation of skin absorbed doses during manipulation of radioactive sources by means of GAMOS Monte Carlo simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Italiano, Antonio; Amato, Ernesto; Auditore, Lucrezia; Baldari, Sergio

    2018-05-01

    The accurate evaluation of the radiation burden associated with radiation absorbed doses to the skin of the extremities during the manipulation of radioactive sources is a critical issue in operational radiological protection, deserving the most accurate calculation approaches available. Monte Carlo simulation of the radiation transport and interaction is the gold standard for the calculation of dose distributions in complex geometries and in presence of extended spectra of multi-radiation sources. We propose the use of Monte Carlo simulations in GAMOS, in order to accurately estimate the dose to the extremities during manipulation of radioactive sources. We report the results of these simulations for 90Y, 131I, 18F and 111In nuclides in water solutions enclosed in glass or plastic receptacles, such as vials or syringes. Skin equivalent doses at 70 μm of depth and dose-depth profiles are reported for different configurations, highlighting the importance of adopting a realistic geometrical configuration in order to get accurate dosimetric estimations. Due to the easiness of implementation of GAMOS simulations, case-specific geometries and nuclides can be adopted and results can be obtained in less than about ten minutes of computation time with a common workstation.

  15. Dose Response for Chromosome Aberrations in Human Lymphocytes and Fibroblasts after Exposure to Very Low Doses of High LET Radiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hada, M.; George, Kerry; Cucinotta, Francis A.

    2011-01-01

    The relationship between biological effects and low doses of absorbed radiation is still uncertain, especially for high LET radiation exposure. Estimates of risks from low-dose and low-dose-rates are often extrapolated using data from Japanese atomic bomb survivors with either linear or linear quadratic models of fit. In this study, chromosome aberrations were measured in human peripheral blood lymphocytes and normal skin fibroblasts cells after exposure to very low dose (1-20 cGy) of 170 MeV/u Si-28- ions or 600 MeV/u Fe-56-ions. Chromosomes were analyzed using the whole chromosome fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique during the first cell division after irradiation, and chromosome aberrations were identified as either simple exchanges (translocations and dicentrics) or complex exchanges (involving greater than 2 breaks in 2 or more chromosomes). The curves for doses above 10 cGy were fitted with linear or linear-quadratic functions. For Si-28- ions no dose response was observed in the 2-10 cGy dose range, suggesting a non-target effect in this range.

  16. MO-FG-CAMPUS-IeP1-05: New Ionization Chamber Dosimetry of Absorbed Dose to Water in Diagnostic KV X-Ray Beams

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Araki, F; Ohno, T

    Purpose: To develop new ionization chamber dosimetry of absorbed dose to water in diagnostic kV x-ray beams, by using a beam quality conversion factor, kQ, for Co-60 to kV x-ray and an ionization conversion factor for a water-substitute plastic phantom. Methods: kQ was calculated for aluminum half value-layers (Al-HVLs) of 1.5 mm to 8 mm which were generated by kV x-ray beams of 50 to 120 kVp. Twenty-two energy spectra for ten effective energies (Eeff) were calculated by a SpecCalc program. Depth doses in water were calculated at 5 × 5 to 30 × 30 cm{sup 2} fields. Output factorsmore » were also obtained from the dose ratio for a 10 × 10 cm{sup 2} field. kQ was obtained for a PTW30013 Former ion chamber. In addition, an ionization conversion factor of the PWDT phantom to water was calculated. All calculations were performed with EGSnrc/cavity code and egs-chamber codes. Results: The x-ray beam energies for 1.5 mm to 8 mm Al-HVLs ranged in Eeff of 25.7 to 54.3 keV. kQ for 1.5 mm to 8 mm Al-HVLs were 0.831 to 0.897, at 1 and 2 cm depths for a 10 × 10 cm2 field. Similarly, output factors for 5 × 5 to 30 × 30 cm{sup 2} fields were 0.937 to 1.033 for 25.7 keV and 0.857 to 1.168 for 54.3 keV. The depth dose in a PWDT phantom decreased up to 5% compared to that in water at depth of ten percent of maximum dose for 1.5 mm Al-HVL. The ionization ratios of water/PWDT phantoms for the PTW30013 chamber were 1.012 to 1.007 for 1.5 mm to 8 mm Al-HVLs at 1 cm depth. Conclusion: It became possible to directly measure the absorbed dose to water with the ionization chamber in diagnostic kV x-ray beams, by using kQ and the PWDT phantom.« less

  17. A framework for organ dose estimation in x-ray angiography and interventional radiology based on dose-related data in DICOM structured reports

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Omar, Artur; Bujila, Robert; Fransson, Annette; Andreo, Pedro; Poludniowski, Gavin

    2016-04-01

    Although interventional x-ray angiography (XA) procedures involve relatively high radiation doses that can lead to deterministic tissue reactions in addition to stochastic effects, convenient and accurate estimation of absorbed organ doses has traditionally been out of reach. This has mainly been due to the absence of practical means to access dose-related data that describe the physical context of the numerous exposures during an XA procedure. The present work provides a comprehensive and general framework for the determination of absorbed organ dose, based on non-proprietary access to dose-related data by utilizing widely available DICOM radiation dose structured reports. The framework comprises a straightforward calculation workflow to determine the incident kerma and reconstruction of the geometrical relation between the projected x-ray beam and the patient’s anatomy. The latter is difficult in practice, as the position of the patient on the table top is unknown. A novel patient-specific approach for reconstruction of the patient position on the table is presented. The proposed approach was evaluated for 150 patients by comparing the estimated position of the primary irradiated organs (the target organs) with their position in clinical DICOM images. The approach is shown to locate the target organ position with a mean (max) deviation of 1.3 (4.3), 1.8 (3.6) and 1.4 (2.9) cm for neurovascular, adult and paediatric cardiovascular procedures, respectively. To illustrate the utility of the framework for systematic and automated organ dose estimation in routine clinical practice, a prototype implementation of the framework with Monte Carlo simulations is included.

  18. Monte Carlo MCNP-4B-based absorbed dose distribution estimates for patient-specific dosimetry.

    PubMed

    Yoriyaz, H; Stabin, M G; dos Santos, A

    2001-04-01

    This study was intended to verify the capability of the Monte Carlo MCNP-4B code to evaluate spatial dose distribution based on information gathered from CT or SPECT. A new three-dimensional (3D) dose calculation approach for internal emitter use in radioimmunotherapy (RIT) was developed using the Monte Carlo MCNP-4B code as the photon and electron transport engine. It was shown that the MCNP-4B computer code can be used with voxel-based anatomic and physiologic data to provide 3D dose distributions. This study showed that the MCNP-4B code can be used to develop a treatment planning system that will provide such information in a time manner, if dose reporting is suitably optimized. If each organ is divided into small regions where the average energy deposition is calculated with a typical volume of 0.4 cm(3), regional dose distributions can be provided with reasonable central processing unit times (on the order of 12-24 h on a 200-MHz personal computer or modest workstation). Further efforts to provide semiautomated region identification (segmentation) and improvement of marrow dose calculations are needed to supply a complete system for RIT. It is envisioned that all such efforts will continue to develop and that internal dose calculations may soon be brought to a similar level of accuracy, detail, and robustness as is commonly expected in external dose treatment planning. For this study we developed a code with a user-friendly interface that works on several nuclear medicine imaging platforms and provides timely patient-specific dose information to the physician and medical physicist. Future therapy with internal emitters should use a 3D dose calculation approach, which represents a significant advance over dose information provided by the standard geometric phantoms used for more than 20 y (which permit reporting of only average organ doses for certain standardized individuals)

  19. Dosimeter for measuring skin dose and more deeply penetrating radiation

    DOEpatents

    Jones, Donald E.; Parker, DeRay; Boren, Paul R.

    1981-01-01

    A personnel dosimeter includes a plurality of compartments containing thermoluminescent dosimeter phosphors for registering radiation dose absorbed in the wearer's sensitive skin layer and for registering more deeply penetrating radiation. Two of the phosphor compartments communicate with thin windows of different thicknesses to obtain a ratio of shallowly penetrating radiation, e.g. beta. A third phosphor is disposed within a compartment communicating with a window of substantially greater thickness than the windows of the first two compartments for estimating the more deeply penetrating radiation dose. By selecting certain phosphors that are insensitive to neutrons and by loading the holder material with netruon-absorbing elements, energetic neutron dose can be estimated separately from other radiation dose. This invention also involves a method of injection molding of dosimeter holders with thin windows of consistent thickness at the corresponding compartments of different holders. This is achieved through use of a die insert having the thin window of precision thickness in place prior to the injection molding step.

  20. Typical doses and dose rates in studies pertinent to radiation risk inference at low doses and low dose rates

    PubMed Central

    Rühm, Werner; Azizova, Tamara; Bouffler, Simon; Cullings, Harry M; Grosche, Bernd; Little, Mark P; Shore, Roy S; Walsh, Linda; Woloschak, Gayle E

    2018-01-01

    Abstract In order to quantify radiation risks at exposure scenarios relevant for radiation protection, often extrapolation of data obtained at high doses and high dose rates down to low doses and low dose rates is needed. Task Group TG91 on ‘Radiation Risk Inference at Low-dose and Low-dose Rate Exposure for Radiological Protection Purposes’ of the International Commission on Radiological Protection is currently reviewing the relevant cellular, animal and human studies that could be used for that purpose. This paper provides an overview of dose rates and doses typically used or present in those studies, and compares them with doses and dose rates typical of those received by the A-bomb survivors in Japan. PMID:29432579

  1. Measuring dose from radiotherapy treatments in the vicinity of a cardiac pacemaker.

    PubMed

    Peet, Samuel C; Wilks, Rachael; Kairn, Tanya; Crowe, Scott B

    2016-12-01

    This study investigated the dose absorbed by tissues surrounding artificial cardiac pacemakers during external beam radiotherapy procedures. The usefulness of out-of-field reference data, treatment planning systems, and skin dose measurements to estimate the dose in the vicinity of a pacemaker was also examined. Measurements were performed by installing a pacemaker onto an anthropomorphic phantom, and using radiochromic film and optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters to measure the dose in the vicinity of the device during the delivery of square fields and clinical treatment plans. It was found that the dose delivered in the vicinity of the cardiac device was unevenly distributed both laterally and anteroposteriorly. As the device was moved distally from the square field, the dose dropped exponentially, in line with out-of-field reference data in the literature. Treatment planning systems were found to substantially underestimate the dose for volumetric modulated arc therapy, helical tomotherapy, and 3D conformal treatments. The skin dose was observed to be either greater or lesser than the dose received at the depth of the device, depending on the treatment site, and so care should be if skin dose measurements are to be used to estimate the dose to a pacemaker. Square field reference data may be used as an upper estimate of absorbed dose per monitor unit in the vicinity of a cardiac device for complex treatments involving multiple gantry angles. Copyright © 2016 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Radiation dose reduction efficiency of buildings after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

    PubMed

    Monzen, Satoru; Hosoda, Masahiro; Osanai, Minoru; Tokonami, Shinji

    2014-01-01

    Numerous radionuclides were released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (F1-NPS) in Japan following the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. Local residents have been eager to calculate their individual radiation exposure. Thus, absorbed dose rates in the indoor and outdoor air at evacuation sites in the Fukushima Prefecture were measured using a gamma-ray measuring devices, and individual radiation exposure was calculated by assessing the radiation dose reduction efficiency (defined as the ratio of absorbed dose rate in the indoor air to the absorbed dose rate in the outdoor air) of wood, aluminum, and reinforced concrete buildings. Between March 2011 and July 2011, dose reduction efficiencies of wood, aluminum, and reinforced concrete buildings were 0.55 ± 0.04, 0.15 ± 0.02, and 0.19 ± 0.04, respectively. The reduction efficiency of wood structures was 1.4 times higher than that reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The efficiency of reinforced concrete was similar to previously reported values, whereas that of aluminum structures has not been previously reported. Dose reduction efficiency increased in proportion to the distance from F1-NPS at 8 of the 18 evacuation sites. Time variations did not reflect dose reduction efficiencies at evacuation sites although absorbed dose rates in the outdoor air decreased. These data suggest that dose reduction efficiency depends on structure types, levels of contamination, and evacuee behaviors at evacuation sites.

  3. Evaluation of the peripheral dose to uterus in breast carcinoma radiotherapy.

    PubMed

    Martín Rincón, C; Jerez Sainz, I; Modolell Farré, I; España López, M L; López Franco, P; Muñiz, J L; Romero, A M; Rodríguez, R

    2002-01-01

    The absorbed dose outside of the direct fields of radiotherapy treatment (or peripheral dose, PD) is responsible for radiation exposure of the fetus in pregnant women. Because the radiological protection of the unborn child is of particular concern in the early period of the pregnancy, the aim of this study is to estimate the PD in order to assess the absorbed dose in the uterus in a pregnant patient irradiated for breast carcinoma therapy. The treatment was simulated on an Alderson-Rando anthropomorphic phantom, and the radiation dose to the fetus was measured using an ionisation chamber and thermoluminescence dosemeters. Two similar treatments plans with and without wedges were delivered, using a 6 MV photon beam with two isocentric opposite tangential fields with a total dose of 50 Gy, in accordance with common established procedures. Average field parameters for more than 300 patients were studied. Measurements showed the fetal dose to be slightly lower than 50 mGy, a level at which the risk to the fetus is uncertain, although several authors consider this value as the dose threshold for deterministic effects. The planning system (PS) underestimated PD values and no significant influence was found with the use of wedge filters.

  4. [Evaluation of Organ Dose Estimation from Indices of CT Dose Using Dose Index Registry].

    PubMed

    Iriuchijima, Akiko; Fukushima, Yasuhiro; Ogura, Akio

    Direct measurement of each patient organ dose from computed tomography (CT) is not possible. Most methods to estimate patient organ dose is using Monte Carlo simulation with dedicated software. However, dedicated software is too expensive for small scale hospitals. Not every hospital can estimate organ dose with dedicated software. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the simple method of organ dose estimation using some common indices of CT dose. The Monte Carlo simulation software Radimetrics (Bayer) was used for calculating organ dose and analysis relationship between indices of CT dose and organ dose. Multidetector CT scanners were compared with those from two manufactures (LightSpeed VCT, GE Healthcare; SOMATOM Definition Flash, Siemens Healthcare). Using stored patient data from Radimetrics, the relationships between indices of CT dose and organ dose were indicated as each formula for estimating organ dose. The accuracy of estimation method of organ dose was compared with the results of Monte Carlo simulation using the Bland-Altman plots. In the results, SSDE was the feasible index for estimation organ dose in almost organs because it reflected each patient size. The differences of organ dose between estimation and simulation were within 23%. In conclusion, our estimation method of organ dose using indices of CT dose is convenient for clinical with accuracy.

  5. Dose Response for Chromosome Aberrations in Human Lymphocytes and Fibroblasts After Exposure to Very Low Dose of High Let Radiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hada, M.; George, K.; Chappell, L.; Cucinotta, F. A.

    2011-01-01

    The relationship between biological effects and low doses of absorbed radiation is still uncertain, especially for high LET radiation exposure. Estimates of risks from low-dose and low-dose-rates are often extrapolated using data from Japanese atomic bomb survivor with either linear or linear quadratic models of fit. In this study, chromosome aberrations were measured in human peripheral blood lymphocytes and normal skin fibroblasts cells after exposure to very low dose (0.01 - 0.20 Gy) of 170 MeV/u Si-28 ions or 600 MeV/u Fe-56 ions, including doses where on average less than one direct ion traversal per cell nucleus occurs. Chromosomes were analyzed using the whole-chromosome fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique during the first cell division after irradiation, and chromosome aberrations were identified as either simple exchanges (translocations and dicentrics) or complex exchanges (involving >2 breaks in 2 or more chromosomes). The responses for doses above 0.1 Gy (more than one ion traverses a cell) showed linear dose responses. However, for doses less than 0.1 Gy, both Si-28 ions and Fe-56 ions showed a dose independent response above background chromosome aberrations frequencies. Possible explanations for our results are non-targeted effects due to aberrant cell signaling [1], or delta-ray dose fluctuations [2] where a fraction of cells receive significant delta-ray doses due to the contributions of multiple ion tracks that do not directly traverse cell nuclei where chromosome aberrations are scored.

  6. An investigation of voxel geometries for MCNP-based radiation dose calculations.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Juying; Bednarz, Bryan; Xu, X George

    2006-11-01

    Voxelized geometry such as those obtained from medical images is increasingly used in Monte Carlo calculations of absorbed doses. One useful application of calculated absorbed dose is the determination of fluence-to-dose conversion factors for different organs. However, confusion still exists about how such a geometry is defined and how the energy deposition is best computed, especially involving a popular code, MCNP5. This study investigated two different types of geometries in the MCNP5 code, cell and lattice definitions. A 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm test phantom, which contained an embedded 2 cm x 2 cm x 2 cm target at its center, was considered. A planar source emitting parallel photons was also considered in the study. The results revealed that MCNP5 does not calculate total target volume for multi-voxel geometries. Therefore, tallies which involve total target volume must be divided by the user by the total number of voxels to obtain a correct dose result. Also, using planar source areas greater than the phantom size results in the same fluence-to-dose conversion factor.

  7. SU-F-T-222: Dose of Fetus and Infant Following Accidental Intakes of I-131 by the Mother

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Y; Hu, P

    Purpose: To estimate the calculation of absorbed dose to the fetus and infants from intakes of I-131 by the mother. Thus provide some advice to the radioprotection of radioactive accident. Methods: In this clinical case, a staff of nuclear medicine accidently intake I-131 during (10–12 weeks) and after pregnancy. The infant was born at full term, but both lobes of the thyroid gland were found to be absent (bilobar thyroid agenesis). It was suspected that the fetal thyroid agenesis may be related with mother’s contamination of I-131 during pregnancy. Urine samples for 24h were collected at different times after administeredmore » and radioactivity were measured to calculate the dose of intake I-131. Calculate the intake I-131 by the results of personal TLD dosimeter. We adopted the mean of two calculated results as the I-131 intake. According to the dose of intake I-131 by the mother, effective dose and absorbed dose of thyroid for mother, fetus and infant were calculated. Results: The intake of I-131 was estimated for 8.18 mCi. I-131 intake was calculated for 7.9 mCi based on data of TLD dosimeter. We adopted the mean of two results as the I-131 intake. The final result was 8.0 mCi. Effective dose and absorbed dose of thyroid for mother were 7.3Sv and 164 Gy, effective dose and absorbed dose of thyroid for fetus were 2.035 Sv and 40.7 Gy, effective dose and absorbed dose of thyroid for infant were 16.25 Sv and 355Gy. Conclusion: The intake during pregnancy was about 1mCi. The absorbed dose of thyroid of the mother was 19.5Gy, whereas the effective of infant was estimated for 40.7Gy. The function of the mother’s thyroid was normal after diagnosis. But the infant was diagnosed as bilobar thyroid agenesis.« less

  8. Dose perturbations due to in vivo dosimetry with diodes.

    PubMed

    Alecu, R; Feldmeier, J J; Alecu, M

    1997-03-01

    In vivo dosimetry performed with semiconductor detectors is a reliable method for patient dose control. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the perturbations introduced in the patient's absorbed dose distribution by three types of commercially available diodes (Isorad, Sun Nuclear Corp.; model 114200, 114300 and 114400) from the same company and to present possible solutions for minimizing this side-effect.

  9. Radiation Dose Testing on Juno High Voltage Cables

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Green, Nelson W.; Kirkham, Harold; Kim, Wousik; McAlpine, Bill

    2008-01-01

    The Juno mission to Jupiter will have a highly elliptical orbit taking the spacecraft through the radiation belts surrounding the planet. During these passes through the radiation belts, the spacecraft will be subject to high doses of radiation from energetic electrons and protons with energies ranging from 10 keV to 1 GeV. While shielding within the spacecraft main body will reduce the total absorbed dose to much of the spacecraft electronics, instruments and cables on the outside of the spacecraft will receive much higher levels of absorbed dose. In order to estimate the amount of degradation to two such cables, testing has been performed on two coaxial cables intended to provide high voltages to three of the instruments on Juno. Both cables were placed in a vacuum of 5x10(exp -6) torr and cooled to -50(deg)C prior to exposure to the radiation sources. Measurements of the coaxial capacitance per unit length and partial discharge noise floor indicate that increasing levels of radiation make measurable but acceptably small changes to the F EP Teflon utilized in the construction of these cables. In addition to the radiation dose testing, observations were made on the internal electrostatic charging characteristics of these cables and multiple discharges were recorded.

  10. Radiation Dose Testing on Juno High Voltage Cables

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Green, Nelson W.; Kirkham, Harold; Kim, Wousik; McAlpine, Bill

    2008-01-01

    The Juno mission to Jupiter will have a highly elliptical orbit taking the spacecraft through the radiation belts surrounding the planet. During these passes through the radiation belts, the spacecraft will be subject to high doses of radiation from energetic electrons and protons with energies ranging from 10 keV to 1 GeV. While shielding within the spacecraft main body will reduce the total absorbed dose to much of the spacecraft electronics, instruments and cables on the outside of the spacecraft will receive much higher levels of absorbed dose. In order to estimate the amount of degradation to two such cables, testing has been performed on two coaxial cables intended to provide high voltages to three of the instruments on Juno. Both cables were placed in a vacuum of 5x10-6 torr and cooled to -50 C prior to exposure to the radiation sources. Measurements of the coaxial capacitance per unit length and partial discharge noise floor indicate that increasing levels of radiation make measurable but acceptably small changes to the F EP Teflon utilized in the construction of these cables. In addition to the radiation dose testing, observations were made on the internal electrostatic charging characteristics of these cables and multiple discharges were recorded.

  11. Physics must join with biology in better assessing risk from low-dose irradiation.

    PubMed

    Feinendegen, L E; Neumann, R D

    2005-01-01

    This review summarises the complex response of mammalian cells and tissues to low doses of ionising radiation. This thesis encompasses induction of DNA damage, and adaptive protection against both renewed damage and against propagation of damage from the basic level of biological organisation to the clinical expression of detriment. The induction of DNA damage at low radiation doses apparently is proportional to absorbed dose at the physical/chemical level. However, any propagation of such damage to higher levels of biological organisation inherently follows a sigmoid function. Moreover, low-dose-induced inhibition of damage propagation is not linear, but instead follows a dose-effect function typical for adaptive protection, after an initial rapid rise it disappears at doses higher than approximately 0.1-0.2 Gy to cells. The particular biological response duality at low radiation doses precludes the validity of the linear-no-threshold hypothesis in the attempt to relate absorbed dose to cancer. In fact, theory and observation support not only a lower cancer incidence than expected from the linear-no-threshold hypothesis, but also a reduction of spontaneously occurring cancer, a hormetic response, in the healthy individual.

  12. Calculation of Blood Dose in Patients Treated With 131I Using MIRD, Imaging, and Blood Sampling Methods.

    PubMed

    Piruzan, Elham; Haghighatafshar, Mahdi; Faghihi, Reza; Entezarmahdi, Seyed Mohammad

    2016-03-01

    Radioiodine therapy is known as the most effective treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) to ablate remnant thyroid tissue after surgery. In patients with DTC treated with radioiodine, internal radiation dosimetry of radioiodine is useful for radiation risk assessment. The aim of this study is to describe a method to estimate the absorbed dose to the blood using medical internal radiation dosimetry methods. In this study, 23 patients with DTC with different administrated activities, 3.7, 4.62, and 5.55 GBq after thyroidectomy, were randomly selected. Blood dosimetry of treated patients was performed with external whole body counting using a dual-head gamma camera imaging device and also with blood sample activity measurements using a dose calibrator. Absorbed dose to the blood was measured at 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 96 hours after the administration of radioiodine with the 2 methods. Based on the results of whole body counting and blood sample activity dose rate measurements, 96 hours after administration of 3.7, 4.62, and 5.55 GBq of radioiodine, absorbed doses to patients' blood were 0.65 ± 0.20, 0.67 ± 0.18, 0.79 ± 0.51 Gy, respectively. Increasing radioiodine activity from 3.7 to 5.55 GBq increased blood dose significantly, while there was no significant difference in blood dose between radioiodine dosages of 3.7 and 4.62 GBq. Our results revealed a significant correlation between the blood absorbed dose and blood sample activity and between the blood absorbed dose and whole body counts 24 to 48 hours after the administration of radioiodine.

  13. Influence of exposure and geometric parameters on absorbed doses associated with common neuro-interventional procedures.

    PubMed

    Safari, Mohammad Javad; Wong, Jeannie Hsiu Ding; Jong, Wei Loong; Thorpe, Nathan; Cutajar, Dean; Rosenfeld, Anatoly; Ng, Kwan Hoong

    2017-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of routine exposure parameters on patient's dose during neuro-interventional radiology procedures. We scrutinized the routine radiological exposure parameters during 58 clinical neuro-interventional procedures such as, exposure direction, magnification, frame rate, and distance between image receptor to patient's body and evaluate their effects on patient's dose using an anthropomorphic phantom. Radiation dose received by the occipital region, ears and eyes of the phantom were measured using MOSkin detectors. DSA imaging technique is a major contributor to patient's dose (80.9%) even though they are used sparingly (5.3% of total frame number). The occipital region of the brain received high dose largely from the frontal tube constantly placed under couch (73.7% of the total KAP). When rotating the frontal tube away from under the couch, the radiation dose to the occipital reduced by 40%. The use of magnification modes could increase radiation dose by 94%. Changing the image receptor to the phantom surface distance from 10 to 40cm doubled the radiation dose received by the patient's skin at the occipital region. Our findings provided important insights into the contribution of selected fluoroscopic exposure parameters and their impact on patient's dose during neuro-interventional radiology procedures. This study showed that the DSA imaging technique contributed to the highest patient's dose and judicial use of exposure parameters might assist interventional radiologists in effective skin and eye lens dose reduction for patients undergoing neuro-interventional procedures. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. All rights reserved.

  14. Evaluation of the absorbed dose to the breast using radiochromic film in a dedicated CT mammotomography system employing a quasi-monochromatic x-ray beam.

    PubMed

    Crotty, Dominic J; Brady, Samuel L; Jackson, D'Vone C; Toncheva, Greta I; Anderson, Colin E; Yoshizumi, Terry T; Tornai, Martin P

    2011-06-01

    A dual modality SPECT-CT prototype system dedicated to uncompressed breast imaging (mammotomography) has been developed. The computed tomography subsystem incorporates an ultrathick K-edge filtration technique producing a quasi-monochromatic x-ray cone beam that optimizes the dose efficiency of the system for lesion imaging in an uncompressed breast. Here, the absorbed dose in various geometric phantoms and in an uncompressed and pendant cadaveric breast using a normal tomographic cone beam imaging protocol is characterized using both thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) measurements and ionization chamber-calibrated radiochromic film. Initially, two geometric phantoms and an anthropomorphic breast phantom are filled in turn with oil and water to simulate the dose to objects that mimic various breast shapes having effective density bounds of 100% fatty and glandular breast compositions, respectively. Ultimately, an excised human cadaver breast is tomographically scanned using the normal tomographic imaging protocol, and the dose to the breast tissue is evaluated and compared to the earlier phantom-based measurements. Measured trends in dose distribution across all breast geometric and anthropomorphic phantom volumes indicate lower doses in the medial breast and more proximal to the chest wall, with consequently higher doses near the lateral peripheries and nipple regions. Measured doses to the oil-filled phantoms are consistently lower across all volume shapes due to the reduced mass energy-absorption coefficient of oil relative to water. The mean measured dose to the breast cadaver, composed of adipose and glandular tissues, was measured to be 4.2 mGy compared to a mean whole-breast dose of 3.8 and 4.5 mGy for the oil- and water-filled anthropomorphic breast phantoms, respectively. Assuming rotational symmetry due to the tomographic acquisition exposures, these results characterize the 3D dose distributions in an uncompressed human breast tissue volume for this

  15. Evaluation of the absorbed dose to the breast using radiochromic film in a dedicated CT mammotomography system employing a quasi-monochromatic x-ray beam

    PubMed Central

    Crotty, Dominic J.; Brady, Samuel L.; Jackson, D’Vone C.; Toncheva, Greta I.; Anderson, Colin E.; Yoshizumi, Terry T.; Tornai, Martin P.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: A dual modality SPECT-CT prototype system dedicated to uncompressed breast imaging (mammotomography) has been developed. The computed tomography subsystem incorporates an ultrathick K-edge filtration technique producing a quasi-monochromatic x-ray cone beam that optimizes the dose efficiency of the system for lesion imaging in an uncompressed breast. Here, the absorbed dose in various geometric phantoms and in an uncompressed and pendant cadaveric breast using a normal tomographic cone beam imaging protocol is characterized using both thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) measurements and ionization chamber-calibrated radiochromic film. Methods: Initially, two geometric phantoms and an anthropomorphic breast phantom are filled in turn with oil and water to simulate the dose to objects that mimic various breast shapes having effective density bounds of 100% fatty and glandular breast compositions, respectively. Ultimately, an excised human cadaver breast is tomographically scanned using the normal tomographic imaging protocol, and the dose to the breast tissue is evaluated and compared to the earlier phantom-based measurements. Results: Measured trends in dose distribution across all breast geometric and anthropomorphic phantom volumes indicate lower doses in the medial breast and more proximal to the chest wall, with consequently higher doses near the lateral peripheries and nipple regions. Measured doses to the oil-filled phantoms are consistently lower across all volume shapes due to the reduced mass energy-absorption coefficient of oil relative to water. The mean measured dose to the breast cadaver, composed of adipose and glandular tissues, was measured to be 4.2 mGy compared to a mean whole-breast dose of 3.8 and 4.5 mGy for the oil- and water-filled anthropomorphic breast phantoms, respectively. Conclusions: Assuming rotational symmetry due to the tomographic acquisition exposures, these results characterize the 3D dose distributions in an uncompressed

  16. Dose rate effects in radiation degradation of polymer-based cable materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Plaček, V.; Bartoníček, B.; Hnát, V.; Otáhal, B.

    2003-08-01

    Cable ageing under the nuclear power plant (NPP) conditions must be effectively managed to ensure that the required plant safety and reliability are maintained throughout the plant service life. Ionizing radiation is one of the main stressors causing age-related degradation of polymer-based cable materials in air. For a given absorbed dose, radiation-induced damage to a polymer in air environment usually depends on the dose rate of the exposure. In this work, the effect of dose rate on the degradation rate has been studied. Three types of NPP cables (with jacket/insulation combinations PVC/PVC, PVC/PE, XPE/XPE) were irradiated at room temperature using 60Co gamma ray source at average dose rates of 7, 30 and 100 Gy/h with the doses up to 590 kGy. The irradiated samples have been tested for their mechanical properties, thermo-oxidative stability (using differential scanning calorimetry, DSC), and density. In the case of PVC and PE samples, the tested properties have shown evident dose rate effects, while the XPE material has shown no noticeable ones. The values of elongation at break and the thermo-oxidative stability decrease with the advanced degradation, density tends to increase with the absorbed dose. For XPE samples this effect can be partially explained by the increase of crystallinity. It was tested by the DSC determination of the crystalline phase amount.

  17. Dose rate effect of pulsed electron beam on micronucleus frequency in human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

    PubMed

    Acharya, Santhosh; Sanjeev, Ganesh; Bhat, Nagesh N; Narayana, Yerol

    2010-03-01

    The micronucleus assay in human peripheral blood lymphocytes is a sensitive indicator of radiation damage and could serve as a biological dosimeter in evaluating suspected overexposure to ionising radiation. Micronucleus (MN) frequency as a measure of chromosomal damage has also extensively been employed to quantify the effects of radiation dose rate on biological systems. Here we studied the effects of 8 MeV pulsed electron beam emitted by Microtron electron accelerator on MN induction at dose rates between 35 Gy min-1 and 352.5 Gy min-1. These dose rates were achieved by varying the pulse repetition rate (PRR). Fricke dosimeter was employed to measure the absorbed dose at different PRR and to ensure uniform dose distribution of the electron beam. To study the dose rate effect, blood samples were irradiated to an absorbed dose of (4.7+/-0.2) Gy at different rates and cytogenetic damage was quantified using the micronucleus assay. The obtained MN frequency showed no dose rate dependence within the studied dose rate range. Our earlier dose effect study using 8 MeV electrons revealed that the response of MN was linear-quadratic. Therefore, in the event of an accident, dose estimation can be made using linear-quadratic dose response parameters, without adding dose rate as a correction factor.

  18. High-energy neutron depth-dose distribution experiment.

    PubMed

    Ferenci, M S; Hertel, N E

    2003-01-01

    A unique set of high-energy neutron depth-dose benchmark experiments were performed at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center/Weapons Neutron Research (LANSCE/WNR) complex. The experiments consisted of filtered neutron beams with energies up to 800 MeV impinging on a 30 x 30 x 30 cm3 liquid, tissue-equivalent phantom. The absorbed dose was measured in the phantom at various depths with tissue-equivalent ion chambers. This experiment is intended to serve as a benchmark experiment for the testing of high-energy radiation transport codes for the international radiation protection community.

  19. Continuing education: online monitoring of haemodialysis dose.

    PubMed

    Vartia, Aarne

    2018-01-25

    Kt/V urea reflects the efficacy of haemodialysis scaled to patient size (urea distribution volume). The guidelines recommend monthly Kt/V measurements based on blood samples. Modern haemodialysis machines are equipped with accessories monitoring the dose online at every session without extra costs, blood samples and computers. To describe the principles, devices, benefits and shortcomings of online monitoring of haemodialysis dose. A critical literature overview and discussion. UV absorbance methods measure Kt/V, ionic dialysance Kt (product of clearance and treatment time; cleared volume without scaling). Both are easy and useful methods, but comparison is difficult due to problems in scaling of the dialysis dose to the patient's size. The best dose estimation method is the one which predicts the quality of life and survival most accurately. There is some evidence on the predictive value of ionic dialysance Kt, but more documentation is required on the UV method. Online monitoring is a useful tool in everyday quality assurance, but blood samples are still required for more accurate kinetic modelling. After reading this article the reader should be able to: Understand the elements of the Kt/V equation for dialysis dose. Compare and contrast different methods of measurement of dialysis dose. Reflect on the importance of adequate dialysis dose for patient survival and life quality. © 2018 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

  20. Comparison of the IAEA TRS-398 and AAPM TG-51 absorbed dose to water protocols in the dosimetry of high-energy photon and electron beams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saiful Huq, M.; Andreo, Pedro; Song, Haijun

    2001-11-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA TRS-398) and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM TG-51) have published new protocols for the calibration of radiotherapy beams. These protocols are based on the use of an ionization chamber calibrated in terms of absorbed dose to water in a standards laboratory's reference quality beam. This paper compares the recommendations of the two protocols in two ways: (i) by analysing in detail the differences in the basic data included in the two protocols for photon and electron beam dosimetry and (ii) by performing measurements in clinical photon and electron beams and determining the absorbed dose to water following the recommendations of the two protocols. Measurements were made with two Farmer-type ionization chambers and three plane-parallel ionization chamber types in 6, 18 and 25 MV photon beams and 6, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 18 MeV electron beams. The Farmer-type chambers used were NE 2571 and PTW 30001, and the plane-parallel chambers were a Scanditronix-Wellhöfer NACP and Roos, and a PTW Markus chamber. For photon beams, the measured ratios TG-51/TRS-398 of absorbed dose to water Dw ranged between 0.997 and 1.001, with a mean value of 0.999. The ratios for the beam quality correction factors kQ were found to agree to within about +/-0.2% despite significant differences in the method of beam quality specification for photon beams and in the basic data entering into kQ. For electron beams, dose measurements were made using direct ND,w calibrations of cylindrical and plane-parallel chambers in a 60Co gamma-ray beam, as well as cross-calibrations of plane-parallel chambers in a high-energy electron beam. For the direct ND,w calibrations the ratios TG-51/TRS-398 of absorbed dose to water Dw were found to lie between 0.994 and 1.018 depending upon the chamber and electron beam energy used, with mean values of 0.996, 1.006, and 1.017, respectively, for the cylindrical, well-guarded and not well-guarded plane

  1. Efficacy and Immunogenicity of Single-Dose AdVAV Intranasal Anthrax Vaccine Compared to Anthrax Vaccine Absorbed in an Aerosolized Spore Rabbit Challenge Model

    PubMed Central

    Krishnan, Vyjayanthi; Andersen, Bo H.; Shoemaker, Christine; Sivko, Gloria S.; Tordoff, Kevin P.; Stark, Gregory V.; Zhang, Jianfeng; Feng, Tsungwei; Duchars, Matthew

    2015-01-01

    AdVAV is a replication-deficient adenovirus type 5-vectored vaccine expressing the 83-kDa protective antigen (PA83) from Bacillus anthracis that is being developed for the prevention of disease caused by inhalation of aerosolized B. anthracis spores. A noninferiority study comparing the efficacy of AdVAV to the currently licensed Anthrax Vaccine Absorbed (AVA; BioThrax) was performed in New Zealand White rabbits using postchallenge survival as the study endpoint (20% noninferiority margin for survival). Three groups of 32 rabbits were vaccinated with a single intranasal dose of AdVAV (7.5 × 107, 1.5 × 109, or 3.5 × 1010 viral particles). Three additional groups of 32 animals received two doses of either intranasal AdVAV (3.5 × 1010 viral particles) or intramuscular AVA (diluted 1:16 or 1:64) 28 days apart. The placebo group of 16 rabbits received a single intranasal dose of AdVAV formulation buffer. All animals were challenged via the inhalation route with a targeted dose of 200 times the 50% lethal dose (LD50) of aerosolized B. anthracis Ames spores 70 days after the initial vaccination and were followed for 3 weeks. PA83 immunogenicity was evaluated by validated toxin neutralizing antibody and serum anti-PA83 IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). All animals in the placebo cohort died from the challenge. Three of the four AdVAV dose cohorts tested, including two single-dose cohorts, achieved statistical noninferiority relative to the AVA comparator group, with survival rates between 97% and 100%. Vaccination with AdVAV also produced antibody titers with earlier onset and greater persistence than vaccination with AVA. PMID:25673303

  2. Cross-species prediction of human survival probabilities for accelerated anthrax vaccine absorbed (AVA) regimens and the potential for vaccine and antibiotic dose sparing.

    PubMed

    Stark, G V; Sivko, G S; VanRaden, M; Schiffer, J; Taylor, K L; Hewitt, J A; Quinn, C P; Nuzum, E O

    2016-12-12

    Anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA, BioThrax) was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) indication in adults 18-65years of age. The schedule is three doses administered subcutaneous (SC) at 2-week intervals (0, 2, and 4weeks), in conjunction with a 60-day course of antimicrobials. The Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) developed an animal model to support assessment of a shortened antimicrobial PEP duration following Bacillus anthracis exposure. A nonhuman primate (NHP) study was completed to evaluate the efficacy of a two dose anthrax vaccine absorbed (AVA) schedule (0, 2weeks) aerosol challenged with high levels of B. anthracis spores at week4- the time point at which humans would receive the third vaccination of the approved PEP schedule. Here we use logistic regression models to combine the survival data from the NHP study along with serum anthrax lethal toxin neutralizing activity (TNA) and anti-PA IgG measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) data to perform a cross-species analysis to estimate survival probabilities in vaccinated human populations at this time interval (week4 of the PEP schedule). The bridging analysis demonstrated that high levels of NHP protection also yield high predicted probability of human survival just 2weeks after the second dose of vaccine with the full or half antigen dose regimen. The absolute difference in probability of human survival between the full and half antigen dose was estimated to be at most approximately 20%, indicating that more investigation of the half-antigen dose for vaccine dose sparing strategies may be warranted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Calculation of Blood Dose in Patients Treated With 131I Using MIRD, Imaging, and Blood Sampling Methods

    PubMed Central

    Piruzan, Elham; Haghighatafshar, Mahdi; Faghihi, Reza; Entezarmahdi, Seyed Mohammad

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Radioiodine therapy is known as the most effective treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) to ablate remnant thyroid tissue after surgery. In patients with DTC treated with radioiodine, internal radiation dosimetry of radioiodine is useful for radiation risk assessment. The aim of this study is to describe a method to estimate the absorbed dose to the blood using medical internal radiation dosimetry methods. In this study, 23 patients with DTC with different administrated activities, 3.7, 4.62, and 5.55 GBq after thyroidectomy, were randomly selected. Blood dosimetry of treated patients was performed with external whole body counting using a dual-head gamma camera imaging device and also with blood sample activity measurements using a dose calibrator. Absorbed dose to the blood was measured at 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 96 hours after the administration of radioiodine with the 2 methods. Based on the results of whole body counting and blood sample activity dose rate measurements, 96 hours after administration of 3.7, 4.62, and 5.55 GBq of radioiodine, absorbed doses to patients’ blood were 0.65 ± 0.20, 0.67 ± 0.18, 0.79 ± 0.51 Gy, respectively. Increasing radioiodine activity from 3.7 to 5.55 GBq increased blood dose significantly, while there was no significant difference in blood dose between radioiodine dosages of 3.7 and 4.62 GBq. Our results revealed a significant correlation between the blood absorbed dose and blood sample activity and between the blood absorbed dose and whole body counts 24 to 48 hours after the administration of radioiodine. PMID:26986171

  4. Organ doses can be estimated from the computed tomography (CT) dose index for cone-beam CT on radiotherapy equipment.

    PubMed

    Martin, Colin J; Abuhaimed, Abdullah; Sankaralingam, Marimuthu; Metwaly, Mohamed; Gentle, David J

    2016-06-01

    Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) systems are fitted to radiotherapy linear accelerators and used for patient positioning prior to treatment by image guided radiotherapy (IGRT). Radiotherapists' and radiographers' knowledge of doses to organs from CBCT imaging is limited. The weighted CT dose index for a reference beam of width 20 mm (CTDIw,ref) is displayed on Varian CBCT imaging equipment known as an On-Board Imager (OBI) linked to the Truebeam linear accelerator. This has the potential to provide an indication of organ doses. This knowledge would be helpful for guidance of radiotherapy clinicians preparing treatments. Monte Carlo simulations of imaging protocols for head, thorax and pelvic scans have been performed using EGSnrc/BEAMnrc, EGSnrc/DOSXYZnrc, and ICRP reference computational male and female phantoms to derive the mean absorbed doses to organs and tissues, which have been compared with values for the CTDIw,ref displayed on the CBCT scanner console. Substantial variations in dose were observed between male and female phantoms. Nevertheless, the CTDIw,ref gave doses within  ±21% for the stomach and liver in thorax scans and 2  ×  CTDIw,ref can be used as a measure of doses to breast, lung and oesophagus. The CTDIw,ref could provide indications of doses to the brain for head scans, and the colon for pelvic scans. It is proposed that knowledge of the link between CTDIw for CBCT should be promoted and included in the training of radiotherapy staff.

  5. Comparison of estimated human dose of (68)Ga-MAA with (99m)Tc-MAA based on rat data.

    PubMed

    Shanehsazzadeh, Saeed; Lahooti, Afsaneh; Yousefnia, Hassan; Geramifar, Parham; Jalilian, Amir Reza

    2015-10-01

    (99m)Tc macroaggregated albumin ((99m)Tc-MAA) that had been used as a perfusion agent has been evaluated. In this study, we tried to estimate human absorbed dose of ⁶⁸Ga-MAA via commercially available kit from Pars-Isotopes, based on biodistribution data in wild-type rats, and compare our estimation with the available absorbed dose data from (99m)Tc-MAA. For biodistribution of ⁶⁸Ga-MAA, three rats were sacrificed at each selected times after injection (15, 30, 45, 60, and 120 min) and the percentage of injected dose per gram of each organ was measured by direct counting from rats data from 11 harvested organs. The medical internal radiation dose formulation was applied to extrapolate from rats to human and to project the absorbed radiation dose for various organs in humans. The biodistribution data for ⁶⁸Ga-MAA showed that the most of the activity was taken up by the lung (more than 97 %) in no time. Our dose prediction shows that a 185-MBq injection of ⁶⁸Ga-MAA into humans might result in an estimated absorbed dose of 4.31 mGy in the whole body. The highest absorbed doses are observed in the adrenals, spleen, pancreas, and red marrow with 0.36, 0.34, 0.26, and 0.19 mGy, respectively. Since the (99m)Tc-MAA remains longer than ⁶⁸Ga-MAA in the lung and ⁶⁸Ga-MAA has good image qualities and results in lower amounts of dose delivery to the critical organs such as gonads, red marrow, and adrenals, the use of ⁶⁸Ga-MAA is recommended.

  6. Development of modern approach to absorbed dose assessment in radionuclide therapy, based on Monte Carlo method simulation of patient scintigraphy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lysak, Y. V.; Klimanov, V. A.; Narkevich, B. Ya

    2017-01-01

    One of the most difficult problems of modern radionuclide therapy (RNT) is control of the absorbed dose in pathological volume. This research presents new approach based on estimation of radiopharmaceutical (RP) accumulated activity value in tumor volume, based on planar scintigraphic images of the patient and calculated radiation transport using Monte Carlo method, including absorption and scattering in biological tissues of the patient, and elements of gamma camera itself. In our research, to obtain the data, we performed modeling scintigraphy of the vial with administered to the patient activity of RP in gamma camera, the vial was placed at the certain distance from the collimator, and the similar study was performed in identical geometry, with the same values of activity of radiopharmaceuticals in the pathological target in the body of the patient. For correct calculation results, adapted Fisher-Snyder human phantom was simulated in MCNP program. In the context of our technique, calculations were performed for different sizes of pathological targets and various tumors deeps inside patient’s body, using radiopharmaceuticals based on a mixed β-γ-radiating (131I, 177Lu), and clear β- emitting (89Sr, 90Y) therapeutic radionuclides. Presented method can be used for adequate implementing in clinical practice estimation of absorbed doses in the regions of interest on the basis of planar scintigraphy of the patient with sufficient accuracy.

  7. Finnish spectrolite as high-dose gamma detector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Antonio, Patrícia L.; Caldas, Linda V. E.

    2015-11-01

    A natural material called spectrolite, from Finland, was studied in this work. The purpose was to test it in gamma radiation beams to verify its performance as a high-dose detector. From this material, pellets were manufactured with two different concentrations of Teflon and spectrolite, and their responses were verified using two luminescent techniques: thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). The TL and OSL signals were evaluated by means of characterization tests of the material response, after exposure to a nominal absorbed dose interval of 5 Gy to 10 kGy. The results obtained, for both concentrations, showed a good performance of this material in beams of high-dose gamma radiation. Both techniques were utilized in order to investigate the properties of the spectrolite+Teflon samples for different applications.

  8. SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS Dose-rate dependence of optically stimulated luminescence signal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pingqiang, Wei; Zhaoyang, Chen; Yanwei, Fan; Yurun, Sun; Yun, Zhao

    2010-10-01

    Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) is the luminescence emitted from a semiconductor during its exposure to light. The OSL intensity is a function of the total dose absorbed by the sample. The dose-rate dependence of the OSL signal of the semiconductor CaS doped Ce and Sm was studied by numerical simulation and experiments. Based on a one-trap/one-center model, the whole OSL process was represented by a series of differential equations. The dose-rate properties of the materials were acquired theoretically by solving the equations. Good coherence was achieved between numerical simulation and experiments, both of which showed that the OSL signal was independent of dose rate. This result validates that when using OSL as a dosimetry technique, the dose-rate effect can be neglected.

  9. SU-F-207-01: Comparison of Beam Characteristics and Organ Dose From Four Commercial Multidetector Computed Tomography Scanners

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ohno, T; Araki, F

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: To compare dosimetric properties and patient organ doses from four commercial multidetector CT (MDCT) using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation based on the absorbed dose measured using a Farmer chamber and cylindrical water phantoms according to AAPM TG-111. Methods: Four commercial MDCT were modeled using the GMctdospp (IMPS, Germany) based on the EGSnrc user code. The incident photon spectrum and bowtie filter for MC simulations were determined so that calculated values of aluminum half-value layer (Al-HVL) and off-center ratio (OCR) profile in air agreed with measured values. The MC dose was calibrated from absorbed dose measurements using a Farmer chambermore » and cylindrical water phantoms. The dose distributions of head, chest, and abdominal scan were calculated using patient CT images and mean organ doses were evaluated from dose volume histograms. Results: The HVLs at 120 kVp of Brilliance, LightSpeed, Aquilion, and SOMATOM were 9.1, 7.5, 7.2, and 8.7 mm, respectively. The calculated Al-HVLs agreed with measurements within 0.3%. The calculated and measured OCR profiles agreed within 5%. For adult head scans, mean doses for eye lens from Brilliance, LightSpeed, Aquilion, and SOMATOM were 21.7, 38.5, 47.2 and 28.4 mGy, respectively. For chest scans, mean doses for lung from Brilliance, LightSpeed, Aquilion, and SOMATOM were 21.1, 26.1, 35.3 and 24.0 mGy, respectively. For adult abdominal scans, the mean doses for liver from Brilliance, LightSpeed, Aquilion, and SOMATOM were 16.5, 21.3, 22.7, and 18.0 mGy, respectively. The absorbed doses increased with decreasing Al-HVL. The organ doses from Aquilion were two greater than those from Brilliance in head scan. Conclusion: MC dose distributions based on absorbed dose measurement in cylindrical water phantom are useful to evaluate individual patient organ doses.« less

  10. Development and comparison of computational models for estimation of absorbed organ radiation dose in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from uptake of iodine-131.

    PubMed

    Martinez, N E; Johnson, T E; Capello, K; Pinder, J E

    2014-12-01

    This study develops and compares different, increasingly detailed anatomical phantoms for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) for the purpose of estimating organ absorbed radiation dose and dose rates from (131)I uptake in multiple organs. The models considered are: a simplistic geometry considering a single organ, a more specific geometry employing additional organs with anatomically relevant size and location, and voxel reconstruction of internal anatomy obtained from CT imaging (referred to as CSUTROUT). Dose Conversion Factors (DCFs) for whole body as well as selected organs of O. mykiss were computed using Monte Carlo modeling, and combined with estimated activity concentrations, to approximate dose rates and ultimately determine cumulative radiation dose (μGy) to selected organs after several half-lives of (131)I. The different computational models provided similar results, especially for source organs (less than 30% difference between estimated doses), and whole body DCFs for each model (∼3 × 10(-3) μGy d(-1) per Bq kg(-1)) were comparable to DCFs listed in ICRP 108 for (131)I. The main benefit provided by the computational models developed here is the ability to accurately determine organ dose. A conservative mass-ratio approach may provide reasonable results for sufficiently large organs, but is only applicable to individual source organs. Although CSUTROUT is the more anatomically realistic phantom, it required much more resource dedication to develop and is less flexible than the stylized phantom for similar results. There may be instances where a detailed phantom such as CSUTROUT is appropriate, but generally the stylized phantom appears to be the best choice for an ideal balance between accuracy and resource requirements. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Efficacy and immunogenicity of single-dose AdVAV intranasal anthrax vaccine compared to anthrax vaccine absorbed in an aerosolized spore rabbit challenge model.

    PubMed

    Krishnan, Vyjayanthi; Andersen, Bo H; Shoemaker, Christine; Sivko, Gloria S; Tordoff, Kevin P; Stark, Gregory V; Zhang, Jianfeng; Feng, Tsungwei; Duchars, Matthew; Roberts, M Scot

    2015-04-01

    AdVAV is a replication-deficient adenovirus type 5-vectored vaccine expressing the 83-kDa protective antigen (PA83) from Bacillus anthracis that is being developed for the prevention of disease caused by inhalation of aerosolized B. anthracis spores. A noninferiority study comparing the efficacy of AdVAV to the currently licensed Anthrax Vaccine Absorbed (AVA; BioThrax) was performed in New Zealand White rabbits using postchallenge survival as the study endpoint (20% noninferiority margin for survival). Three groups of 32 rabbits were vaccinated with a single intranasal dose of AdVAV (7.5 × 10(7), 1.5 × 10(9), or 3.5 × 10(10) viral particles). Three additional groups of 32 animals received two doses of either intranasal AdVAV (3.5 × 10(10) viral particles) or intramuscular AVA (diluted 1:16 or 1:64) 28 days apart. The placebo group of 16 rabbits received a single intranasal dose of AdVAV formulation buffer. All animals were challenged via the inhalation route with a targeted dose of 200 times the 50% lethal dose (LD50) of aerosolized B. anthracis Ames spores 70 days after the initial vaccination and were followed for 3 weeks. PA83 immunogenicity was evaluated by validated toxin neutralizing antibody and serum anti-PA83 IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). All animals in the placebo cohort died from the challenge. Three of the four AdVAV dose cohorts tested, including two single-dose cohorts, achieved statistical noninferiority relative to the AVA comparator group, with survival rates between 97% and 100%. Vaccination with AdVAV also produced antibody titers with earlier onset and greater persistence than vaccination with AVA. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  12. Gold Nanoparticle Hyperthermia Reduces Radiotherapy Dose

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Lynn; Slatkin, Daniel N.; Dilmanian, F. Avraham; Vadas, Timothy M.; Smilowitz, Henry M.

    2014-01-01

    Gold nanoparticles can absorb near infrared light, resulting in heating and ablation of tumors. Gold nanoparticles have also been used for enhancing the dose of X-rays in tumors during radiotherapy. The combination of hyperthermia and radiotherapy is synergistic, importantly allowing a reduction in X-ray dose with improved therapeutic results. Here we intratumorally infused small 15 nm gold nanoparticles engineered to be transformed from infrared-transparent to infrared-absorptive by the tumor, which were then heated by infrared followed by X-ray treatment. Synergy was studied using a very radioresistant subcutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCCVII) in mice. It was found that the dose required to control 50% of the tumors, normally 55 Gy, could be reduced to <15 Gy (a factor of >3.7). Gold nanoparticles therefore provide a method to combine hyperthermia and radiotherapy to drastically reduce the X-ray radiation needed, thus sparing normal tissue, reducing the side effects, and making radiotherapy more effective. PMID:24990355

  13. Fast skin dose estimation system for interventional radiology

    PubMed Central

    Takata, Takeshi; Kotoku, Jun’ichi; Maejima, Hideyuki; Kumagai, Shinobu; Arai, Norikazu; Kobayashi, Takenori; Shiraishi, Kenshiro; Yamamoto, Masayoshi; Kondo, Hiroshi; Furui, Shigeru

    2018-01-01

    Abstract To minimise the radiation dermatitis related to interventional radiology (IR), rapid and accurate dose estimation has been sought for all procedures. We propose a technique for estimating the patient skin dose rapidly and accurately using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation with a graphical processing unit (GPU, GTX 1080; Nvidia Corp.). The skin dose distribution is simulated based on an individual patient’s computed tomography (CT) dataset for fluoroscopic conditions after the CT dataset has been segmented into air, water and bone based on pixel values. The skin is assumed to be one layer at the outer surface of the body. Fluoroscopic conditions are obtained from a log file of a fluoroscopic examination. Estimating the absorbed skin dose distribution requires calibration of the dose simulated by our system. For this purpose, a linear function was used to approximate the relation between the simulated dose and the measured dose using radiophotoluminescence (RPL) glass dosimeters in a water-equivalent phantom. Differences of maximum skin dose between our system and the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) were as high as 6.1%. The relative statistical error (2 σ) for the simulated dose obtained using our system was ≤3.5%. Using a GPU, the simulation on the chest CT dataset aiming at the heart was within 3.49 s on average: the GPU is 122 times faster than a CPU (Core i7–7700K; Intel Corp.). Our system (using the GPU, the log file, and the CT dataset) estimated the skin dose more rapidly and more accurately than conventional methods. PMID:29136194

  14. Fast skin dose estimation system for interventional radiology.

    PubMed

    Takata, Takeshi; Kotoku, Jun'ichi; Maejima, Hideyuki; Kumagai, Shinobu; Arai, Norikazu; Kobayashi, Takenori; Shiraishi, Kenshiro; Yamamoto, Masayoshi; Kondo, Hiroshi; Furui, Shigeru

    2018-03-01

    To minimise the radiation dermatitis related to interventional radiology (IR), rapid and accurate dose estimation has been sought for all procedures. We propose a technique for estimating the patient skin dose rapidly and accurately using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation with a graphical processing unit (GPU, GTX 1080; Nvidia Corp.). The skin dose distribution is simulated based on an individual patient's computed tomography (CT) dataset for fluoroscopic conditions after the CT dataset has been segmented into air, water and bone based on pixel values. The skin is assumed to be one layer at the outer surface of the body. Fluoroscopic conditions are obtained from a log file of a fluoroscopic examination. Estimating the absorbed skin dose distribution requires calibration of the dose simulated by our system. For this purpose, a linear function was used to approximate the relation between the simulated dose and the measured dose using radiophotoluminescence (RPL) glass dosimeters in a water-equivalent phantom. Differences of maximum skin dose between our system and the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) were as high as 6.1%. The relative statistical error (2 σ) for the simulated dose obtained using our system was ≤3.5%. Using a GPU, the simulation on the chest CT dataset aiming at the heart was within 3.49 s on average: the GPU is 122 times faster than a CPU (Core i7-7700K; Intel Corp.). Our system (using the GPU, the log file, and the CT dataset) estimated the skin dose more rapidly and more accurately than conventional methods.

  15. A test of the IAEA code of practice for absorbed dose determination in photon and electron beams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leitner, Arnold; Tiefenboeck, Wilhelm; Witzani, Josef; Strachotinsky, Christian

    1990-12-01

    The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) code of practice TRS 277 gives recommendations for absorbed dose determination in high energy photon and electron beams based on the use of ionization chambers calibrated in terms of exposure of air kerma. The scope of the work was to test the code for cobalt 60 gamma radiation and for several radiation qualities at four different types of electron accelerators and to compare the ionization chamber dosimetry with ferrous sulphate dosimetry. The results show agreement between the two methods within about one per cent for all the investigated qualities. In addition the response of the TLD capsules of the IAEA/WHO TL dosimetry service was determined.

  16. SU-F-19A-10: Recalculation and Reporting Clinical HDR 192-Ir Head and Neck Dose Distributions Using Model Based Dose Calculation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Carlsson Tedgren, A; Persson, M; Nilsson, J

    Purpose: To retrospectively re-calculate dose distributions for selected head and neck cancer patients, earlier treated with HDR 192Ir brachytherapy, using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and compare results to distributions from the planning system derived using TG43 formalism. To study differences between dose to medium (as obtained with the MC code) and dose to water in medium as obtained through (1) ratios of stopping powers and (2) ratios of mass energy absorption coefficients between water and medium. Methods: The MC code Algebra was used to calculate dose distributions according to earlier actual treatment plans using anonymized plan data and CT imagesmore » in DICOM format. Ratios of stopping power and mass energy absorption coefficients for water with various media obtained from 192-Ir spectra were used in toggling between dose to water and dose to media. Results: Differences between initial planned TG43 dose distributions and the doses to media calculated by MC are insignificant in the target volume. Differences are moderate (within 4–5 % at distances of 3–4 cm) but increase with distance and are most notable in bone and at the patient surface. Differences between dose to water and dose to medium are within 1-2% when using mass energy absorption coefficients to toggle between the two quantities but increase to above 10% for bone using stopping power ratios. Conclusion: MC predicts target doses for head and neck cancer patients in close agreement with TG43. MC yields improved dose estimations outside the target where a larger fraction of dose is from scattered photons. It is important with awareness and a clear reporting of absorbed dose values in using model based algorithms. Differences in bone media can exceed 10% depending on how dose to water in medium is defined.« less

  17. Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) Dose Calculation using Geometrical Factors Spherical Interface for Glioblastoma Multiforme

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zasneda, Sabriani; Widita, Rena

    2010-06-22

    Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a cancer therapy by utilizing thermal neutron to produce alpha particles and lithium nuclei. The superiority of BNCT is that the radiation effects could be limited only for the tumor cells. BNCT radiation dose depends on the distribution of boron in the tumor. Absorbed dose to the cells from the reaction 10B (n, {alpha}) 7Li was calculated near interface medium containing boron and boron-free region. The method considers the contribution of the alpha particle and recoiled lithium particle to the absorbed dose and the variation of Linear Energy Transfer (LET) charged particles energy. Geometricalmore » factor data of boron distribution for the spherical surface is used to calculate the energy absorbed in the tumor cells, brain and scalp for case Glioblastoma Multiforme. The result shows that the optimal dose in tumor is obtained for boron concentrations of 22.1 mg {sup 10}B/g blood.« less

  18. The leaded apron revisited: does it reduce gonadal radiation dose in dental radiology?

    PubMed

    Wood, R E; Harris, A M; van der Merwe, E J; Nortjé, C J

    1991-05-01

    A tissue-equivalent anthropomorphic human phantom was used with a lithium fluoride thermoluminescent dosimetry system to evaluate the radiation absorbed dose to the ovarian and testicular region during dental radiologic procedures. Measurements were made with and without personal lead shielding devices consisting of thyroid collar and apron of 0.25 mm lead thickness equivalence. The radiation absorbed dose with or without lead shielding did not differ significantly from control dosimeters in vertex occlusal and periapical views (p greater than 0.05). Personal lead shielding devices did reduce gonadal dose in the case of accidental exposure (p less than 0.05). A leaded apron of 0.25 mm lead thickness equivalent was permeable to radiation in direct exposure testing.

  19. Investigating the dose distribution in the uncompressed breast with a dedicated CT mammotomography system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crotty, Dominic J.; Brady, Samuel L.; Jackson, D'Vone C.; Toncheva, Greta I.; Anderson, Colin E.; Yoshizumi, Terry T.; Tornai, Martin P.

    2010-04-01

    A dual modality SPECT-CT prototype dedicated to uncompressed breast imaging (mammotomography) has been developed. The CT subsystem incorporates an ultra-thick K-edge filtration technique producing a quasi-monochromatic x-ray cone beam to optimize the dose efficiency for uncompressed breast tomography. We characterize the absorbed dose to the breast under normal tomographic cone beam image acquisition protocols using both TLD measurements and ionization chamber-calibrated radiochromic film. Geometric and anthropomorphic breast phantoms are filled with 1000mL of water and oil to simulate different breast compositions and varying object shapes having density bounds of 100% glandular and fatty breast compositions, respectively. Doses to the water filled geometric and anthropomorphic breast phantoms for a tomographic scan range from 1.3-7.3mGy and 1.7-6.3mGy, respectively, with a mean whole-breast dose of 4.5mGy for the water-filled anthropomorphic phantom. Measured dose distribution trends indicate lower doses in the center of the breast phantoms towards the chest wall along with higher doses near the peripheries and nipple regions. Measured doses to the oil-filled phantoms are consistently lower across all volume shapes (mean dose, 3.8mGy for the anthropomorphic breast). Results agree with Monte Carlo dose estimates generated for uncompressed breast imaging and illustrate the advantages of using the novel K-edge filtered beam to minimize absorbed dose to the breast during fully-3D imaging.

  20. Simulation of computed tomography dose based on voxel phantom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Chunyu; Lv, Xiangbo; Li, Zhaojun

    2017-01-01

    Computed Tomography (CT) is one of the preferred and the most valuable imaging tool used in diagnostic radiology, which provides a high-quality cross-sectional image of the body. It still causes higher doses of radiation to patients comparing to the other radiological procedures. The Monte-Carlo method is appropriate for estimation of the radiation dose during the CT examinations. The simulation of the Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDI) phantom was developed in this paper. Under a similar conditions used in physical measurements, dose profiles were calculated and compared against the measured values that were reported. The results demonstrate a good agreement between the calculated and the measured doses. From different CT exam simulations using the voxel phantom, the highest absorbed dose was recorded for the lung, the brain, the bone surface. A comparison between the different scan type shows that the effective dose for a chest scan is the highest one, whereas the effective dose values during abdomen and pelvis scan are very close, respectively. The lowest effective dose resulted from the head scan. Although, the dose in CT is related to various parameters, such as the tube current, exposure time, beam energy, slice thickness and patient size, this study demonstrates that the MC simulation is a useful tool to accurately estimate the dose delivered to any specific organs for patients undergoing the CT exams and can be also a valuable technique for the design and the optimization of the CT x-ray source.

  1. Osimertinib Western and Asian clinical pharmacokinetics in patients and healthy volunteers: implications for formulation, dose, and dosing frequency in pivotal clinical studies.

    PubMed

    Planchard, David; Brown, Kathryn H; Kim, Dong-Wan; Kim, Sang-We; Ohe, Yuichiro; Felip, Enriqueta; Leese, Philip; Cantarini, Mireille; Vishwanathan, Karthick; Jänne, Pasi A; Ranson, Malcolm; Dickinson, Paul A

    2016-04-01

    Osimertinib (AZD9291) 80 mg once daily is approved by the US FDA for the treatment of patients with metastatic EGFR T790M-positive NSCLC whose disease has previously progressed on EGFR-TKI therapy. Osimertinib PK was evaluated to define the dose and dosing interval, whether a fixed-dosing approach can be used globally, and the impact of formulation and food on exposure. AURA (NCT01802632): single- and multiple-dose PK of osimertinib (20-240 mg daily) was determined in patients with advanced NSCLC. Bioavailability study (NCT01951599): single-dose PK of osimertinib (20 mg) was determined in healthy volunteers with administration of capsule, solution, or tablet formulations fasted, and as a tablet in the fed and fasted state. Osimertinib was slowly absorbed and displayed dose-proportional increases in exposure from 20 to 240 mg. Distribution was extensive and clearance low to moderate, resulting in a mean half-life of 48.3 h. Steady state was achieved by 15 days of dosing, consistent with single-dose PK, with a peak-to-trough ratio of 1.6. Two active metabolites circulated at ~10 % of osimertinib exposure. Ethnicity did not appear to affect exposure. Osimertinib PK profiles in healthy volunteers were similar to those in patients and were unaffected by formulation. Food caused a clinically insignificant increase in exposure. Osimertinib PK supports once-daily dosing; the same dose for Asian and non-Asian populations; a fixed-dosing approach; a minimal effect of food on exposure; and a switch to tablet formulation without alteration to dose or schedule. Osimertinib plasma concentrations are sustained throughout the dosing period, which is considered optimal for efficacy.

  2. [The use of polymer gel dosimetry to measure dose distribution around metallic implants].

    PubMed

    Nagahata, Tomomasa; Yamaguchi, Hajime; Monzen, Hajime; Nishimura, Yasumasa

    2014-10-01

    A semi-solid polymer dosimetry system using agar was developed to measure the dose distribution close to metallic implants. Dosimetry of heterogeneous fields where electron density markedly varies is often problematic. This prompted us to develop a polymer gel dosimetry technique using agar to measure the dose distribution near substance boundaries. Varying the concentration of an oxygen scavenger (tetra-hydroxymethyl phosphonium chloride) showed the absorbed dose and transverse relaxation rate of the magnetic resonance signal to be linear between 3 and 12 Gy. Although a change in the dosimeter due to oxidization was observed in room air after 24 hours, no such effects were observed in the first 4 hours. The dose distribution around the metal implants was measured using agar dosimetry. The metals tested were a lead rod, a titanium hip joint, and a metallic stent. A maximum 30% dose increase was observed near the lead rod, but only a 3% increase in the absorbed dose was noted near the surface of the titanium hip joint and metallic stent. Semi-solid polymer dosimetry using agar thus appears to be a useful method for dosimetry around metallic substances.

  3. A Biodosimeter for Multiparametric Determination of Radiation Dose, Radiation Quality, and Radiation Risk

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Richmond, Robert; Cruz, Angela; Jansen, Heather; Bors, Karen

    2003-01-01

    Predicting risk of human cancer following exposure of an individual or a population to ionizing radiation is challenging. To an approximation, this is because uncertainties of uniform absorption of dose and the uniform processing of dose-related damage at the cellular level within a complex set of biological variables degrade the confidence of predicting the delayed expression of cancer as a relatively rare event. Cellular biodosimeters that simultaneously report: 1) the quantity of absorbed dose after exposure to ionizing radiation, 2) the quality of radiation delivering that dose, and 3) the risk of developing cancer by the cells absorbing that dose would therefore be useful. An approach to such a multiparametric biodosimeter will be reported. This is the demonstration of a dose responsive field effect of enhanced expression of keratin 18 (K18) in cultures of human mammary epithelial cells irradiated with cesium-1 37 gamma-rays. Dose response of enhanced K18 expression was experimentally extended over a range of 30 to 90 cGy for cells evaluated at mid-log phase. K18 has been reported to be a marker for tumor staging and for apoptosis, and thereby serves as an example of a potential marker for cancer risk, where the reality of such predictive value would require additional experimental development. Since observed radiogenic increase in expression of K18 is a field effect, ie., chronically present in all cells of the irradiated population, it may be hypothesized that K18 expression in specific cells absorbing particulate irradiation, such as the high-LET-producing atomic nuclei of space radiation, will report on both the single-cell distributions of those particles amongst cells within the exposed population, and that the relatively high dose per cell delivered by densely ionizing tracks of those intersecting particles will lead to cell-specific high-expression levels of K18, thereby providing analytical end points that may be used to resolve both the quantity and

  4. Dose to 'water-like' media or dose to tissue in MV photons radiotherapy treatment planning: still a matter of debate.

    PubMed

    Andreo, Pedro

    2015-01-07

    The difference between Monte Carlo Treatment Planning (MCTP) based on the assumption of 'water-like' tissues with densities obtained from CT procedures, or on tissue compositions derived from CT-determined densities, have been investigated. Stopping powers and electron fluences have been calculated for a range of media and body tissues for 6 MV photon beams, including changes in their physical data (density and stopping powers). These quantities have been used to determine absorbed doses using cavity theory. It is emphasized that tissue compositions given in ICRU or ICRP reports should not be given the standing of physical constants as they correspond to average values obtained for a limited number of human-body samples. It has been shown that mass stopping-power ratios to water are more dependent on patient-to-patient composition differences, and therefore on their mean excitation energies (I-values), than on mass density. Electron fluence in different media are also more dependent on media composition (and their I-values) than on density. However, as a consequence of the balance between fluence and stopping powers, doses calculated from their product are more constant than what the independent stopping powers and fluence variations suggest. Additionally, cancelations in dose ratios minimize the differences between the 'water-like' and 'tissue' approaches, yielding practically identical results except for bone, and to a lesser extent for adipose tissue. A priori, changing from one approach to another does not seem to be justified considering the large number of approximations and uncertainties involved throughout the treatment planning tissue segmentation and dose calculation procedures. The key issue continues to be the composition of tissues and their I-values, and as these cannot be obtained for individual patients, whatever approach is selected does not lead to significant differences from a water reference dose, the maximum of these being of the order of 5

  5. Effects of body habitus on internal radiation dose calculations using the 5-year-old anthropomorphic male models.

    PubMed

    Xie, Tianwu; Kuster, Niels; Zaidi, Habib

    2017-07-13

    Computational phantoms are commonly used in internal radiation dosimetry to assess the amount and distribution pattern of energy deposited in various parts of the human body from different internal radiation sources. Radiation dose assessments are commonly performed on predetermined reference computational phantoms while the argument for individualized patient-specific radiation dosimetry exists. This study aims to evaluate the influence of body habitus on internal dosimetry and to quantify the uncertainties in dose estimation correlated with the use of fixed reference models. The 5-year-old IT'IS male phantom was modified to match target anthropometric parameters, including body weight, body height and sitting height/stature ratio (SSR), determined from reference databases, thus enabling the creation of 125 5-year-old habitus-dependent male phantoms with 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile body morphometries. We evaluated the absorbed fractions and the mean absorbed dose to the target region per unit cumulative activity in the source region (S-values) of F-18 in 46 source regions for the generated 125 anthropomorphic 5-year-old hybrid male phantoms using the Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended general purpose Monte Carlo transport code and calculated the absorbed dose and effective dose of five 18 F-labelled radiotracers for children of various habitus. For most organs, the S-value of F-18 presents stronger statistical correlations with body weight, standing height and sitting height than BMI and SSR. The self-absorbed fraction and self-absorbed S-values of F-18 and the absorbed dose and effective dose of 18 F-labelled radiotracers present with the strongest statistical correlations with body weight. For 18 F-Amino acids, 18 F-Brain receptor substances, 18 F-FDG, 18 F-L-DOPA and 18 F-FBPA, the mean absolute effective dose differences between phantoms of different habitus and fixed reference models are 11.4%, 11.3%, 10.8%, 13.3% and 11.4%, respectively. Total

  6. Effects of body habitus on internal radiation dose calculations using the 5-year-old anthropomorphic male models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xie, Tianwu; Kuster, Niels; Zaidi, Habib

    2017-08-01

    Computational phantoms are commonly used in internal radiation dosimetry to assess the amount and distribution pattern of energy deposited in various parts of the human body from different internal radiation sources. Radiation dose assessments are commonly performed on predetermined reference computational phantoms while the argument for individualized patient-specific radiation dosimetry exists. This study aims to evaluate the influence of body habitus on internal dosimetry and to quantify the uncertainties in dose estimation correlated with the use of fixed reference models. The 5-year-old IT’IS male phantom was modified to match target anthropometric parameters, including body weight, body height and sitting height/stature ratio (SSR), determined from reference databases, thus enabling the creation of 125 5-year-old habitus-dependent male phantoms with 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile body morphometries. We evaluated the absorbed fractions and the mean absorbed dose to the target region per unit cumulative activity in the source region (S-values) of F-18 in 46 source regions for the generated 125 anthropomorphic 5-year-old hybrid male phantoms using the Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended general purpose Monte Carlo transport code and calculated the absorbed dose and effective dose of five 18F-labelled radiotracers for children of various habitus. For most organs, the S-value of F-18 presents stronger statistical correlations with body weight, standing height and sitting height than BMI and SSR. The self-absorbed fraction and self-absorbed S-values of F-18 and the absorbed dose and effective dose of 18F-labelled radiotracers present with the strongest statistical correlations with body weight. For 18F-Amino acids, 18F-Brain receptor substances, 18F-FDG, 18F-L-DOPA and 18F-FBPA, the mean absolute effective dose differences between phantoms of different habitus and fixed reference models are 11.4%, 11.3%, 10.8%, 13.3% and 11.4%, respectively. Total body

  7. Survey of computed tomography scanners in Taiwan: Dose descriptors, dose guidance levels, and effective doses

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tsai, H. Y.; Tung, C. J.; Yu, C. C.

    2007-04-15

    The IAEA and the ICRP recommended dose guidance levels for the most frequent computed tomography (CT) examinations to promote strategies for the optimization of radiation dose to CT patients. A national survey, including on-site measurements and questionnaires, was conducted in Taiwan in order to establish dose guidance levels and evaluate effective doses for CT. The beam quality and output and the phantom doses were measured for nine representative CT scanners. Questionnaire forms were completed by respondents from facilities of 146 CT scanners out of 285 total scanners. Information on patient, procedure, scanner, and technique for the head and body examinationsmore » was provided. The weighted computed tomography dose index (CTDI{sub w}), the dose length product (DLP), organ doses and effective dose were calculated using measured data, questionnaire information and Monte Carlo simulation results. A cost-effective analysis was applied to derive the dose guidance levels on CTDI{sub w} and DLP for several CT examinations. The mean effective dose{+-}standard deviation distributes from 1.6{+-}0.9 mSv for the routine head examination to 13{+-}11 mSv for the examination of liver, spleen, and pancreas. The surveyed results and the dose guidance levels were provided to the national authorities to develop quality control standards and protocols for CT examinations.« less

  8. KEY COMPARISON: Comparison of the standards for absorbed dose to water of the VNIIFTRI, Russia and the BIPM in 60Co γ rays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Allisy-Roberts, P. J.; Kessler, C.; Burns, D. T.; Berlyand, V.; Berlyand, A.

    2010-01-01

    A new comparison of the standards for absorbed dose to water of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute for Physical-Technical and Radiotechnical Measurements (VNIIFTRI), Russia and of the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) has been made in 60Co gamma radiation in 2009. The results show that the VNIIFTRI and the BIPM standards for absorbed dose to water are in agreement, yielding a mean ratio of 0.9976 for the calibration coefficients of the transfer chambers, the difference from unity being within the combined standard uncertainty (0.0043) for this result. This result is consistent with the earlier 2001 comparison result of 0.9967 (43). The updated degrees of equivalence for the VNIIFTRI are compared with those of the other national metrology institutes as presented in the BIPM key comparison database. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCRI Section I, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

  9. Errors and Uncertainties in Dose Reconstruction for Radiation Effects Research

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Strom, Daniel J.

    Dose reconstruction for studies of the health effects of ionizing radiation have been carried out for many decades. Major studies have included Japanese bomb survivors, atomic veterans, downwinders of the Nevada Test Site and Hanford, underground uranium miners, and populations of nuclear workers. For such studies to be credible, significant effort must be put into applying the best science to reconstructing unbiased absorbed doses to tissues and organs as a function of time. In many cases, more and more sophisticated dose reconstruction methods have been developed as studies progressed. For the example of the Japanese bomb survivors, the dose surrogatemore » “distance from the hypocenter” was replaced by slant range, and then by TD65 doses, DS86 doses, and more recently DS02 doses. Over the years, it has become increasingly clear that an equal level of effort must be expended on the quantitative assessment of uncertainty in such doses, and to reducing and managing uncertainty. In this context, this paper reviews difficulties in terminology, explores the nature of Berkson and classical uncertainties in dose reconstruction through examples, and proposes a path forward for Joint Coordinating Committee for Radiation Effects Research (JCCRER) Project 2.4 that requires a reasonably small level of effort for DOSES-2008.« less

  10. Cumulative effective dose and cancer risk for pediatric population in repetitive full spine follow-up imaging: How micro dose is the EOS microdose protocol?

    PubMed

    Law, Martin; Ma, Wang-Kei; Lau, Damian; Cheung, Kenneth; Ip, Janice; Yip, Lawrance; Lam, Wendy

    2018-04-01

    To evaluate and to obtain analytic formulation for the calculation of the effective dose and associated cancer risk using the EOS microdose protocol for scoliotic pediatric patients undergoing full spine imaging at different age of exposure; to demonstrate the microdose protocol capable of delivering lesser radiation dose and hence of further reducing cancer risk induction when compared with the EOS low dose protocol; to obtain cumulative effective dose and cancer risk for both genders scoliotic pediatrics of US and Hong Kong population using the microdose protocol. Organ absorbed doses of full spine exposed scoliotic pediatric patients have been simulated with the use of EOS microdose protocol imaging parameters input to the Monte Carlo software PCXMC. Gender and age specific effective dose has been calculated with the simulated organ absorbed dose using the ICRP-103 approach. The associated radiation induced cancer risk, expressed as lifetime attributable risk (LAR), has been estimated according to the method introduced in the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation VII report. Values of LAR have been estimated for scoliotic patients exposed repetitively during their follow up period at different age for US and Hong Kong population. The effective doses of full spine imaging with simultaneous posteroanterior and lateral projection for patients exposed at the age between 5 and 18 years using the EOS microdose protocol have been calculated within the range of 2.54-14.75 μSv. The corresponding LAR for US and Hong Kong population was ranged between 0.04 × 10 -6 and 0.84 × 10 -6 . Cumulative effective dose and cancer risk during follow-up period can be estimated using the results and are of information to patients and their parents. With the use of computer simulation and analytic formulation, we obtained the cumulative effective dose and cancer risk at any age of exposure for pediatric patients of US and Hong Kong population undergoing repetitive

  11. Estimation of the Dose and Dose Rate Effectiveness Factor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chappell, L.; Cucinotta, F. A.

    2013-01-01

    Current models to estimate radiation risk use the Life Span Study (LSS) cohort that received high doses and high dose rates of radiation. Transferring risks from these high dose rates to the low doses and dose rates received by astronauts in space is a source of uncertainty in our risk calculations. The solid cancer models recommended by BEIR VII [1], UNSCEAR [2], and Preston et al [3] is fitted adequately by a linear dose response model, which implies that low doses and dose rates would be estimated the same as high doses and dose rates. However animal and cell experiments imply there should be curvature in the dose response curve for tumor induction. Furthermore animal experiments that directly compare acute to chronic exposures show lower increases in tumor induction than acute exposures. A dose and dose rate effectiveness factor (DDREF) has been estimated and applied to transfer risks from the high doses and dose rates of the LSS cohort to low doses and dose rates such as from missions in space. The BEIR VII committee [1] combined DDREF estimates using the LSS cohort and animal experiments using Bayesian methods for their recommendation for a DDREF value of 1.5 with uncertainty. We reexamined the animal data considered by BEIR VII and included more animal data and human chromosome aberration data to improve the estimate for DDREF. Several experiments chosen by BEIR VII were deemed inappropriate for application to human risk models of solid cancer risk. Animal tumor experiments performed by Ullrich et al [4], Alpen et al [5], and Grahn et al [6] were analyzed to estimate the DDREF. Human chromosome aberration experiments performed on a sample of astronauts within NASA were also available to estimate the DDREF. The LSS cohort results reported by BEIR VII were combined with the new radiobiology results using Bayesian methods.

  12. Analytical model for out-of-field dose in photon craniospinal irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taddei, Phillip J.; Jalbout, Wassim; Howell, Rebecca M.; Khater, Nabil; Geara, Fady; Homann, Kenneth; Newhauser, Wayne D.

    2013-11-01

    The prediction of late effects after radiotherapy in organs outside a treatment field requires accurate estimations of out-of-field dose. However, out-of-field dose is not calculated accurately by commercial treatment planning systems (TPSs). The purpose of this study was to develop and test an analytical model for out-of-field dose during craniospinal irradiation (CSI) from photon beams produced by a linear accelerator. In two separate evaluations of the model, we measured absorbed dose for a 6 MV CSI using thermoluminescent dosimeters placed throughout an anthropomorphic phantom and fit the measured data to an analytical model of absorbed dose versus distance outside of the composite field edge. These measurements were performed in two separate clinics—the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson) and the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC)—using the same phantom but different linear accelerators and TPSs commissioned for patient treatments. The measurement at AUBMC also included in-field locations. Measured dose values were compared to those predicted by TPSs and parameters were fit to the model in each setting. In each clinic, 95% of the measured data were contained within a factor of 0.2 and one root mean square deviation of the model-based values. The root mean square deviations of the mathematical model were 0.91 cGy Gy-1 and 1.67 cGy Gy-1 in the MD Anderson and AUBMC clinics, respectively. The TPS predictions agreed poorly with measurements in regions of sharp dose gradient, e.g., near the field edge. At distances greater than 1 cm from the field edge, the TPS underestimated the dose by an average of 14% ± 24% and 44% ± 19% in the MD Anderson and AUBMC clinics, respectively. The in-field measured dose values of the measurement at AUBMC matched the dose values calculated by the TPS to within 2%. Dose algorithms in TPSs systematically underestimated the actual out-of-field dose. Therefore, it is important to use an

  13. Monte Carlo estimation of radiation dose in organs of female and male adult phantoms due to FDG-F18 absorbed in the lungs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belinato, Walmir; Santos, William S.; Silva, Rogério M. V.; Souza, Divanizia N.

    2014-03-01

    The determination of dose conversion factors (S values) for the radionuclide fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) absorbed in the lungs during a positron emission tomography (PET) procedure was calculated using the Monte Carlo method (MCNPX version 2.7.0). For the obtained dose conversion factors of interest, it was considered a uniform absorption of radiopharmaceutical by the lung of a healthy adult human. The spectrum of fluorine was introduced in the input data file for the simulation. The simulation took place in two adult phantoms of both sexes, based on polygon mesh surfaces called FASH and MASH with anatomy and posture according to ICRP 89. The S values for the 22 internal organs/tissues, chosen from ICRP No. 110, for the FASH and MASH phantoms were compared with the results obtained from a MIRD V phantoms called ADAM and EVA used by the Committee on Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD). We observed variation of more than 100% in S values due to structural anatomical differences in the internal organs of the MASH and FASH phantoms compared to the mathematical phantom.

  14. SU-F-T-474: Evaluation of Dose Perturbation, Temperature and Sensitivity Variation With Accumulated Dose of MOSFET Detector

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ganesan, B; Prakasarao, A; Singaravelu, G

    Purpose: The use of mega voltage gamma and x-ray sources with their skin sparring qualities in radiation therapy has been a boon in relieving patient discomfort and allowing high tumor doses to be given with fewer restrictions due to radiation effects in the skin. However, high doses given to deep tumors may require careful consideration of dose distribution in the buildup region in order to avoid irreparable damage to the skin. Methods: To measure the perturbation of MOSFET detector in Co60,6MV and 15MV the detector was placed on the surface of the phantom covered with the brass build up cap.more » To measure the effect of temperature the MOSFET detector was kept on the surface of hot water polythene container and the radiation was delivere. In order to measure the sensitivity variation with accumulated dose Measurements were taken by delivering the dose of 200 cGy to MOSFET until the MOSFET absorbed dose comes to 20,000 cGy Results: the Measurement was performed by positioning the bare MOSFET and MOSFET with brass build up cap on the top surface of the solid water phantom for various field sizes in order to find whether there is any attenuation caused in the dose distribution. The response of MOSFET was monitored for temperature ranging from 42 degree C to 22 degree C. The integrated dose dependence of MOSFET dosimeter sensitivity over different energy is not well characterized. This work investigates the dual-bias MOSFET dosimeter sensitivity response to 6 MV and 15 MV beams. Conclusion: From this study it is observed that unlike diode, bare MOSFET does not perturb the radiation field.. It is observed that the build-up influences the temperature dependency of MOSFET and causes some uncertainty in the readings. In the case of sensitivity variation with accumulated dose MOSFET showed higher sensitivity with dose accumulation for both the energies.« less

  15. 131I-tositumomab myeloablative radioimmunotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: radiation dose to the testes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hattori, Naoya; Gopal, Ajay K.; Shields, Andrew T.

    Purpose: To investigate radiation doses to the testes delivered by a radiolabeled anti-CD20 antibody and its effects on male sex hormone levels. Materials and methods: Testicular uptake and retention of 131I-tositumomab were measured, and testicular absorbed doses were calculated for 67 male patients (54+/-11 years of age) with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who had undergone myeloablative radioimmunotherapy (RIT) using 131I-tositumomab. Time-activity curves for the major organs, testes, and whole body were generated from planar imaging studies. In a subset of patients, male sex hormones were measured before and 1 year after the therapy. Results: The absorbed dose to the testes showed considerablemore » variability (range=4.4-70.2 Gy). Pretherapy levels of total testosterone were below the lower limit of the reference range, and post-therapy evaluation demonstrated further reduction [4.6+/-1.8 nmol/l (pre-RIT) vs. 3.8+/-2.9 nmol/l (post-RIT), P<0.05]. Patients receiving higher radiation doses to the testes (>=25 Gy) showed a greater reduction [4.7+/-1.6 nmol/l (pre-RIT) vs. 3.3+/-2.7 nmol/l (post-RIT), P<0.05] compared with patients receiving lower doses (<25 Gy), who showed no significant change in total testosterone levels. Conclusion: The testicular radiation absorbed dose varied highly among individual patients. Finally, patients receiving higher doses to the testes were more likely to show post-RIT suppression of testosterone levels.« less

  16. 76 FR 53847 - New International Commission on Radiological Protection; Recommendations on the Annual Dose Limit...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-30

    ... Radiological Protection; Recommendations on the Annual Dose Limit to the Lens of the Eye AGENCY: Nuclear... Protection (ICRP) recommendations for the limitation of annual dose to the lens of the eye. This significant... might be lower than previously considered. For the lens of the eye, the threshold in absorbed dose for...

  17. SU-F-J-56: The Connection Between Cherenkov Light Emission and Radiation Absorbed Dose in Proton Irradiated Phantoms

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Darafsheh, A; Kassaee, A; Finlay, J

    Purpose: Range verification in proton therapy is of great importance. Cherenkov light follows the photon and electron energy deposition in water phantom. The purpose of this study is to investigate the connection between Cherenkov light generation and radiation absorbed dose in a water phantom irradiated with proton beams. Methods: Monte Carlo simulation was performed by employing FLUKA Monte Carlo code to stochastically simulate radiation transport, ionizing radiation dose deposition, and Cherenkov radiation in water phantoms. The simulations were performed for proton beams with energies in the range 50–600 MeV to cover a wide range of proton energies. Results: The mechanismmore » of Cherenkov light production depends on the initial energy of protons. For proton energy with 50–400 MeV energy that is below the threshold (∼483 MeV in water) for Cherenkov light production directly from incident protons, Cherenkov light is produced mainly from the secondary electrons liberated as a result of columbic interactions with the incident protons. For proton beams with energy above 500 MeV, in the initial depth that incident protons have higher energy than the Cherenkov light production threshold, the light has higher intensity. As the slowing down process results in lower energy protons in larger depths in the water phantom, there is a knee point in the Cherenkov light curve vs. depth due to switching the Cherenkov light production mechanism from primary protons to secondary electrons. At the end of the depth dose curve the Cherenkov light intensity does not follow the dose peak because of the lack of high energy protons to produce Cherenkov light either directly or through secondary electrons. Conclusion: In contrast to photon and electron beams, Cherenkov light generation induced by proton beams does not follow the proton energy deposition specially close to the end of the proton range near the Bragg peak.« less

  18. Evaluation of radiation dose to anthropomorphic paediatric models from positron-emitting labelled tracers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xie, Tianwu; Zaidi, Habib

    2014-03-01

    PET uses specific molecules labelled with positron-emitting radionuclides to provide valuable biochemical and physiological information. However, the administration of radiotracers to patients exposes them to low-dose ionizing radiation, which is a concern in the paediatric population since children are at a higher cancer risk from radiation exposure than adults. Therefore, radiation dosimety calculations for commonly used positron-emitting radiotracers in the paediatric population are highly desired. We evaluate the absorbed dose and effective dose for 19 positron-emitting labelled radiotracers in anthropomorphic paediatric models including the newborn, 1-, 5-, 10- and 15-year-old male and female. This is achieved using pre-calculated S-values of positron-emitting radionuclides of UF-NCI paediatric phantoms and published biokinetic data for various radiotracers. The influence of the type of anthropomorphic model, tissue weight factors and direct human- versus mouse-derived biokinetic data on the effective dose for paediatric phantoms was also evaluated. In the case of 18F-FDG, dosimetry calculations of reference paediatric patients from various dose regimens were also calculated. Among the considered radiotracers, 18F-FBPA and 15O-water resulted in the highest and lowest effective dose in the paediatric phantoms, respectively. The ICRP 103 updated tissue-weighting factors decrease the effective dose in most cases. Substantial differences of radiation dose were observed between direct human- versus mouse-derived biokinetic data. Moreover, the effect of using voxel- versus MIRD-type models on the calculation of the effective dose was also studied. The generated database of absorbed organ dose and effective dose for various positron-emitting labelled radiotracers using new generation computational models and the new ICRP tissue-weighting factors can be used for the assessment of radiation risks to paediatric patients in clinical practice. This work also contributes

  19. An organ-based approach to dose calculation in the assessment of dose-dependent biological effects of ionising radiation in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    PubMed

    Biermans, Geert; Horemans, Nele; Vanhoudt, Nathalie; Vandenhove, Hildegarde; Saenen, Eline; Van Hees, May; Wannijn, Jean; Vives i Batlle, Jordi; Cuypers, Ann

    2014-07-01

    There is a need for a better understanding of biological effects of radiation exposure in non-human biota. Correct description of these effects requires a more detailed model of dosimetry than that available in current risk assessment tools, particularly for plants. In this paper, we propose a simple model for dose calculations in roots and shoots of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings exposed to radionuclides in a hydroponic exposure setup. This model is used to compare absorbed doses for three radionuclides, (241)Am (α-radiation), (90)Sr (β-radiation) and (133)Ba (γ radiation). Using established dosimetric calculation methods, dose conversion coefficient values were determined for each organ separately based on uptake data from the different plant organs. These calculations were then compared to the DCC values obtained with the ERICA tool under equivalent geometry assumptions. When comparing with our new method, the ERICA tool appears to overestimate internal doses and underestimate external doses in the roots for all three radionuclides, though each to a different extent. These observations might help to refine dose-response relationships. The DCC values for (90)Sr in roots are shown to deviate the most. A dose-effect curve for (90)Sr β-radiation has been established on biomass and photosynthesis endpoints, but no significant dose-dependent effects are observed. This indicates the need for use of endpoints at the molecular and physiological scale. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Influence of lead apron shielding on absorbed doses from panoramic radiography.

    PubMed

    Rottke, D; Grossekettler, L; Sawada, K; Poxleitner, P; Schulze, D

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the absorbed doses in a full anthropomorphic body phantom from two different panoramic radiography devices, performing protocols with and without applying a lead apron. A RANDO(®) full body phantom (Alderson Research Laboratories Inc., Stamford, CT) was equipped with 110 thermoluminescent dosemeters at 55 different sites and set up in two different panoramic radiography devices [SCANORA(®) three-dimensional (3D) (SOREDEX, Tuusula, Finland) and ProMax(®) 3D (Planmeca, Helsinki, Finland)] and exposed. Two different protocols were performed in the two devices. The first protocol was performed without any lead shielding, whereas the phantom was equipped with a standard adult lead apron for the second protocol. A two-tailed paired samples t-test for the SCANORA 3D revealed that there is no difference between the protocol using lead apron shielding (m = 87.99, s = 102.98) and the protocol without shielding (m = 87.34, s = 107.49), t(54) = -0.313, p > 0.05. The same test for the ProMax 3D showed that there is also no difference between the protocol using shielding (m = 106.48, s = 117.38) and the protocol without shielding (m = 107.75, s = 114,36), t(54) = 0.938, p > 0.05. In conclusion, the results of this study showed no statistically significant differences between a panoramic radiography with or without the use of lead apron shielding.

  1. Influence of lead apron shielding on absorbed doses from panoramic radiography.

    PubMed

    Rottke, D; Grossekettler, L; Sawada, K; Poxleitner, P; Schulze, D

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the absorbed doses in a full anthropomorphic body phantom from two different panoramic radiography devices, performing protocols with and without applying a lead apron. A RANDO® full body phantom (Alderson Research Laboratories Inc., Stamford, CT) was equipped with 110 thermoluminescent dosemeters at 55 different sites and set up in two different panoramic radiography devices [SCANORA® three-dimensional (3D) (SOREDEX, Tuusula, Finland) and ProMax® 3D (Planmeca, Helsinki, Finland)] and exposed. Two different protocols were performed in the two devices. The first protocol was performed without any lead shielding, whereas the phantom was equipped with a standard adult lead apron for the second protocol. A two-tailed paired samples t-test for the SCANORA 3D revealed that there is no difference between the protocol using lead apron shielding (m = 87.99, s = 102.98) and the protocol without shielding (m = 87.34, s = 107.49), t(54) = −0.313, p > 0.05. The same test for the ProMax 3D showed that there is also no difference between the protocol using shielding (m = 106.48, s = 117.38) and the protocol without shielding (m = 107.75, s = 114,36), t(54) = 0.938, p > 0.05. In conclusion, the results of this study showed no statistically significant differences between a panoramic radiography with or without the use of lead apron shielding.

  2. Linking Doses with Clinical Scores of Hematopoietic Acute Radiation Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Hu, Shaowen

    2016-10-01

    In radiation accidents, determining the radiation dose the victim received is a key step for medical decision making and patient prognosis. To reconstruct and evaluate the absorbed dose, researchers have developed many physical devices and biological techniques during the last decades. However, using the physical parameter "absorbed dose" alone is not sufficient to predict the clinical development of the various organs injured in an individual patient. In operational situations for radiation accidents, medical responders need more urgently to classify the severity of the radiation injury based on the signs and symptoms of the patient. In this work, the author uses a unified hematopoietic model to describe dose-dependent dynamics of granulocytes, lymphocytes, and platelets, and the corresponding clinical grading of hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome. This approach not only visualizes the time course of the patient's probable outcome in the form of graphs but also indirectly gives information of the remaining stem and progenitor cells, which are responsible for the autologous recovery of the hematopoietic system. Because critical information on the patient's clinical evolution can be provided within a short time after exposure and only peripheral cell counts are required for the simulation, these modeling tools will be useful to assess radiation exposure and injury in human-involved radiation accident/incident scenarios.

  3. Changes in prescribed doses for the Seattle neutron therapy system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Popescu, A.

    2008-06-01

    From the beginning of the neutron therapy program at the University of Washington Medical Center, the neutron dose distribution in tissue has been calculated using an in-house treatment planning system called PRISM. In order to increase the accuracy of the absorbed dose calculations, two main improvements were made to the PRISM treatment planning system: (a) the algorithm was changed by the addition of an analytical expression of the central axis wedge factor dependence with field size and depth developed at UWMC. Older versions of the treatment-planning algorithm used a constant central axis wedge factor; (b) a complete newly commissioned set of measured data was introduced in the latest version of PRISM. The new version of the PRISM algorithm allowed for the use of the wedge profiles measured at different depths instead of one wedge profile measured at one depth. The comparison of the absorbed dose calculations using the old and the improved algorithm showed discrepancies mainly due to the missing central axis wedge factor dependence with field size and depth and due to the absence of the wedge profiles at depths different from 10 cm. This study concludes that the previously reported prescribed doses for neutron therapy should be changed.

  4. Does the lead apron and collar always reduce radiation dose?

    PubMed

    Nortje, C J; Harris, A M; Lackovic, K P; Wood, R E

    2001-11-01

    The possibility that personal lead shielding devices can increase absorption of radiation has not been entertained. The purpose of the present investigation specifically was to determine whether pituitary dose might be increased when a leaded apron and thyroid collar are used. Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were used to measure absorbed dose. They were calibrated at the kVp used in the clinical situation and a calibration curve relating light output to dose was generated. Lithium fluoride TLD discs were placed in the pituitary gland region of a Rando-Alderson female human phantom. The equivalent of 100 transpharyngeal exposures were delivered. The resultant light output from recovered dosimeters was converted to a uGy value using the calibration curve. The experiment was repeated using a 0.25 mm lead equivalent collar and apron fitted to the phantom in the customary manner. The entire process was repeated in order to have 30 dosimeters for the unshielded and 30 dosimeters for the shielded conditions. A further 30 dosimeters were sham irradiated and served as controls. A statistical comparison between unshielded and shielded conditions was performed. When the leaded apron and thyroid collar were used the absorbed dose to the pituitary gland was increased significantly (P < 0.05). Following this a second group, using a different dosimetry system and a male phantom repeated the experiment. In both cases, the shielded phantom received significantly higher dose to the pituitary region than the unshielded.

  5. Hepatitis B vaccine booster dose: low-dose recombinant hepatitis B vaccines as a booster dose.

    PubMed

    Bryan, J P; MacArthy, P; Rudock, A; Fogarty, J P; Dowd, H; Legters, L J; Perine, P L

    1997-06-01

    The timing and best regimen for a booster dose of hepatitis B vaccine have not been determined. Two studies were conducted to determine the response to a booster dose of 5 micrograms recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. In the first study, a 5 micrograms (0.5 ml) dose of Recombivax HB was administered intramuscularly 38 months after the initial dose to 71 volunteers. In a second study, we offered a 5 micrograms dose recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, either Recombivax HB (0.5 ml) or Engerix B (0.25 ml), to students who had previously been immunized with three doses of vaccine. In the first study, among the 44 persons for whom postbooster sera were available, the geometric mean concentration of anti-hepatitis B surface antigens increased from 42 to 2090 mIU/ml after the 5 micrograms (0.5 ml) dose of Recombivax. In the second study, after a 5 micrograms (0.5 ml) dose of Recombivax, the geometric mean concentration increased from 43 to 990 mIU/ml (n = 48), and in the group that received a 5 micrograms (0.25 ml) dose of Engerix B, the concentration increased from 83 to 2337 mIU/ml (n = 45) (p = 0.18 for postdose concentrations). A 5 micrograms dose of recombinant vaccine results in an excellent booster response at a cost one fourth to one half that of a full 1 ml dose of vaccine.

  6. Lithium formate EPR dosimetry for verifications of planned dose distributions prior to intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

    PubMed

    Gustafsson, H; Lund, E; Olsson, S

    2008-09-07

    The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate lithium formate electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dosimetry for measurement of dose distributions in phantoms prior to intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Lithium formate monohydrate tablets were carefully prepared, and blind tests were performed in clinically relevant situations in order to determine the precision and accuracy of the method. Further experiments confirmed that within the accuracy of the current method, the dosimeter response was independent of beam energies and dose rates used for IMRT treatments. The method was applied to IMRT treatment plans, and the dose determinations were compared to ionization chamber measurements. The experiments showed that absorbed doses above 3 Gy could be measured with an uncertainty of less than 2.5% of the dose (coverage factor kappa = 1.96). Measurement time was about 15 min using a well-calibrated dosimeter batch. The conclusion drawn from the investigation was that lithium formate EPR dosimetry is a promising new tool for absorbed dose measurements in external beam radiation therapy, especially for doses above 3 Gy.

  7. Lithium formate EPR dosimetry for verifications of planned dose distributions prior to intensity-modulated radiation therapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gustafsson, H.; Lund, E.; Olsson, S.

    2008-09-01

    The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate lithium formate electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dosimetry for measurement of dose distributions in phantoms prior to intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Lithium formate monohydrate tablets were carefully prepared, and blind tests were performed in clinically relevant situations in order to determine the precision and accuracy of the method. Further experiments confirmed that within the accuracy of the current method, the dosimeter response was independent of beam energies and dose rates used for IMRT treatments. The method was applied to IMRT treatment plans, and the dose determinations were compared to ionization chamber measurements. The experiments showed that absorbed doses above 3 Gy could be measured with an uncertainty of less than 2.5% of the dose (coverage factor k = 1.96). Measurement time was about 15 min using a well-calibrated dosimeter batch. The conclusion drawn from the investigation was that lithium formate EPR dosimetry is a promising new tool for absorbed dose measurements in external beam radiation therapy, especially for doses above 3 Gy.

  8. Pharmacokinetics of multiple doses of transdermal flunixin meglumine in adult Holstein dairy cows.

    PubMed

    Kleinhenz, M D; Gorden, P J; Smith, J S; Schleining, J A; Kleinhenz, K E; Wulf, L L; Sidhu, P K; Rea, D; Coetzee, J F

    2018-06-01

    A transdermal formulation of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, flunixin meglumine, has been approved in the United States and Canada for single-dose administration. Transdermal flunixin meglumine was administered to 10 adult Holstein cows in their second or third lactation at the label dose of 3.33 mg/kg every 24 hr for three total treatments. Plasma flunixin concentrations were determined using high-pressure liquid chromatography with mass spectroscopy (HPLC-MS). Pharmacokinetic analysis was completed on each individual animal with noncompartmental methods using computer software. The time to maximum drug concentration (Tmax) was 2.81 hr, and the maximum drug concentration was 1.08 μg/ml. The mean terminal half-life (T½) was determined to be 5.20 hr. Clearance per fraction absorbed (Cl/F) was calculated to be 0.294 L/hr kg -1 , and volume of distribution of fraction (Vz/F) absorbed was 2.20 L/kg. The mean accumulation factor was 1.10 after three doses. This indicates changes in dosing may not be required when giving multiple doses of flunixin transdermal. Further work is required to investigate the clinical efficacy of transdermal flunixin after multiple daily doses. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Occupational radiation dose to eyes from interventional radiology procedures in light of the new eye lens dose limit from the International Commission on Radiological Protection

    PubMed Central

    Walsh, C; Gallagher, A; Dowling, A; Guiney, M; Ryan, J M; McEniff, N; O'Reilly, G

    2015-01-01

    Objective: In 2011, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommended a substantial reduction in the equivalent dose limit for the lens of the eye, in line with a reduced threshold of absorbed dose for radiation-induced cataracts. This is of particular relevance in interventional radiology (IR) where it is well established that staff doses can be significant, however, there is a lack of data on IR eye doses in terms of Hp(3). Hp(3) is the personal dose equivalent at a depth of 3 mm in soft tissue and is used for measuring lens dose. We aimed to obtain a reliable estimate of eye dose to IR operators. Methods: Lens doses were measured for four interventional radiologists over a 3-month period using dosemeters specifically designed to measure Hp(3). Results: Based on their typical workloads, two of the four interventional radiologists would exceed the new ICRP dose limit with annual estimated doses of 31 and 45 mSv to their left eye. These results are for an “unprotected” eye, and for IR staff who routinely wear lead glasses, the dose beneath the glasses is likely to be significantly lower. Staff eye dose normalized to patient kerma–area product and eye dose per procedure have been included in the analysis. Conclusion: Eye doses to IR operators have been established using a dedicated Hp(3) dosemeter. Estimated annual doses have the potential to exceed the new ICRP limit. Advances in knowledge: We have estimated lens dose to interventional radiologists in terms of Hp(3) for the first time in an Irish hospital setting. PMID:25761211

  10. Flight attendant radiation dose from solar particle events.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Jeri L; Mertens, Christopher J; Grajewski, Barbara; Luo, Lian; Tseng, Chih-Yu; Cassinelli, Rick T

    2014-08-01

    Research has suggested that work as a flight attendant may be related to increased risk for reproductive health effects. Air cabin exposures that may influence reproductive health include radiation dose from galactic cosmic radiation and solar particle events. This paper describes the assessment of radiation dose accrued during solar particle events as part of a reproductive health study of flight attendants. Solar storm data were obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center list of solar proton events affecting the Earth environment to ascertain storms relevant to the two study periods (1992-1996 and 1999-2001). Radiation dose from exposure to solar energetic particles was estimated using the NAIRAS model in conjunction with galactic cosmic radiation dose calculated using the CARI-6P computer program. Seven solar particle events were determined to have potential for significant radiation exposure, two in the first study period and five in the second study period, and over-lapped with 24,807 flight segments. Absorbed (and effective) flight segment doses averaged 6.5 μGy (18 μSv) and 3.1 μGy (8.3 μSv) for the first and second study periods, respectively. Maximum doses were as high as 440 μGy (1.2 mSv) and 20 flight segments had doses greater than 190 μGy (0.5 mSv). During solar particle events, a pregnant flight attendant could potentially exceed the equivalent dose limit to the conceptus of 0.5 mSv in a month recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements.

  11. Reproducibility of three-dimensional cephalometric landmarks in cone-beam and low-dose computed tomography.

    PubMed

    Olszewski, R; Frison, L; Wisniewski, M; Denis, J M; Vynckier, S; Cosnard, G; Zech, F; Reychler, H

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to compare the reproducibility of three-dimensional cephalometric landmarks on three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) surface rendering using clinical protocols based on low-dose (35-mAs) spiral CT and cone-beam CT (I-CAT). The absorbed dose levels for radiosensitive organs in the maxillofacial region during exposure in both 3D-CT protocols were also assessed. The study population consisted of ten human dry skulls examined with low-dose CT and cone-beam CT. Two independent observers identified 24 cephalometric anatomic landmarks at 13 sites on the 3D-CT surface renderings using both protocols, with each observer repeating the identification 1 month later. A total of 1,920 imaging measurements were performed. Thermoluminescent dosimeters were placed at six sites around the thyroid gland, the submandibular glands, and the eyes in an Alderson phantom to measure the absorbed dose levels. When comparing low-dose CT and cone-beam CT protocols, the cone-beam CT protocol proved to be significantly more reproducible for four of the 13 anatomical sites. There was no significant difference between the protocols for the other nine anatomical sites. Both low-dose and cone-beam CT protocols were equivalent in dose absorption to the eyes and submandibular glands. However, thyroid glands were more irradiated with low-dose CT. Cone-beam CT was more reproducible and procured less irradiation to the thyroid gland than low-dose CT. Cone-beam CT should be preferred over low-dose CT for developing three-dimensional bony cephalometric analyses.

  12. Degradation and decoloration of textiles wastewater by electron beam irradiation: Effect of energy, current and absorbed dose

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bakar, Khomsaton Abu; Zulkafli,; Hashim, Siti A'aisah

    2014-09-03

    In this study, electron beam accelerator (EB) was used to treat textiles wastewater from Rawang Industrial Park, Selangor. The objectives were to determine effective energy, beam current and absorbed dose required for decoloration and degradation of the textiles effluent. The textiles effluent was irradiated in a batch with various energy of 1MeV to 3MeV at constant beam current of 30mA. It was observed that removal of color and COD increases with higher beam energy. The EB energy of 1MeV effectively to removed 58% color and 19% COD. For textile effluent sample irradiated at fix energy of 1MeV and 3Mev butmore » at different beam current 10mA, 20mA and 30mA. It was observed that removal of color and COD increases with the increased of beam current at each energy. However removal of color was significantly better at 1Mev as compared to 3Mev. In the case of textiles effluent, irradiated at doses of 17, 20,25,30, 35, 100 and 200kGy using 30 kW power of EB (1Mev, 30mA), results shows removal of BOD{sub 5}, COD and color were in the range 9%-33%, 14%-38% and 43%-78% respectively.« less

  13. Dose computation for therapeutic electron beams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glegg, Martin Mackenzie

    The accuracy of electron dose calculations performed by two commercially available treatment planning computers, Varian Cadplan and Helax TMS, has been assessed. Measured values of absorbed dose delivered by a Varian 2100C linear accelerator, under a wide variety of irradiation conditions, were compared with doses calculated by the treatment planning computers. Much of the motivation for this work was provided by a requirement to verify the accuracy of calculated electron dose distributions in situations encountered clinically at Glasgow's Beatson Oncology Centre. Calculated dose distributions are required in a significant minority of electron treatments, usually in cases involving treatment to the head and neck. Here, therapeutic electron beams are subject to factors which may cause non-uniformity in the distribution of dose, and which may complicate the calculation of dose. The beam shape is often irregular, the beam may enter the patient at an oblique angle or at an extended source to skin distance (SSD), tissue inhomogeneities can alter the dose distribution, and tissue equivalent material (such as wax) may be added to reduce dose to critical organs. Technological advances have allowed the current generation of treatment planning computers to implement dose calculation algorithms with the ability to model electron beams in these complex situations. These calculations have, however, yet to be verified by measurement. This work has assessed the accuracy of calculations in a number of specific instances. Chapter two contains a comparison of measured and calculated planar electron isodose distributions. Three situations were considered: oblique incidence, incidence on an irregular surface (such as that which would be arise from the use of wax to reduce dose to spinal cord), and incidence on a phantom containing a small air cavity. Calculations were compared with measurements made by thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) in a WTe electron solid water phantom. Chapter

  14. Dose gradient curve: A new tool for evaluating dose gradient.

    PubMed

    Sung, KiHoon; Choi, Young Eun

    2018-01-01

    Stereotactic radiotherapy, which delivers an ablative high radiation dose to a target volume for maximum local tumor control, requires a rapid dose fall-off outside the target volume to prevent extensive damage to nearby normal tissue. Currently, there is no tool to comprehensively evaluate the dose gradient near the target volume. We propose the dose gradient curve (DGC) as a new tool to evaluate the quality of a treatment plan with respect to the dose fall-off characteristics. The average distance between two isodose surfaces was represented by the dose gradient index (DGI) estimated by a simple equation using the volume and surface area of isodose levels. The surface area was calculated by mesh generation and surface triangulation. The DGC was defined as a plot of the DGI of each dose interval as a function of the dose. Two types of DGCs, differential and cumulative, were generated. The performance of the DGC was evaluated using stereotactic radiosurgery plans for virtual targets. Over the range of dose distributions, the dose gradient of each dose interval was well-characterized by the DGC in an easily understandable graph format. Significant changes in the DGC were observed reflecting the differences in planning situations and various prescription doses. The DGC is a rational method for visualizing the dose gradient as the average distance between two isodose surfaces; the shorter the distance, the steeper the dose gradient. By combining the DGC with the dose-volume histogram (DVH) in a single plot, the DGC can be utilized to evaluate not only the dose gradient but also the target coverage in routine clinical practice.

  15. Dose gradient curve: A new tool for evaluating dose gradient

    PubMed Central

    Choi, Young Eun

    2018-01-01

    Purpose Stereotactic radiotherapy, which delivers an ablative high radiation dose to a target volume for maximum local tumor control, requires a rapid dose fall-off outside the target volume to prevent extensive damage to nearby normal tissue. Currently, there is no tool to comprehensively evaluate the dose gradient near the target volume. We propose the dose gradient curve (DGC) as a new tool to evaluate the quality of a treatment plan with respect to the dose fall-off characteristics. Methods The average distance between two isodose surfaces was represented by the dose gradient index (DGI) estimated by a simple equation using the volume and surface area of isodose levels. The surface area was calculated by mesh generation and surface triangulation. The DGC was defined as a plot of the DGI of each dose interval as a function of the dose. Two types of DGCs, differential and cumulative, were generated. The performance of the DGC was evaluated using stereotactic radiosurgery plans for virtual targets. Results Over the range of dose distributions, the dose gradient of each dose interval was well-characterized by the DGC in an easily understandable graph format. Significant changes in the DGC were observed reflecting the differences in planning situations and various prescription doses. Conclusions The DGC is a rational method for visualizing the dose gradient as the average distance between two isodose surfaces; the shorter the distance, the steeper the dose gradient. By combining the DGC with the dose-volume histogram (DVH) in a single plot, the DGC can be utilized to evaluate not only the dose gradient but also the target coverage in routine clinical practice. PMID:29698471

  16. [Dose rate-dependent cellular and molecular effects of ionizing radiation].

    PubMed

    Przybyszewski, Waldemar M; Wideł, Maria; Szurko, Agnieszka; Maniakowski, Zbigniew

    2008-09-11

    The aim of radiation therapy is to kill tumor cells while minimizing damage to normal cells. The ultimate effect of radiation can be apoptotic or necrotic cell death as well as cytogenetic damage resulting in genetic instability and/or cell death. The destructive effects of radiation arise from direct and indirect ionization events leading to peroxidation of macromolecules, especially those present in lipid-rich membrane structures as well as chromatin lipids. Lipid peroxidative end-products may damage DNA and proteins. A characteristic feature of radiation-induced peroxidation is an inverse dose-rate effect (IDRE), defined as an increase in the degree of oxidation(at constant absorbed dose) accompanying a lower dose rate. On the other hand, a low dose rate can lead to the accumulation of cells in G2, the radiosensitive phase of the cell cycle since cell cycle control points are not sensitive to low dose rates. Radiation dose rate may potentially be the main factor improving radiotherapy efficacy as well as affecting the intensity of normal tissue and whole-body side effects. A better understanding of dose rate-dependent biological effects may lead to improved therapeutic intervention and limit normal tissue reaction. The study reviews basic biological effects that depend on the dose rate of ionizing radiation.

  17. A Novel Simple Phantom for Verifying the Dose of Radiation Therapy

    PubMed Central

    Lee, J. H.; Chang, L. T.; Shiau, A. C.; Chen, C. W.; Liao, Y. J.; Li, W. J.; Lee, M. S.; Hsu, S. M.

    2015-01-01

    A standard protocol of dosimetric measurements is used by the organizations responsible for verifying that the doses delivered in radiation-therapy institutions are within authorized limits. This study evaluated a self-designed simple auditing phantom for use in verifying the dose of radiation therapy; the phantom design, dose audit system, and clinical tests are described. Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were used as postal dosimeters, and mailable phantoms were produced for use in postal audits. Correction factors are important for converting TLD readout values from phantoms into the absorbed dose in water. The phantom scatter correction factor was used to quantify the difference in the scattered dose between a solid water phantom and homemade phantoms; its value ranged from 1.084 to 1.031. The energy-dependence correction factor was used to compare the TLD readout of the unit dose irradiated by audit beam energies with 60Co in the solid water phantom; its value was 0.99 to 1.01. The setup-condition factor was used to correct for differences in dose-output calibration conditions. Clinical tests of the device calibrating the dose output revealed that the dose deviation was within 3%. Therefore, our homemade phantoms and dosimetric system can be applied for accurately verifying the doses applied in radiation-therapy institutions. PMID:25883980

  18. Doses from beta radiation in sensitive layers of human lung and dose conversion factors due to 222Rn/220Rn progeny.

    PubMed

    Markovic, V M; Stevanovic, N; Nikezic, D

    2011-08-01

    Great deal of work has been devoted to determine doses from alpha particles emitted by (222)Rn and (220)Rn progeny. In contrast, contribution of beta particles to total dose has been neglected by most of the authors. The present work describes a study of the detriment of (222)Rn and (220)Rn progeny to the human lung due to beta particles. The dose conversion factor (DCF) was introduced to relate effective dose and exposure to radon progeny; it is defined as effective dose per unit exposure to inhaled radon or thoron progeny. Doses and DCFs were determined for beta radiation in sensitive layers of bronchi (BB) and bronchioles (bb), taking into account inhaled (222)Rn and (220)Rn progeny deposited in mucus and cilia layer. The nuclei columnar secretory and short basal cells were considered to be sensitive target layers. For dose calculation, electron-absorbed fractions (AFs) in the sensitive layers of the BB and bb regions were used. Activities in the fast and slow mucus of the BB and bb regions were obtained using the LUNGDOSE software developed earlier. Calculated DCFs due to beta radiation were 0.21 mSv/WLM for (222)Rn and 0.06 mSv/WLM for (220)Rn progeny. In addition, the influence of Jacobi room parameters on DCFs was investigated, and it was shown that DCFs vary with these parameters by up to 50%.

  19. SU-E-CAMPUS-T-03: Four-Dimensional Dose Distribution Measurement Using Plastic Scintillator

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hashimoto, M; Kozuka, T; Oguchi, M

    2014-06-15

    Purpose: To develop the detector for the four-dimensional dose distribution measurement. Methods: We made the prototype detector for four-dimensional dose distribution measurement using a cylindrical plastic scintillator (5 cm diameter) and a conical reflection grass. The plastic scintillator is used as a phantom. When the plastic scintillator is irradiated, the scintillation light was emitted according to absorbed dose distribution. The conical reflection grass was arranged to surround the plastic scintillator, which project to downstream the projection images of the scintillation light. Then, the projection image was reflected to 45 degree direction by flat reflection grass, and was recorded by camcorder.more » By reconstructing the three-dimensional dose distribution from the projection image recorded in each frame, we could obtain the four-dimensional dose distribution. First, we tested the characteristic according to the amount of emitted light. Then we compared of the light profile and the dose profile calculated with the radiotherapy treatment planning system. Results: The dose dependency of the amount of light showed linearity. The pixel detecting smaller amount of light had high sensitivity than the pixel detecting larger amount of light. However the difference of the sensitivity could be corrected from the amount of light detected in each pixel. Both of the depth light profile through the conical reflection grass and the depth dose profile showed the same attenuation in the region deeper than peak depth. In lateral direction, the difference of the both profiles was shown at outside field and penumbra region. We consider that the difference is occurred due to the scatter of the scintillation light in the plastic scintillator block. Conclusion: It was possible to obtain the amount of light corresponding to the absorbed dose distribution from the prototype detector. Four-dimensional dose distributions can be reconstructed with high accuracy by the

  20. Dynamically accumulated dose and 4D accumulated dose for moving tumors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li Heng; Li Yupeng; Zhang Xiaodong

    2012-12-15

    Purpose: The purpose of this work was to investigate the relationship between dynamically accumulated dose (dynamic dose) and 4D accumulated dose (4D dose) for irradiation of moving tumors, and to quantify the dose uncertainty induced by tumor motion. Methods: The authors established that regardless of treatment modality and delivery properties, the dynamic dose will converge to the 4D dose, instead of the 3D static dose, after multiple deliveries. The bounds of dynamic dose, or the maximum estimation error using 4D or static dose, were established for the 4D and static doses, respectively. Numerical simulations were performed (1) to prove themore » principle that for each phase, after multiple deliveries, the average number of deliveries for any given time converges to the total number of fractions (K) over the number of phases (N); (2) to investigate the dose difference between the 4D and dynamic doses as a function of the number of deliveries for deliveries of a 'pulsed beam'; and (3) to investigate the dose difference between 4D dose and dynamic doses as a function of delivery time for deliveries of a 'continuous beam.' A Poisson model was developed to estimate the mean dose error as a function of number of deliveries or delivered time for both pulsed beam and continuous beam. Results: The numerical simulations confirmed that the number of deliveries for each phase converges to K/N, assuming a random starting phase. Simulations for the pulsed beam and continuous beam also suggested that the dose error is a strong function of the number of deliveries and/or total deliver time and could be a function of the breathing cycle, depending on the mode of delivery. The Poisson model agrees well with the simulation. Conclusions: Dynamically accumulated dose will converge to the 4D accumulated dose after multiple deliveries, regardless of treatment modality. Bounds of the dynamic dose could be determined using quantities derived from 4D doses, and the mean dose

  1. Calculation of radiation therapy dose using all particle Monte Carlo transport

    DOEpatents

    Chandler, William P.; Hartmann-Siantar, Christine L.; Rathkopf, James A.

    1999-01-01

    The actual radiation dose absorbed in the body is calculated using three-dimensional Monte Carlo transport. Neutrons, protons, deuterons, tritons, helium-3, alpha particles, photons, electrons, and positrons are transported in a completely coupled manner, using this Monte Carlo All-Particle Method (MCAPM). The major elements of the invention include: computer hardware, user description of the patient, description of the radiation source, physical databases, Monte Carlo transport, and output of dose distributions. This facilitated the estimation of dose distributions on a Cartesian grid for neutrons, photons, electrons, positrons, and heavy charged-particles incident on any biological target, with resolutions ranging from microns to centimeters. Calculations can be extended to estimate dose distributions on general-geometry (non-Cartesian) grids for biological and/or non-biological media.

  2. Calculation of radiation therapy dose using all particle Monte Carlo transport

    DOEpatents

    Chandler, W.P.; Hartmann-Siantar, C.L.; Rathkopf, J.A.

    1999-02-09

    The actual radiation dose absorbed in the body is calculated using three-dimensional Monte Carlo transport. Neutrons, protons, deuterons, tritons, helium-3, alpha particles, photons, electrons, and positrons are transported in a completely coupled manner, using this Monte Carlo All-Particle Method (MCAPM). The major elements of the invention include: computer hardware, user description of the patient, description of the radiation source, physical databases, Monte Carlo transport, and output of dose distributions. This facilitated the estimation of dose distributions on a Cartesian grid for neutrons, photons, electrons, positrons, and heavy charged-particles incident on any biological target, with resolutions ranging from microns to centimeters. Calculations can be extended to estimate dose distributions on general-geometry (non-Cartesian) grids for biological and/or non-biological media. 57 figs.

  3. LINKING DERMAL MODELING AND LOADING DATA TO PREDICT LONG-TERM DOSES FROM INTERMITTENT DERMAL CONTACT

    EPA Science Inventory

    In this paper we assess dermal exposure and dose resulting from intermittent contact with residue-contaminated surfaces. These estimates require an understanding of (1) the quantitative relationship between exposure and absorbed dose; (2) the impact of intermittent exposure on ...

  4. Influence of lead apron shielding on absorbed doses from panoramic radiography

    PubMed Central

    Rottke, D; Grossekettler, L; Sawada, K; Poxleitner, P; Schulze, D

    2013-01-01

    Objectives: This study investigated the absorbed doses in a full anthropomorphic body phantom from two different panoramic radiography devices, performing protocols with and without applying a lead apron. Methods: A RANDO® full body phantom (Alderson Research Laboratories Inc., Stamford, CT) was equipped with 110 thermoluminescent dosemeters at 55 different sites and set up in two different panoramic radiography devices [SCANORA® three-dimensional (3D) (SOREDEX, Tuusula, Finland) and ProMax® 3D (Planmeca, Helsinki, Finland)] and exposed. Two different protocols were performed in the two devices. The first protocol was performed without any lead shielding, whereas the phantom was equipped with a standard adult lead apron for the second protocol. Results: A two-tailed paired samples t-test for the SCANORA 3D revealed that there is no difference between the protocol using lead apron shielding (m = 87.99, s = 102.98) and the protocol without shielding (m = 87.34, s = 107.49), t(54) = −0.313, p > 0.05. The same test for the ProMax 3D showed that there is also no difference between the protocol using shielding (m = 106.48, s = 117.38) and the protocol without shielding (m = 107.75, s = 114,36), t(54) = 0.938, p > 0.05. Conclusions: In conclusion, the results of this study showed no statistically significant differences between a panoramic radiography with or without the use of lead apron shielding. PMID:24174012

  5. The alanine detector in BNCT dosimetry: Dose response in thermal and epithermal neutron fields

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schmitz, T., E-mail: schmito@uni-mainz.de; Bassler, N.; Blaickner, M.

    Purpose: The response of alanine solid state dosimeters to ionizing radiation strongly depends on particle type and energy. Due to nuclear interactions, neutron fields usually also consist of secondary particles such as photons and protons of diverse energies. Various experiments have been carried out in three different neutron beams to explore the alanine dose response behavior and to validate model predictions. Additionally, application in medical neutron fields for boron neutron capture therapy is discussed. Methods: Alanine detectors have been irradiated in the thermal neutron field of the research reactor TRIGA Mainz, Germany, in five experimental conditions, generating different secondary particlemore » spectra. Further irradiations have been made in the epithermal neutron beams at the research reactors FiR 1 in Helsinki, Finland, and Tsing Hua open pool reactor in HsinChu, Taiwan ROC. Readout has been performed with electron spin resonance spectrometry with reference to an absorbed dose standard in a {sup 60}Co gamma ray beam. Absorbed doses and dose components have been calculated using the Monte Carlo codes FLUKA and MCNP. The relative effectiveness (RE), linking absorbed dose and detector response, has been calculated using the Hansen and Olsen alanine response model. Results: The measured dose response of the alanine detector in the different experiments has been evaluated and compared to model predictions. Therefore, a relative effectiveness has been calculated for each dose component, accounting for its dependence on particle type and energy. Agreement within 5% between model and measurement has been achieved for most irradiated detectors. Significant differences have been observed in response behavior between thermal and epithermal neutron fields, especially regarding dose composition and depth dose curves. The calculated dose components could be verified with the experimental results in the different primary and secondary particle fields

  6. Development of computational pregnant female and fetus models and assessment of radiation dose from positron-emitting tracers.

    PubMed

    Xie, Tianwu; Zaidi, Habib

    2016-12-01

    Molecular imaging using PET and hybrid (PET/CT and PET/MR) modalities nowadays plays a pivotal role in the clinical setting for diagnosis and staging, treatment response monitoring, and radiation therapy treatment planning of a wide range of oncologic malignancies. The developing embryo/fetus presents a high sensitivity to ionizing radiation. Therefore, estimation of the radiation dose delivered to the embryo/fetus and pregnant patients from PET examinations to assess potential radiation risks is highly praised. We constructed eight embryo/fetus models at various gestation periods with 25 identified tissues according to reference data recommended by the ICRP publication 89 representing the anatomy of the developing embryo/fetus. The developed embryo/fetus models were integrated into realistic anthropomorphic computational phantoms of the pregnant female and used for estimating, using Monte Carlo calculations, S-values of common positron-emitting radionuclides, organ absorbed dose, and effective dose of a number of positron-emitting labeled radiotracers. The absorbed dose is nonuniformly distributed in the fetus. The absorbed dose of the kidney and liver of the 8-week-old fetus are about 47.45 % and 44.76 % higher than the average absorbed dose of the fetal total body for all investigated radiotracers. For 18 F-FDG, the fetal effective doses are 2.90E-02, 3.09E-02, 1.79E-02, 1.59E-02, 1.47E-02, 1.40E-02, 1.37E-02, and 1.27E-02 mSv/MBq at the 8th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, 35th, and 38th weeks of gestation, respectively. The developed pregnant female/fetus models matching the ICRP reference data can be exploited by dedicated software packages for internal and external dose calculations. The generated S-values will be useful to produce new standardized dose estimates to pregnant patients and embryo/fetus from a variety of positron-emitting labeled radiotracers.

  7. Dose to ‘water-like’ media or dose to tissue in MV photons radiotherapy treatment planning: still a matter of debate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andreo, Pedro

    2015-01-01

    The difference between Monte Carlo Treatment Planning (MCTP) based on the assumption of ‘water-like’ tissues with densities obtained from CT procedures, or on tissue compositions derived from CT-determined densities, have been investigated. Stopping powers and electron fluences have been calculated for a range of media and body tissues for 6 MV photon beams, including changes in their physical data (density and stopping powers). These quantities have been used to determine absorbed doses using cavity theory. It is emphasized that tissue compositions given in ICRU or ICRP reports should not be given the standing of physical constants as they correspond to average values obtained for a limited number of human-body samples. It has been shown that mass stopping-power ratios to water are more dependent on patient-to-patient composition differences, and therefore on their mean excitation energies (I-values), than on mass density. Electron fluence in different media are also more dependent on media composition (and their I-values) than on density. However, as a consequence of the balance between fluence and stopping powers, doses calculated from their product are more constant than what the independent stopping powers and fluence variations suggest. Additionally, cancelations in dose ratios minimize the differences between the ‘water-like’ and ‘tissue’ approaches, yielding practically identical results except for bone, and to a lesser extent for adipose tissue. A priori, changing from one approach to another does not seem to be justified considering the large number of approximations and uncertainties involved throughout the treatment planning tissue segmentation and dose calculation procedures. The key issue continues to be the composition of tissues and their I-values, and as these cannot be obtained for individual patients, whatever approach is selected does not lead to significant differences from a water reference dose, the maximum of these being of the

  8. Polybutadiene and Styrene-Butadiene rubbers for high-dose dosimetry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Oliveira, Lucas N.; Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares -IPEN, Sao Paulo-SP; Vieira, Silvio L.

    2015-07-01

    Polybutadiene and Styrene-Butadiene are synthetical rubbers used widely for pneumatic tires manufacturing. In this research, the dosimeter characteristics of those rubbers were studied for application in high-dose dosimetry. The rubber samples were irradiated with doses of 10 Gy up to 10 kGy, using a {sup 60}Co Gamma Cell-220 system (dose rate of 1.089 kGy/h) and their readings were taken on a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy-FTIR system (model Frontier/Perkin Elmer). The ratios of two absorbance peaks were taken for each kind of rubber spectrum, Polybutadiene (1306/1130 cm{sup -1}) and Styrene-Butadiene (1449/1306 cm{sup -1}). The ratio calculated was used as the responsemore » to the irradiation, and is not uniform across the sample. From the results, it can be concluded for both rubbers: a) the dose-response curves may be useful for high-dose dosimetry (greater than 250 Gy); b) their response for reproducibility presented standard deviations lower than 2.5%; c) the relative sensitivity was higher for Styrene-Butadiene (1.86 kGy{sup -1}) than for Polybutadiene (1.81 kGy{sup -1}), d) for doses of 10 kGy to 200 kGy, there was no variation in the dosimetric response. Both types of rubber samples showed usefulness as high-dose dosimeters. (authors)« less

  9. Evaluation of the effective dose during BNCT at TRR thermal column epithermal facility.

    PubMed

    Jarahi, Hossein; Kasesaz, Yaser; Saleh-Koutahi, Seyed Mohsen

    2016-04-01

    An epithermal neutron beam has been designed for Boron neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) at the thermal column of Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) recently. In this paper the whole body effective dose, as well as the equivalent doses of several organs have been calculated in this facility using MCNP4C Monte Carlo code. The effective dose has been calculated by using the absorbed doses determined for each individual organ, taking into account the radiation and tissue weighting factors. The ICRP 110 whole body male phantom has been used as a patient model. It was found that the effective dose during BNCT of a brain tumor is equal to 0.90Sv. This effective dose may induce a 4% secondary cancer risk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. DICOM organ dose does not accurately represent calculated dose in mammography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suleiman, Moayyad E.; Brennan, Patrick C.; McEntee, Mark F.

    2016-03-01

    This study aims to analyze the agreement between the mean glandular dose estimated by the mammography unit (organ dose) and mean glandular dose calculated using Dance et al published method (calculated dose). Anonymised digital mammograms from 50 BreastScreen NSW centers were downloaded and exposure information required for the calculation of dose was extracted from the DICOM header along with the organ dose estimated by the system. Data from quality assurance annual tests for the included centers were collected and used to calculate the mean glandular dose for each mammogram. Bland-Altman analysis and a two-tailed paired t-test were used to study the agreement between calculated and organ dose and the significance of any differences. A total of 27,869 dose points from 40 centers were included in the study, mean calculated dose and mean organ dose (+/- standard deviation) were 1.47 (+/-0.66) and 1.38 (+/-0.56) mGy respectively. A statistically significant 0.09 mGy bias (t = 69.25; p<0.0001) with 95% limits of agreement between calculated and organ doses ranging from -0.34 and 0.52 were shown by Bland-Altman analysis, which indicates a small yet highly significant difference between the two means. The use of organ dose for dose audits is done at the risk of over or underestimating the calculated dose, hence, further work is needed to identify the causal agents for differences between organ and calculated doses and to generate a correction factor for organ dose.

  11. Estimating thyroid dose in pediatric CT exams from surface dose measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Senan, Rani; Mueller, Deborah L.; Hatab, Mustapha R.

    2012-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of estimating pediatric thyroid doses from CT using surface neck doses. Optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters were used to measure the neck surface dose of 25 children ranging in ages between one and three years old. The neck circumference for each child was measured. The relationship between obtained surface doses and thyroid dose was studied using acrylic phantoms of various sizes and with holes of different depths. The ratios of hole-to-surface doses were used to convert patients' surface dose to thyroid dose. ImPACT software was utilized to calculate thyroid dose after applying the appropriate age correction factors. A paired t-test was performed to compare thyroid doses from our approach and ImPACT. The ratio of thyroid to surface dose was found to be 1.1. Thyroid doses ranged from 20 to 80 mGy. Comparison showed no statistical significance (p = 0.18). In addition, the average of surface dose variation along the z-axis in helical scans was studied and found to range between 5% (in 10 cm diameter phantom/24 mm collimation/pitch 1.0) and 8% (in 16 cm diameter phantom/12 mm collimation/pitch 0.7). We conclude that surface dose is an acceptable predictor for pediatric thyroid dose from CT. The uncertainty due to surface dose variability may be reduced if narrower collimation is used with a pitch factor close to 1.0. Also, the results did not show any effect of thyroid depth on the measured dose.

  12. The impact of inter-fraction dose variations on biological equivalent dose (BED): the concept of equivalent constant dose.

    PubMed

    Zavgorodni, S

    2004-12-07

    Inter-fraction dose fluctuations, which appear as a result of setup errors, organ motion and treatment machine output variations, may influence the radiobiological effect of the treatment even when the total delivered physical dose remains constant. The effect of these inter-fraction dose fluctuations on the biological effective dose (BED) has been investigated. Analytical expressions for the BED accounting for the dose fluctuations have been derived. The concept of biological effective constant dose (BECD) has been introduced. The equivalent constant dose (ECD), representing the constant physical dose that provides the same cell survival fraction as the fluctuating dose, has also been introduced. The dose fluctuations with Gaussian as well as exponential probability density functions were investigated. The values of BECD and ECD calculated analytically were compared with those derived from Monte Carlo modelling. The agreement between Monte Carlo modelled and analytical values was excellent (within 1%) for a range of dose standard deviations (0-100% of the dose) and the number of fractions (2 to 37) used in the comparison. The ECDs have also been calculated for conventional radiotherapy fields. The analytical expression for the BECD shows that BECD increases linearly with the variance of the dose. The effect is relatively small, and in the flat regions of the field it results in less than 1% increase of ECD. In the penumbra region of the 6 MV single radiotherapy beam the ECD exceeded the physical dose by up to 35%, when the standard deviation of combined patient setup/organ motion uncertainty was 5 mm. Equivalently, the ECD field was approximately 2 mm wider than the physical dose field. The difference between ECD and the physical dose is greater for normal tissues than for tumours.

  13. Pergolide: multiple-dose pharmacokinetics in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson disease.

    PubMed

    Thalamas, Claire; Rajman, Iris; Kulisevsky, Jaime; Lledó, Alberto; Mackie, Alison E; Blin, Olivier; Gillespie, Todd A; Seger, Mary; Rascol, Olivier

    2005-01-01

    The primary objective of this study was to describe the pharmacokinetics of oral pergolide in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson disease using a new high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay. A secondary objective was to investigate the relationship between plasma concentrations and efficacy. Fourteen patients with a diagnosis of Parkinson disease completed this multicenter, open-label, dose-escalating study. Pergolide was administered for 58 days, using increasing daily doses from 0.05 mg daily up to 1 mg three times daily and then tapering the dose. The steady-state pharmacokinetic profile and motor score were determined at dose levels of 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg three times a day and during elimination after the last dose. Pergolide was absorbed with a median time to maximum concentration of 2 to 3 hours across the dose range. Systemic exposure appeared to increase proportionally with dose over the range of 0.25 to 1 mg three times daily within a patient, but there was a large variability in exposures between patients (interpatient coefficients of variation were 56.4% for the area under the curve). Pergolide was widely distributed (volume of distribution, approximately 14,000 L) and was eliminated with a mean half-life of 21 hours. Motor scores improved as both peak plasma pergolide concentrations and exposure increased. No unexpected safety concerns were identified. Pergolide is absorbed relatively quickly into the systemic circulation, has a large apparent volume of distribution, and has a relatively long half-life (mean, 21 hours). This prolonged half-life is of particular interest, given the current hypothesis that more continuous dopaminergic receptor stimulation may reduce motor complications in patients with Parkinson disease.

  14. Using the Monte Carlo method for assessing the tissue and organ doses of patients in dental radiography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Makarevich, K. O.; Minenko, V. F.; Verenich, K. A.; Kuten, S. A.

    2016-05-01

    This work is dedicated to modeling dental radiographic examinations to assess the absorbed doses of patients and effective doses. For simulating X-ray spectra, the TASMIP empirical model is used. Doses are assessed on the basis of the Monte Carlo method by using MCNP code for voxel phantoms of ICRP. The results of the assessment of doses to individual organs and effective doses for different types of dental examinations and features of X-ray tube are presented.

  15. Validating Fricke dosimetry for the measurement of absorbed dose to water for HDR 192Ir brachytherapy: a comparison between primary standards of the LCR, Brazil, and the NRC, Canada.

    PubMed

    Salata, Camila; David, Mariano Gazineu; de Almeida, Carlos Eduardo; El Gamal, Islam; Cojocaru, Claudiu; Mainegra-Hing, Ernesto; McEwen, Malcom

    2018-04-05

    Two Fricke-based absorbed dose to water standards for HDR Ir-192 dosimetry, developed independently by the LCR in Brazil and the NRC in Canada have been compared. The agreement in the determination of the dose rate from a HDR Ir-192 source at 1 cm in a water phantom was found to be within the k  =  1 combined measurement uncertainties of the two standards: D NRC /D LCR   =  1.011, standard uncertainty  =  2.2%. The dose-based standards also agreed within the uncertainties with the manufacturer's stated dose rate value, which is traceable to a national standard of air kerma. A number of possible influence quantities were investigated, including the specific method for producing the ferrous-sulphate Fricke solution, the geometry of the holder, and the Monte Carlo code used to determine correction factors. The comparison highlighted the lack of data on the determination of G(Fe 3+ ) in this energy range and the possibilities for further development of the holders used to contain the Fricke solution. The comparison also confirmed the suitability of Fricke dosimetry for Ir-192 primary standard dose rate determinations at therapy dose levels.

  16. Validating Fricke dosimetry for the measurement of absorbed dose to water for HDR 192Ir brachytherapy: a comparison between primary standards of the LCR, Brazil, and the NRC, Canada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salata, Camila; Gazineu David, Mariano; de Almeida, Carlos Eduardo; El Gamal, Islam; Cojocaru, Claudiu; Mainegra-Hing, Ernesto; McEwen, Malcom

    2018-04-01

    Two Fricke-based absorbed dose to water standards for HDR Ir-192 dosimetry, developed independently by the LCR in Brazil and the NRC in Canada have been compared. The agreement in the determination of the dose rate from a HDR Ir-192 source at 1 cm in a water phantom was found to be within the k  =  1 combined measurement uncertainties of the two standards: D NRC/D LCR  =  1.011, standard uncertainty  =  2.2%. The dose-based standards also agreed within the uncertainties with the manufacturer’s stated dose rate value, which is traceable to a national standard of air kerma. A number of possible influence quantities were investigated, including the specific method for producing the ferrous-sulphate Fricke solution, the geometry of the holder, and the Monte Carlo code used to determine correction factors. The comparison highlighted the lack of data on the determination of G(Fe3+) in this energy range and the possibilities for further development of the holders used to contain the Fricke solution. The comparison also confirmed the suitability of Fricke dosimetry for Ir-192 primary standard dose rate determinations at therapy dose levels.

  17. Neutrons in active proton therapy: Parameterization of dose and dose equivalent.

    PubMed

    Schneider, Uwe; Hälg, Roger A; Lomax, Tony

    2017-06-01

    One of the essential elements of an epidemiological study to decide if proton therapy may be associated with increased or decreased subsequent malignancies compared to photon therapy is an ability to estimate all doses to non-target tissues, including neutron dose. This work therefore aims to predict for patients using proton pencil beam scanning the spatially localized neutron doses and dose equivalents. The proton pencil beam of Gantry 1 at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) was Monte Carlo simulated using GEANT. Based on the simulated neutron dose and neutron spectra an analytical mechanistic dose model was developed. The pencil beam algorithm used for treatment planning at PSI has been extended using the developed model in order to calculate the neutron component of the delivered dose distribution for each treated patient. The neutron dose was estimated for two patient example cases. The analytical neutron dose model represents the three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulated dose distribution up to 85cm from the proton pencil beam with a satisfying precision. The root mean square error between Monte Carlo simulation and model is largest for 138MeV protons and is 19% and 20% for dose and dose equivalent, respectively. The model was successfully integrated into the PSI treatment planning system. In average the neutron dose is increased by 10% or 65% when using 160MeV or 177MeV instead of 138MeV. For the neutron dose equivalent the increase is 8% and 57%. The presented neutron dose calculations allow for estimates of dose that can be used in subsequent epidemiological studies or, should the need arise, to estimate the neutron dose at any point where a subsequent secondary tumour may occur. It was found that the neutron dose to the patient is heavily increased with proton energy. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  18. Dose Titration Algorithm Tuning (DTAT) should supersede 'the' Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) in oncology dose-finding trials.

    PubMed

    Norris, David C

    2017-01-01

    Background . Absent adaptive, individualized dose-finding in early-phase oncology trials, subsequent 'confirmatory' Phase III trials risk suboptimal dosing, with resulting loss of statistical power and reduced probability of technical success for the investigational therapy. While progress has been made toward explicitly adaptive dose-finding and quantitative modeling of dose-response relationships, most such work continues to be organized around a concept of 'the' maximum tolerated dose (MTD). The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate concretely how the aim of early-phase trials might be conceived, not as 'dose-finding', but as dose titration algorithm (DTA) -finding. Methods. A Phase I dosing study is simulated, for a notional cytotoxic chemotherapy drug, with neutropenia constituting the critical dose-limiting toxicity. The drug's population pharmacokinetics and myelosuppression dynamics are simulated using published parameter estimates for docetaxel. The amenability of this model to linearization is explored empirically. The properties of a simple DTA targeting neutrophil nadir of 500 cells/mm 3 using a Newton-Raphson heuristic are explored through simulation in 25 simulated study subjects. Results. Individual-level myelosuppression dynamics in the simulation model approximately linearize under simple transformations of neutrophil concentration and drug dose. The simulated dose titration exhibits largely satisfactory convergence, with great variance in individualized optimal dosing. Some titration courses exhibit overshooting. Conclusions. The large inter-individual variability in simulated optimal dosing underscores the need to replace 'the' MTD with an individualized concept of MTD i . To illustrate this principle, the simplest possible DTA capable of realizing such a concept is demonstrated. Qualitative phenomena observed in this demonstration support discussion of the notion of tuning such algorithms. Although here illustrated specifically in relation to

  19. RECONSTRUCTION OF INDIVIDUAL DOSES DUE TO MEDICAL EXPOSURES FOR MEMBERS OF THE TECHA RIVER COHORT

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shagina, N. B.; Golikov, V.; Degteva, M. O.

    Purpose: To describe a methodology for reconstruction of doses due to medical exposures for members of the Techa River Cohort (TRC) who received diagnostic radiation at the clinic of the Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine (URCRM) in 1952–2005. To calculate doses of medical exposure for the TRC members and compare with the doses that resulted from radioactive contamination of the Techa River. Material and Methods: Reconstruction of individual medical doses is based on data on x-ray diagnostic procedures available for each person examined at the URCRM clinics and values of absorbed dose in 12 organs per typical x-ray proceduremore » calculated with the use of a mathematical phantom. Personal data on x-ray diagnostic examinations have been complied in the computerized “Registry of x-ray diagnostic procedures.” Sources of information are archival registry books from the URCRM x-ray room (available since 1956) and records on x-ray diagnostic procedures in patient-case histories (since 1952). The absorbed doses for 12 organs of interest have been evaluated per unit typical x-ray procedure with account taken of the x-ray examination parameters characteristic for the diagnostic machines used at the URCRM clinics. These parameters have been evaluated from published data on technical characteristics of the x-ray diagnostic machines used at the URCRM clinics in 1952–1988 and taken from the x-ray room for machines used at the URCRM in 1989–2005. Absorbed doses in the 12 organs per unit typical x-ray procedure have been calculated with use of a special computer code, EDEREX, developed at the Saint-Petersburg Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene after Professor P.V. Ramzaev. Individual accumulated doses of medical exposure have been calculated with a computer code, MEDS (Medical Exposure Dosimetry System), specifically developed at the URCRM. Results: At present, the “Registry of x-ray diagnostic procedures” contains information on individual x

  20. Size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) provides a simple method to calculate organ dose for pediatric CT examinations

    PubMed Central

    Moore, Bria M.; Brady, Samuel L.; Mirro, Amy E.; Kaufman, Robert A.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To investigate the correlation of size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) with absorbed organ dose, and to develop a simple methodology for estimating patient organ dose in a pediatric population (5–55 kg). Methods: Four physical anthropomorphic phantoms representing a range of pediatric body habitus were scanned with metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) dosimeters placed at 23 organ locations to determine absolute organ dose. Phantom absolute organ dose was divided by phantom SSDE to determine correlation between organ dose and SSDE. Organ dose correlation factors (\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document} }{}${\\rm CF}_{{\\rm SSDE}}^{{\\rm organ}}$\\end{document} CF SSDE organ ) were then multiplied by patient-specific SSDE to estimate patient organ dose. The \\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document} }{}${\\rm CF}_{{\\rm SSDE}}^{{\\rm organ}}$\\end{document} CF SSDE organ were used to retrospectively estimate individual organ doses from 352 chest and 241 abdominopelvic pediatric CT examinations, where mean patient weight was 22 kg ± 15 (range 5–55 kg), and mean patient age was 6 yrs ± 5 (range 4 months to 23 yrs). Patient organ dose estimates were compared to published pediatric Monte Carlo study results. Results: Phantom effective diameters were matched with patient population effective diameters to within 4 cm; thus, showing appropriate scalability of the phantoms across the entire pediatric population in this study. Individual\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage

  1. Dose-response plasma appearance of coffee chlorogenic and phenolic acids in adults.

    PubMed

    Renouf, Mathieu; Marmet, Cynthia; Giuffrida, Francesca; Lepage, Mélissa; Barron, Denis; Beaumont, Maurice; Williamson, Gary; Dionisi, Fabiola

    2014-02-01

    Coffee contains phenolic compounds, mainly chlorogenic acids (CGAs). Even though coffee intake has been associated with some health benefits in epidemiological studies, the bioavailability of coffee phenolics is not fully understood. We performed a dose-response study measuring plasma bioavailability of phenolics after drinking three increasing, but still nutritionally relevant doses of instant pure soluble coffee. The study design was a one treatment (coffee) three-dose randomized cross-over design, with a washout period of 2 wks between visits. CGAs, phenolic acids, and late-appearing metabolites all increased with increasing ingested dose. Hence, the sum of area under the curve was significantly higher for the medium to low dose, and high to medium dose, by 2.23- and 2.38-fold, respectively. CGAs were not well absorbed in their intact form, regardless of the dose. CGA and phenolic acids appeared rapidly in plasma, indicating an early absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Late-appearing metabolites were the most abundant, regardless of the dose. This study confirmed previous findings about coffee bioavailability but also showed that coffee phenolics appear in a positive dose-response manner in plasma when drank at nutritionally relevant doses. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. A dose error evaluation study for 4D dose calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Milz, Stefan; Wilkens, Jan J.; Ullrich, Wolfgang

    2014-10-01

    Previous studies have shown that respiration induced motion is not negligible for Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy. The intrafractional breathing induced motion influences the delivered dose distribution on the underlying patient geometry such as the lung or the abdomen. If a static geometry is used, a planning process for these indications does not represent the entire dynamic process. The quality of a full 4D dose calculation approach depends on the dose coordinate transformation process between deformable geometries. This article provides an evaluation study that introduces an advanced method to verify the quality of numerical dose transformation generated by four different algorithms. The used transformation metric value is based on the deviation of the dose mass histogram (DMH) and the mean dose throughout dose transformation. The study compares the results of four algorithms. In general, two elementary approaches are used: dose mapping and energy transformation. Dose interpolation (DIM) and an advanced concept, so called divergent dose mapping model (dDMM), are used for dose mapping. The algorithms are compared to the basic energy transformation model (bETM) and the energy mass congruent mapping (EMCM). For evaluation 900 small sample regions of interest (ROI) are generated inside an exemplary lung geometry (4DCT). A homogeneous fluence distribution is assumed for dose calculation inside the ROIs. The dose transformations are performed with the four different algorithms. The study investigates the DMH-metric and the mean dose metric for different scenarios (voxel sizes: 8 mm, 4 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm 9 different breathing phases). dDMM achieves the best transformation accuracy in all measured test cases with 3-5% lower errors than the other models. The results of dDMM are reasonable and most efficient in this study, although the model is simple and easy to implement. The EMCM model also achieved suitable results, but the approach requires a more complex

  3. A dose error evaluation study for 4D dose calculations.

    PubMed

    Milz, Stefan; Wilkens, Jan J; Ullrich, Wolfgang

    2014-11-07

    Previous studies have shown that respiration induced motion is not negligible for Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy. The intrafractional breathing induced motion influences the delivered dose distribution on the underlying patient geometry such as the lung or the abdomen. If a static geometry is used, a planning process for these indications does not represent the entire dynamic process. The quality of a full 4D dose calculation approach depends on the dose coordinate transformation process between deformable geometries. This article provides an evaluation study that introduces an advanced method to verify the quality of numerical dose transformation generated by four different algorithms.The used transformation metric value is based on the deviation of the dose mass histogram (DMH) and the mean dose throughout dose transformation. The study compares the results of four algorithms. In general, two elementary approaches are used: dose mapping and energy transformation. Dose interpolation (DIM) and an advanced concept, so called divergent dose mapping model (dDMM), are used for dose mapping. The algorithms are compared to the basic energy transformation model (bETM) and the energy mass congruent mapping (EMCM). For evaluation 900 small sample regions of interest (ROI) are generated inside an exemplary lung geometry (4DCT). A homogeneous fluence distribution is assumed for dose calculation inside the ROIs. The dose transformations are performed with the four different algorithms.The study investigates the DMH-metric and the mean dose metric for different scenarios (voxel sizes: 8 mm, 4 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm; 9 different breathing phases). dDMM achieves the best transformation accuracy in all measured test cases with 3-5% lower errors than the other models. The results of dDMM are reasonable and most efficient in this study, although the model is simple and easy to implement. The EMCM model also achieved suitable results, but the approach requires a more complex programming

  4. Superficial dose evaluation of four dose calculation algorithms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, Ying; Yang, Xiaoyu; Yang, Zhen; Qiu, Xiaoping; Lv, Zhiping; Lei, Mingjun; Liu, Gui; Zhang, Zijian; Hu, Yongmei

    2017-08-01

    Accurate superficial dose calculation is of major importance because of the skin toxicity in radiotherapy, especially within the initial 2 mm depth being considered more clinically relevant. The aim of this study is to evaluate superficial dose calculation accuracy of four commonly used algorithms in commercially available treatment planning systems (TPS) by Monte Carlo (MC) simulation and film measurements. The superficial dose in a simple geometrical phantom with size of 30 cm×30 cm×30 cm was calculated by PBC (Pencil Beam Convolution), AAA (Analytical Anisotropic Algorithm), AXB (Acuros XB) in Eclipse system and CCC (Collapsed Cone Convolution) in Raystation system under the conditions of source to surface distance (SSD) of 100 cm and field size (FS) of 10×10 cm2. EGSnrc (BEAMnrc/DOSXYZnrc) program was performed to simulate the central axis dose distribution of Varian Trilogy accelerator, combined with measurements of superficial dose distribution by an extrapolation method of multilayer radiochromic films, to estimate the dose calculation accuracy of four algorithms in the superficial region which was recommended in detail by the ICRU (International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurement) and the ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection). In superficial region, good agreement was achieved between MC simulation and film extrapolation method, with the mean differences less than 1%, 2% and 5% for 0°, 30° and 60°, respectively. The relative skin dose errors were 0.84%, 1.88% and 3.90%; the mean dose discrepancies (0°, 30° and 60°) between each of four algorithms and MC simulation were (2.41±1.55%, 3.11±2.40%, and 1.53±1.05%), (3.09±3.00%, 3.10±3.01%, and 3.77±3.59%), (3.16±1.50%, 8.70±2.84%, and 18.20±4.10%) and (14.45±4.66%, 10.74±4.54%, and 3.34±3.26%) for AXB, CCC, AAA and PBC respectively. Monte Carlo simulation verified the feasibility of the superficial dose measurements by multilayer Gafchromic films. And the rank

  5. Alternative chitosan-based EPR dosimeter applicable for a relatively wide range of gamma radiation doses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piroonpan, Thananchai; Katemake, Pichayada; Panritdam, Eagkapong; Pasanphan, Wanvimol

    2017-12-01

    Chitosan biopolymer is proposed as an alternative EPR dosimeter. Its ability to be EPR dosimeter was studied in comparison with the conventional alanine, sugars (i.e., glucose and sucrose), formate derivatives (i.e., lithium (Li), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) formate). Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and paraffin were used as binder for the preparation of composite EPR dosimeter. Dose responses of all materials were investigated in a wide dose range of radiation doses, i.e., low-level (0-1 kGy), medium-level (1-10 kGy) and high-level (10-100 kGy). The EPR dosimeter properties were studied under different parameters, i.e., microwave power, materials contents, absorbed doses, storage conditions and post-irradiation effects. Li-formate showed a simple EPR spectrum and exhibited superior radiation response for low-dose range; whereas chitosan and sucrose exhibited linear dose response in all studied dose ranges. The EPR signals of chitosan exhibited similar stability as glucose, Li-formate and alanine at ambient temperature after irradiation as long as a year. All EPR signals of the studied materials were affected post-irradiation temperature and humidity after gamma irradiation. The EPR signal of chitosan exhibited long-term stability and it was not sensitive to high storage temperatures and humidity values after irradiation. Chitosan has a good merit as the alternative bio-based material for a stable EPR dosimeter in a wide range of radiation-absorbed doses.

  6. New Fetal Dose Estimates from 18F-FDG Administered During Pregnancy: Standardization of Dose Calculations and Estimations with Voxel-Based Anthropomorphic Phantoms.

    PubMed

    Zanotti-Fregonara, Paolo; Chastan, Mathieu; Edet-Sanson, Agathe; Ekmekcioglu, Ozgul; Erdogan, Ezgi Basak; Hapdey, Sebastien; Hindie, Elif; Stabin, Michael G

    2016-11-01

    Data from the literature show that the fetal absorbed dose from 18 F-FDG administration to the pregnant mother ranges from 0.5E-2 to 4E-2 mGy/MBq. These figures were, however, obtained using different quantification techniques and with basic geometric anthropomorphic phantoms. The aim of this study was to refine the fetal dose estimates of published as well as new cases using realistic voxel-based phantoms. The 18 F-FDG doses to the fetus (n = 19; 5-34 wk of pregnancy) were calculated with new voxel-based anthropomorphic phantoms of the pregnant woman. The image-derived fetal time-integrated activity values were combined with those of the mothers' organs from the International Commission on Radiological Protection publication 106 and the dynamic bladder model with a 1-h bladder-voiding interval. The dose to the uterus was used as a proxy for early pregnancy (up to 10 wk). The time-integrated activities were entered into OLINDA/EXM 1.1 to derive the dose with the classic anthropomorphic phantoms of pregnant women, then into OLINDA/EXM 2.0 to assess the dose using new voxel-based phantoms. The average fetal doses (mGy/MBq) with OLINDA/EXM 2.0 were 2.5E-02 in early pregnancy, 1.3E-02 in the late part of the first trimester, 8.5E-03 in the second trimester, and 5.1E-03 in the third trimester. The differences compared with the doses calculated with OLINDA/EXM 1.1 were +7%, +70%, +35%, and -8%, respectively. Except in late pregnancy, the doses estimated with realistic voxelwise anthropomorphic phantoms are higher than the doses derived from old geometric phantoms. The doses remain, however, well below the threshold for any deterministic effects. Thus, pregnancy is not an absolute contraindication of a clinically justified 18 F-FDG PET scan. © 2016 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

  7. Enhanced Low Dose Rate Sensitivity at Ultra-Low Dose Rates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chen, Dakai; Pease, Ronald; Forney, James; Carts, Martin; Phan, Anthony; Cox, Stephen; Kruckmeyer, Kriby; Burns, Sam; Albarian, Rafi; Holcombe, Bruce; hide

    2011-01-01

    We have presented results of ultra-low dose rate irradiations (< or = 10 mrad(Si)/s) for a variety of radiation hardened and commercial linear bipolar devices. We observed low dose rate enhancement factors exceeding 1.5 in several parts. The worst case of dose rate enhancement resulted in functional failures, which occurred after 10 and 60 krad(Si), for devices irradiated at 0.5 and 10 mrad(Si)/s, respectively. Devices fabricated with radiation hardened processes and designs also displayed dose rate enhancement at below 10 mrad(Si)/s. Furthermore, the data indicated that these devices have not reached the damage saturation point. Therefore the degradation will likely continue to increase with increasing total dose, and the low dose rate enhancement will further magnify. The cases presented here, in addition to previous examples, illustrate the significance and pervasiveness of low dose rate enhancement at dose rates lower than 10 mrad(Si). These results present further challenges for radiation hardness assurance of bipolar linear circuits, and raise the question of whether the current standard test dose rate is conservative enough to bound degradations due to ELDRS.

  8. Comparative study of nuclear magnetic resonance and UV-visible spectroscopy dose-response of polymer gel based on N-(Isobutoxymethyl) acrylamide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lotfy, S.; Basfar, A. A.; Moftah, B.; Al-Moussa, A. A.

    2017-12-01

    A comparative study of nuclear magnetic resonance and UV-visible spectroscopy of dose-response for polymer gel dosimeters was performed. Dosimeters were prepared using N-(Isobutoxymethyl) acrylamide (NIBMA) as a new monomer via radiation induced polymerization for use in radiotherapy planning. The prepared dosimeters were irradiated with doses up to 30 Gy at a constant dose rate of 600 MU/min. Using a medical linear accelerator at irradiation energies of 6, 10 and 18 MV photon beam. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), via spin-spin relaxation rate (R2) for water proton surrounding the polymer formulation and UV-Visible spectroscopy, via the optical absorbance measurements of irradiated dosimeters at selected wavelengths of 500 nm, was used to investigate the dose response of NIBMAGAT gel dosimeters. Scavenge of oxygen was done using tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride (THPC). The THPC optimum concentration in the dosimeters formulations were 5 and 10 mM for the NMR and optical absorbance measurements respectively. The quantitative investigation of the dosimeters components reveals the selective formulations based on 4% w/w gelatin, 1% w/w NIBMA, 3% w/w BisAAm, 5 or 10 mM THPC and 17% w/w glycerol which significantly increase the dosimeters dose response. The prepared dosimeters were found to be dose rate and photon beam irradiation energy independent. The stability study shows no change in the relaxation rate or in the optical absorbance of the gel dosimeters up to 8 days post-irradiation. The prepared polymer gel dosimeters at the energies of 6, 10 and 18 MV photon beam irradiation in the range of 1-30 Gy have the linearity of the dose response function in the case of R2 is better than in the case of absorbance measurements; correlation coefficient (r2) equals 0.995 and 0.991, respectively. Dose sensitivity, R2 of NIBMAGAT dosimeters (0.0775 s-1 Gy-1). The absorption band intensity increases linearly with a dose sensitivity of 0.016 cm-1 Gy-1. The

  9. Genotoxic effects of high dose rate X‐ray and low dose rate gamma radiation in ApcMin/+ mice

    PubMed Central

    Eide, Dag M.; Brede, Dag A.; Ellender, Michele; Lindbo Hansen, Elisabeth; Oughton, Deborah H.; Bouffler, Simon D.; Brunborg, Gunnar; Olsen, Ann Karin

    2017-01-01

    Risk estimates for radiation‐induced cancer in humans are based on epidemiological data largely drawn from the Japanese atomic bomb survivor studies, which received an acute high dose rate (HDR) ionising radiation. Limited knowledge exists about the effects of chronic low dose rate (LDR) exposure, particularly with respect to the application of the dose and dose rate effectiveness factor. As part of a study to investigate the development of colon cancer following chronic LDR vs. acute HDR radiation, this study presents the results of genotoxic effects in blood of exposed mice. CBAB6 F1 Apc+/+ (wild type) and ApcMin/+ mice were chronically exposed to estimated whole body absorbed doses of 1.7 or 3.2 Gy 60Co‐γ‐rays at a LDR (2.2 mGy h−1) or acutely exposed to 2.6 Gy HDR X‐rays (1.3 Gy min−1). Genotoxic endpoints assessed in blood included chromosomal damage (flow cytometry based micronuclei (MN) assay), mutation analyses (Pig‐a gene mutation assay), and levels of DNA lesions (Comet assay, single‐strand breaks (ssb), alkali labile sites (als), oxidized DNA bases). Ionising radiation (ca. 3 Gy) induced genotoxic effects dependent on the dose rate. Chromosomal aberrations (MN assay) increased 3‐ and 10‐fold after chronic LDR and acute HDR, respectively. Phenotypic mutation frequencies as well as DNA lesions (ssb/als) were modulated after acute HDR but not after chronic LDR. The ApcMin/+ genotype did not influence the outcome in any of the investigated endpoints. The results herein will add to the scant data available on genotoxic effects following chronic LDR of ionising radiation. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:560–569, 2017. © 2017 The Authors Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Environmental Mutagen Society PMID:28856770

  10. Dose measurement based on threshold shift in MOSFET arrays in commercial SRAMS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Scheick, L. Z.; Swift, G.

    2002-01-01

    A new method using an array of MOS transistors isdescribed for measuring dose absorbed from ionizingradiation. Using the array of MOSFETs in a SRAM, a direct measurement of the number of MOS cells which change as a function of applied bias on the SRAM. Since the input and output of a SRAM used as a dosimeter is completely digital, the measurement of dose is easily accessible by a remote processing system.

  11. Impact of interpatient variability on organ dose estimates according to MIRD schema: Uncertainty and variance-based sensitivity analysis.

    PubMed

    Zvereva, Alexandra; Kamp, Florian; Schlattl, Helmut; Zankl, Maria; Parodi, Katia

    2018-05-17

    Variance-based sensitivity analysis (SA) is described and applied to the radiation dosimetry model proposed by the Committee on Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) for the organ-level absorbed dose calculations in nuclear medicine. The uncertainties in the dose coefficients thus calculated are also evaluated. A Monte Carlo approach was used to compute first-order and total-effect SA indices, which rank the input factors according to their influence on the uncertainty in the output organ doses. These methods were applied to the radiopharmaceutical (S)-4-(3- 18 F-fluoropropyl)-L-glutamic acid ( 18 F-FSPG) as an example. Since 18 F-FSPG has 11 notable source regions, a 22-dimensional model was considered here, where 11 input factors are the time-integrated activity coefficients (TIACs) in the source regions and 11 input factors correspond to the sets of the specific absorbed fractions (SAFs) employed in the dose calculation. The SA was restricted to the foregoing 22 input factors. The distributions of the input factors were built based on TIACs of five individuals to whom the radiopharmaceutical 18 F-FSPG was administered and six anatomical models, representing two reference, two overweight, and two slim individuals. The self-absorption SAFs were mass-scaled to correspond to the reference organ masses. The estimated relative uncertainties were in the range 10%-30%, with a minimum and a maximum for absorbed dose coefficients for urinary bladder wall and heart wall, respectively. The applied global variance-based SA enabled us to identify the input factors that have the highest influence on the uncertainty in the organ doses. With the applied mass-scaling of the self-absorption SAFs, these factors included the TIACs for absorbed dose coefficients in the source regions and the SAFs from blood as source region for absorbed dose coefficients in highly vascularized target regions. For some combinations of proximal target and source regions, the corresponding cross

  12. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS OF DOSE-EFFECT AND DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS

    EPA Science Inventory

    ABSTRACT In 2003, the International Union of Pure and Applied chemistry (IUPAC) issued a glossary of terms that included the defi nition of dose-effect and doseresponse relationships (Nordberg et al., 2004). Dose effect relationship is defined as an association between dose and...

  13. Fluence-to-absorbed-dose conversion coefficients for neutron beams from 0.001 eV to 100 GeV calculated for a set of pregnant female and fetus models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taranenko, Valery; Xu, X. George

    2008-03-01

    Protection of fetuses against external neutron exposure is an important task. This paper reports a set of absorbed dose conversion coefficients for fetal and maternal organs for external neutron beams using the RPI-P pregnant female models and the MCNPX code. The newly developed pregnant female models represent an adult female with a fetus including its brain and skeleton at the end of each trimester. The organ masses were adjusted to match the reference values within 1%. For the 3 mm cubic voxel size, the models consist of 10-15 million voxels for 35 organs. External monoenergetic neutron beams of six standard configurations (AP, PA, LLAT, RLAT, ROT and ISO) and source energies 0.001 eV-100 GeV were considered. The results are compared with previous data that are based on simplified anatomical models. The differences in dose depend on source geometry, energy and gestation periods: from 20% up to 140% for the whole fetus, and up to 100% for the fetal brain. Anatomical differences are primarily responsible for the discrepancies in the organ doses. For the first time, the dependence of mother organ doses upon anatomical changes during pregnancy was studied. A maximum of 220% increase in dose was observed for the placenta in the nine months model compared to three months, whereas dose to the pancreas, small and large intestines decreases by 60% for the AP source for the same models. Tabulated dose conversion coefficients for the fetus and 27 maternal organs are provided.

  14. Dose conversion coefficients for monoenergetic electrons incident on a realistic human eye model with different lens cell populations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nogueira, P.; Zankl, M.; Schlattl, H.; Vaz, P.

    2011-11-01

    The radiation-induced posterior subcapsular cataract has long been generally accepted to be a deterministic effect that does not occur at doses below a threshold of at least 2 Gy. Recent epidemiological studies indicate that the threshold for cataract induction may be much lower or that there may be no threshold at all. A thorough study of this subject requires more accurate dose estimates for the eye lens than those available in ICRP Publication 74. Eye lens absorbed dose per unit fluence conversion coefficients for electron irradiation were calculated using a geometrical model of the eye that takes into account different cell populations of the lens epithelium, together with the MCNPX Monte Carlo radiation transport code package. For the cell population most sensitive to ionizing radiation—the germinative cells—absorbed dose per unit fluence conversion coefficients were determined that are up to a factor of 4.8 higher than the mean eye lens absorbed dose conversion coefficients for electron energies below 2 MeV. Comparison of the results with previously published values for a slightly different eye model showed generally good agreement for all electron energies. Finally, the influence of individual anatomical variability was quantified by positioning the lens at various depths below the cornea. A depth difference of 2 mm between the shallowest and the deepest location of the germinative zone can lead to a difference between the resulting absorbed doses of up to nearly a factor of 5000 for electron energy of 0.7 MeV.

  15. Dose conversion coefficients for monoenergetic electrons incident on a realistic human eye model with different lens cell populations.

    PubMed

    Nogueira, P; Zankl, M; Schlattl, H; Vaz, P

    2011-11-07

    The radiation-induced posterior subcapsular cataract has long been generally accepted to be a deterministic effect that does not occur at doses below a threshold of at least 2 Gy. Recent epidemiological studies indicate that the threshold for cataract induction may be much lower or that there may be no threshold at all. A thorough study of this subject requires more accurate dose estimates for the eye lens than those available in ICRP Publication 74. Eye lens absorbed dose per unit fluence conversion coefficients for electron irradiation were calculated using a geometrical model of the eye that takes into account different cell populations of the lens epithelium, together with the MCNPX Monte Carlo radiation transport code package. For the cell population most sensitive to ionizing radiation-the germinative cells-absorbed dose per unit fluence conversion coefficients were determined that are up to a factor of 4.8 higher than the mean eye lens absorbed dose conversion coefficients for electron energies below 2 MeV. Comparison of the results with previously published values for a slightly different eye model showed generally good agreement for all electron energies. Finally, the influence of individual anatomical variability was quantified by positioning the lens at various depths below the cornea. A depth difference of 2 mm between the shallowest and the deepest location of the germinative zone can lead to a difference between the resulting absorbed doses of up to nearly a factor of 5000 for electron energy of 0.7 MeV.

  16. 198 AAAAI Survey on Immunotherapy Practice Patterns Concerning Dosing, Dose-Adjustment after Missed Doses and Duration of Immunotherapy

    PubMed Central

    Linnemann, Désirée Larenas; Gupta, Payel; Mithani, Sima; Ponda, Punita

    2012-01-01

    Background Several practical issues dealing with the exact application of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) among European and US allergists are not well known. Guidelines on AIT give recommendations and suggestions for only some of them. We present this unique survey with worldwide response. Methods The AAAAI immunotherapy committee conducted a web-based practice patterns survey (program: Survey Monkey) among all members in&outside US on dosing, dose-adjustment after missed doses and duration of AIT. Results 1201 Returned questionnaires (almost 25% response rate). 21% were non-US-Canada members. Maintenance doses in USCan are (mean/median): Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) combined with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dpt): 2155/1000AU; Df solo 2484/1000AU. Dpt when combined with Df 1937/1000AU; Dpt solo: 2183/1000AU.Cat 3224/2000BAU. Grass 11,410/4000BAU. 57-65% of the dosing falls within the recommended Practice Parameters recommended ranges. Non-USCan allergists expressed maintenance doses in many different units making analysis impossible. Dose-adjustment after missed doses is based on ‘time elapsed since the last applied dose’ by 77% of USCan and 58% of non-USCan allergists and on ‘time since missed scheduled dose’ by the rest. Doses are adjusted when a patient comes in more than 14 d/5 wk after the last administration at build-up/maintenance by both USCan and non-USCan colleagues. The mostly followed dose-adjustment schedules after 1, 2, 3 missed doses are: Build-up: repeat last dose, reduce by one dose, reduce by 2 doses; maintenance: reduce by one dose, reduce by 2 doses, reduce by 3 doses. 26% uses a different approach reducing doses by a certain percentage or volume. AIT is restarted after a gap in build-up of >30 days and of >12 weeks during maintenance in both groups (median). Outside USCan AIT is prescribed for 3 years (Median). However, 75% of USCan allergists prescribes AIT for 5 years. Main reasons why to continue AIT beyond 5 years:

  17. SU-E-I-28: Evaluating the Organ Dose From Computed Tomography Using Monte Carlo Calculations

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ono, T; Araki, F

    Purpose: To evaluate organ doses from computed tomography (CT) using Monte Carlo (MC) calculations. Methods: A Philips Brilliance CT scanner (64 slice) was simulated using the GMctdospp (IMPS, Germany) based on the EGSnrc user code. The X-ray spectra and a bowtie filter for MC simulations were determined to coincide with measurements of half-value layer (HVL) and off-center ratio (OCR) profile in air. The MC dose was calibrated from absorbed dose measurements using a Farmer chamber and a cylindrical water phantom. The dose distribution from CT was calculated using patient CT images and organ doses were evaluated from dose volume histograms.more » Results: The HVLs of Al at 80, 100, and 120 kV were 6.3, 7.7, and 8.7 mm, respectively. The calculated HVLs agreed with measurements within 0.3%. The calculated and measured OCR profiles agreed within 3%. For adult head scans (CTDIvol) =51.4 mGy), mean doses for brain stem, eye, and eye lens were 23.2, 34.2, and 37.6 mGy, respectively. For pediatric head scans (CTDIvol =35.6 mGy), mean doses for brain stem, eye, and eye lens were 19.3, 24.5, and 26.8 mGy, respectively. For adult chest scans (CTDIvol=19.0 mGy), mean doses for lung, heart, and spinal cord were 21.1, 22.0, and 15.5 mGy, respectively. For adult abdominal scans (CTDIvol=14.4 mGy), the mean doses for kidney, liver, pancreas, spleen, and spinal cord were 17.4, 16.5, 16.8, 16.8, and 13.1 mGy, respectively. For pediatric abdominal scans (CTDIvol=6.76 mGy), mean doses for kidney, liver, pancreas, spleen, and spinal cord were 8.24, 8.90, 8.17, 8.31, and 6.73 mGy, respectively. In head scan, organ doses were considerably different from CTDIvol values. Conclusion: MC dose distributions calculated by using patient CT images are useful to evaluate organ doses absorbed to individual patients.« less

  18. Testicular Doses in Image-Guided Radiotherapy of Prostate Cancer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Deng Jun, E-mail: jun.deng@yale.edu; Chen Zhe; Yu, James B.

    Purpose: To investigate testicular doses contributed by kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography (kVCBCT) during image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) of prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: An EGS4 Monte Carlo code was used to calculate three-dimensional dose distributions from kVCBCT on 3 prostate cancer patients. Absorbed doses to various organs were compared between intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatments and kVCBCT scans. The impact of CBCT scanning mode, kilovoltage peak energy (kVp), and CBCT field span on dose deposition to testes and other organs was investigated. Results: In comparison with one 10-MV IMRT treatment, a 125-kV half-fan CBCT scan delivered 3.4, 3.8, 4.1, and 5.7 cGymore » to the prostate, rectum, bladder, and femoral heads, respectively, accounting for 1.7%, 3.2%, 3.2%, and 8.4% of megavoltage photon dose contributions. However, the testes received 2.9 cGy from the same CBCT scan, a threefold increase as compared with 0.7 cGy received during IMRT. With the same kVp, full-fan mode deposited much less dose to organs than half-fan mode, ranging from 9% less for prostate to 69% less for testes, except for rectum, where full-fan mode delivered 34% more dose. As photon beam energy increased from 60 to 125 kV, kVCBCT-contributed doses increased exponentially for all organs, irrespective of scanning mode. Reducing CBCT field span from 30 to 10 cm in the superior-inferior direction cut testicular doses from 5.7 to 0.2 cGy in half-fan mode and from 1.5 to 0.1 cGy in full-fan mode. Conclusions: Compared with IMRT, kVCBCT-contributed doses to the prostate, rectum, bladder, and femoral heads are clinically insignificant, whereas dose to the testes is threefold more. Full-fan CBCT usually deposits much less dose to organs (except for rectum) than half-fan mode in prostate patients. Kilovoltage CBCT-contributed doses increase exponentially with photon beam energy. Reducing CBCT field significantly cuts doses to testes and other organs.« less

  19. Dose Titration Algorithm Tuning (DTAT) should supersede ‘the’ Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) in oncology dose-finding trials

    PubMed Central

    Norris, David C.

    2017-01-01

    Background. Absent adaptive, individualized dose-finding in early-phase oncology trials, subsequent ‘confirmatory’ Phase III trials risk suboptimal dosing, with resulting loss of statistical power and reduced probability of technical success for the investigational therapy. While progress has been made toward explicitly adaptive dose-finding and quantitative modeling of dose-response relationships, most such work continues to be organized around a concept of ‘the’ maximum tolerated dose (MTD). The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate concretely how the aim of early-phase trials might be conceived, not as ‘dose-finding’, but as dose titration algorithm (DTA)-finding. Methods. A Phase I dosing study is simulated, for a notional cytotoxic chemotherapy drug, with neutropenia constituting the critical dose-limiting toxicity. The drug’s population pharmacokinetics and myelosuppression dynamics are simulated using published parameter estimates for docetaxel. The amenability of this model to linearization is explored empirically. The properties of a simple DTA targeting neutrophil nadir of 500 cells/mm 3 using a Newton-Raphson heuristic are explored through simulation in 25 simulated study subjects. Results. Individual-level myelosuppression dynamics in the simulation model approximately linearize under simple transformations of neutrophil concentration and drug dose. The simulated dose titration exhibits largely satisfactory convergence, with great variance in individualized optimal dosing. Some titration courses exhibit overshooting. Conclusions. The large inter-individual variability in simulated optimal dosing underscores the need to replace ‘the’ MTD with an individualized concept of MTD i . To illustrate this principle, the simplest possible DTA capable of realizing such a concept is demonstrated. Qualitative phenomena observed in this demonstration support discussion of the notion of tuning such algorithms. Although here illustrated specifically

  20. Evaluation of the medical exposure doses regarding dental examinations with different X-ray instruments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Yi-Chi; Chuang, Keh-Shih; Yu, Cheng-Ching; Chao, Jiunn-Hsing; Hsu, Fang-Yuh

    2015-11-01

    Modern dental X-ray examination that consists of traditional form, panorama, and cone-beamed 3D technologies is one of the most frequent diagnostic applications nowadays. This study used the Rando Phantom and thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLD) to measure the absorbed doses of radiosensitive organs recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), and whole body effective doses which were delivered due to dental X-ray examination performed with different types of X-ray instrument. Besides, enamel samples which performed reading with Electronic Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) procedure were also used to estimate the tooth doses. EPR is a dose reconstruction method of measuring free radicals induced by radiation exposure to the calcified tissue (mainly in the tooth enamel or bone) to evaluate the accepted high dose. The tooth doses estimated by TLD and EPR methods were compared. Relationships between the tooth doses and effective doses by dental X-ray examinations with different types of X-ray equipment were investigated in this work.

  1. Stored-fluorography mode reduces radiation dose during cardiac catheterization measured with OSLD dosimeter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ting, Chien-Yi; Chen, Zhih-Cherng; Tang, Kuo-Ting; Liu, Wei-Chung; Lin, Chun-Chih; Wang, Hsin-Ell

    2015-12-01

    Coronary angiogram is an imperative tool for diagnosis of coronary artery diseases, in which cine-angiography is a commonly used method. Although the angiography proceeds under radiation, the potential risk of radiation exposure for both the patients and the operators was seldom noticed. In this study, the absorbed radiation dose in stored-fluorography mode was compared with that in cine-angiography mode by using optically simulated luminescent dosimeters to realize their effects on radiation dose. Patients received coronary angiogram via radial artery approach were randomized into the stored-fluorography group (N=30) or the cine-angiography group (N=30). The excluded criteria were: 1. women at pregnancy or on breast feeding, 2. chronic kidney diseases with glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min. During the coronary angiogram, absorbed dose of the patients and the operator radiation exposure was measured with optically simulated luminescent dosimeter (OSLD). The absorbed dose of the patients in the stored-fluorography group (3.13±0.25 mGy) was apparently lower than that in the cine-angiography group (65.57±5.37 mGy; P<0.001). For the operator, a statistical difference (P<0.001) was also found between the stored-fluorography group (0.09163 μGy) and the cine-angiography (0.6519μGy). Compared with traditional cine-angiography mode, the stored-fluorography mode can apparently reduce radiation exposure of the patients and the operator in coronary angiogram.

  2. Estimation of organ cumulated activities and absorbed doses on intakes of several 11C labelled radiopharmaceuticals from external measurement with thermoluminescent dosimeters.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, T; Hayashi, Y; Watabe, H; Matsumoto, M; Horikawa, T; Fujiwara, T; Ito, M; Yanai, K

    1998-02-01

    We have developed a method for obtaining the cumulated activities in organs from radionuclides, which are injected into the patient in nuclear medicine procedures, by external exposure measurement with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) which are attached to the patient's body surface close to source organs to obtain information on body-surface doses. As the surface dose is connected to the cumulated activities in source organs through radiation transmission in the human body which can be estimated with the aid of a mathematical phantom, the organ cumulated activities can be obtained by the inverse transform method. The accuracy of this method was investigated by using a water phantom in which several gamma-ray volume sources of known activity were placed to simulate source organs. We then estimated by external measurements the organ cumulated activities and absorbed doses in subjects to whom the radiopharmaceuticals 11C-labelled Doxepin, 11C-labelled YM09151-2 and 11C-labelled Benzotropin were administered in clinical nuclear medicine procedures. The cumulated activities in the brain obtained with TLDs for Doxepin and YM09151-2 are 63.6 +/- 6.2 and 32.1 +/- 12.0 kBq h MBq-1 respectively, which are compared with the respective values of 33.3 +/- 9.9 and 23.9 +/- 6.2 kBq h MBq-1 with direct PET (positron emission tomography) measurements. The agreement between the two methods is within a factor of two. The effective doses of Doxepin, YM09151-2 and Benzotropin are determined as 6.92 x 10(-3), 7.08 x 10(-3) and 7.65 x 10(-3) mSv MBq-1 respectively with the TLD method. This method has great advantages, in that cumulated activities in several organs can be obtained easily with a single procedure, and the measurements of body surface doses are performed simultaneously with the nuclear medicine procedure, as TLDs are too small to interfere with other medical measurements.

  3. Outdoor solar UVA dose assessment with EBT2 radiochromic film using spectrophotometer and densitometer measurements.

    PubMed

    Abukassem, I; Bero, M A

    2015-04-01

    Direct measurements of solar ultraviolet radiations (UVRs) have an important role in the protection of humans against UVR hazard. This work presents simple technique based on the application of EBT2 GAFCHROMIC(®) film for direct solar UVA dose assessment. It demonstrates the effects of different parts of the solar spectrum (UVB, visible and infrared) on performed UVA field measurements and presents the measurement uncertainty budget. The gradient of sunlight exposure level permitted the authors to establish the mathematical relationships between the measured solar UVA dose and two measured quantities: the first was the changes in spectral absorbance at the wavelength 633 nm (A633) and the second was the optical density (OD). The established standard relations were also applied to calculate the solar UVA dose variations during the whole day; 15 min of exposure each hour between 8:00 and 17:00 was recorded. Results show that both applied experimental methods, spectrophotometer absorbance and densitometer OD, deliver comparable figures for EBT2 solar UVA dose assessment with relative uncertainty of 11% for spectral absorbance measurements and 15% for OD measurements. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Electrocardiogram‐gated coronary CT angiography dose estimates using ImPACT

    PubMed Central

    Asada, Yasuki; Matsubara, Kosuke; Suzuki, Shouichi; Koshida, Kichiro; Matsunaga, Yuta; Haba, Tomonobu; Kawaguchi, Ai; Toyama, Hiroshi; Kato, Ryoichi

    2016-01-01

    The primary study objective was to assess radiation doses using a modified form of the Imaging Performance Assessment of Computed Tomography (CT) scanner (ImPACT) patient dosimetry for cardiac applications on an Aquilion ONE ViSION Edition scanner, including the Ca score, target computed tomography angiography (CTA), prospective CTA, continuous CTA/cardiac function analysis (CFA), and CTA/CFA modulation. Accordingly, we clarified the CT dose index (CTDI) to determine the relationship between heart rate (HR) and X‐ray exposure. As a secondary objective, we compared radiation doses using modified ImPACT, a whole‐body dosimetry phantom study, and the k‐factor method to verify the validity of the dose results obtained with modified ImPACT. The effective dose determined for the reference person (4.66 mSv at 60 beats per minute (bpm) and 33.43 mSv at 90 bpm) were approximately 10% less than those determined for the phantom study (5.28 mSv and 36.68 mSv). The effective doses according to the k‐factor (0.014 mSv·mGy−1·cm−1; 2.57 mSv and 17.10 mSv) were significantly lower than those obtained with the other two methods. In the present study, we have shown that ImPACT, when modified for cardiac applications, can assess both absorbed and effective doses. The results of our dose comparison indicate that modified ImPACT dose assessment is a promising and practical method for evaluating coronary CTA. PACS number(s): 87.57.Q‐, 87.59.Dj, 87.57.uq PMID:27455500

  5. [BeO-OSL detectors for dose measurements in cell cultures].

    PubMed

    Andreeff, M; Sommer, D; Freudenberg, R; Reichelt, U; Henniger, J; Kotzerke, J

    2009-01-01

    The absorbed dose is an important parameter in experiments involving irradiation of cells in vitro with unsealed radionuclides. Typically, this is estimated with a model calculation, although the results thus obtained cannot be verified. Generally used real-time measurement methods are not applicable in this setting. A new detector material with in vitro suitability is the subject of this work. Optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimeters based on beryllium oxide (BeO) were used for dose measurement in cell cultures exposed to unsealed radionuclides. Their qualitative properties (e. g. energy-dependent count rate sensitivity, fading, contamination by radioactive liquids) were determined and compared to the results of a Monte Carlo simulation (using AMOS software). OSL dosimeters were tested in common cell culture setups with a known geometry. Dose reproducibility of the OSL dosimeters was +/-1.5%. Fading at room temperature was 0.07% per day. Dose loss (optically-stimulated deletion) under ambient lighting conditions was 0.5% per minute. The Monte Carlo simulation for the relative sensitivity at different beta energies provided corresponding results to those obtained with the OSL dosimeters. Dose profile measurements using a 6 well plate and 14 ml PP tube showed that the geometry of the cell culture vessel has a marked influence on dose distribution with 188Re. A new dosimeter system was calibrated with beta-emitters of different energy. It turned out as suitable for measuring dose in liquids. The dose profile measurements obtained are suitably precise to be used as a check against theoretical dose calculations.

  6. The use of ionisation chambers for dose rate measurements at industrial irradiation plants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sephton, J. P.; Sharpe, P. H. G.; Chu, R. D. H.

    2002-03-01

    The use of ionisation chambers to measure dose rate at industrial irradiation plants has been studied as part of a wider project on real time dosimetry. The characteristics required of such a chamber are discussed. These include the ability to withstand operation at high cumulative doses (up to 5 MGy) and dose rates of up to about 150 kGy h -1. Other desirable features are water equivalence and immunity to environmental conditions such as temperature, pressure and humidity. A number of chambers have been assessed experimentally and a suitable chamber selected. The dosimetric characteristics of the chosen chamber have been assessed by comparison with absorbed dose measurements made using chemical dosimeters.

  7. Dose- and LET-painting with particle therapy.

    PubMed

    Bassler, Niels; Jäkel, Oliver; Søndergaard, Christian Skou; Petersen, Jørgen B

    2010-10-01

    Tumour hypoxia is one of the limiting factors in obtaining tumour control in radiotherapy. The high-LET region of a beam of heavy charged particles such as carbon ions is located in the distal part of the Bragg peak. A modulated or spread out Bragg peak (SOBP) is a weighted function of several Bragg peaks at various energies, which however results in a dilution of the dose-average LET in the target volume. Here, we investigate the possibility to redistribute the LET by dedicated treatment plan optimisation, in order to maximise LET in the target volume. This may be a strategy to potentially overcome hypoxia along with dose escalation or dose painting. The high-LET region can be shaped in very different ways, while maintaining the distribution of the absorbed dose or biological effective dose. Treatment plans involving only carbon ion beams, show very different LET distributions depending on how the fields are arranged. Alternatively, a LET boost can be applied in multi-modal treatment planning, such as combining carbon ions with protons and/or photons. For such mixed radiation modalities, significant "LET boosts" can be achieved at nearly arbitrary positions within the target volume. Following the general understanding of the relationship between hypoxia, LET and the oxygen enhancement ratio (OER), we conclude, that an additional therapeutic advantage can be achieved by confining the high-LET part of the radiation in hypoxic compartments of the tumour, and applying low-LET radiation to the normoxic tissue. We also anticipate that additional advantages may be achieved by deliberate sparing of normal tissue from high LET regions. Consequently, treatment planning based on simultaneous dose and LET optimisation has a potential to achieve higher tumour control and/or reduced normal tissue control probability (NTCP).

  8. Calculated organ doses using Monte Carlo simulations in a reference male phantom undergoing HDR brachytherapy applied to localized prostate carcinoma

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Candela-Juan, Cristian; Perez-Calatayud, Jose; Ballester, Facundo

    Purpose: The aim of this study was to obtain equivalent doses in radiosensitive organs (aside from the bladder and rectum) when applying high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy to a localized prostate carcinoma using {sup 60}Co or {sup 192}Ir sources. These data are compared with results in a water phantom and with expected values in an infinite water medium. A comparison with reported values from proton therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is also provided. Methods: Monte Carlo simulations in Geant4 were performed using a voxelized phantom described in International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 110, which reproduces masses and shapes frommore » an adult reference man defined in ICRP Publication 89. Point sources of {sup 60}Co or {sup 192}Ir with photon energy spectra corresponding to those exiting their capsules were placed in the center of the prostate, and equivalent doses per clinical absorbed dose in this target organ were obtained in several radiosensitive organs. Values were corrected to account for clinical circumstances with the source located at various positions with differing dwell times throughout the prostate. This was repeated for a homogeneous water phantom. Results: For the nearest organs considered (bladder, rectum, testes, small intestine, and colon), equivalent doses given by {sup 60}Co source were smaller (8%-19%) than from {sup 192}Ir. However, as the distance increases, the more penetrating gamma rays produced by {sup 60}Co deliver higher organ equivalent doses. The overall result is that effective dose per clinical absorbed dose from a {sup 60}Co source (11.1 mSv/Gy) is lower than from a {sup 192}Ir source (13.2 mSv/Gy). On the other hand, equivalent doses were the same in the tissue and the homogeneous water phantom for those soft tissues closer to the prostate than about 30 cm. As the distance increased, the differences of photoelectric effect in water and soft tissue, and appearance of other

  9. Isobio software: biological dose distribution and biological dose volume histogram from physical dose conversion using linear-quadratic-linear model.

    PubMed

    Jaikuna, Tanwiwat; Khadsiri, Phatchareewan; Chawapun, Nisa; Saekho, Suwit; Tharavichitkul, Ekkasit

    2017-02-01

    To develop an in-house software program that is able to calculate and generate the biological dose distribution and biological dose volume histogram by physical dose conversion using the linear-quadratic-linear (LQL) model. The Isobio software was developed using MATLAB version 2014b to calculate and generate the biological dose distribution and biological dose volume histograms. The physical dose from each voxel in treatment planning was extracted through Computational Environment for Radiotherapy Research (CERR), and the accuracy was verified by the differentiation between the dose volume histogram from CERR and the treatment planning system. An equivalent dose in 2 Gy fraction (EQD 2 ) was calculated using biological effective dose (BED) based on the LQL model. The software calculation and the manual calculation were compared for EQD 2 verification with pair t -test statistical analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics version 22 (64-bit). Two and three-dimensional biological dose distribution and biological dose volume histogram were displayed correctly by the Isobio software. Different physical doses were found between CERR and treatment planning system (TPS) in Oncentra, with 3.33% in high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV) determined by D 90% , 0.56% in the bladder, 1.74% in the rectum when determined by D 2cc , and less than 1% in Pinnacle. The difference in the EQD 2 between the software calculation and the manual calculation was not significantly different with 0.00% at p -values 0.820, 0.095, and 0.593 for external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and 0.240, 0.320, and 0.849 for brachytherapy (BT) in HR-CTV, bladder, and rectum, respectively. The Isobio software is a feasible tool to generate the biological dose distribution and biological dose volume histogram for treatment plan evaluation in both EBRT and BT.

  10. Dose Equivalents for Second-Generation Antipsychotic Drugs: The Classical Mean Dose Method

    PubMed Central

    Leucht, Stefan; Samara, Myrto; Heres, Stephan; Patel, Maxine X.; Furukawa, Toshi; Cipriani, Andrea; Geddes, John; Davis, John M.

    2015-01-01

    Background: The concept of dose equivalence is important for many purposes. The classical approach published by Davis in 1974 subsequently dominated textbooks for several decades. It was based on the assumption that the mean doses found in flexible-dose trials reflect the average optimum dose which can be used for the calculation of dose equivalence. We are the first to apply the method to second-generation antipsychotics. Methods: We searched for randomized, double-blind, flexible-dose trials in acutely ill patients with schizophrenia that examined 13 oral second-generation antipsychotics, haloperidol, and chlorpromazine (last search June 2014). We calculated the mean doses of each drug weighted by sample size and divided them by the weighted mean olanzapine dose to obtain olanzapine equivalents. Results: We included 75 studies with 16 555 participants. The doses equivalent to 1 mg/d olanzapine were: amisulpride 38.3 mg/d, aripiprazole 1.4 mg/d, asenapine 0.9 mg/d, chlorpromazine 38.9 mg/d, clozapine 30.6 mg/d, haloperidol 0.7 mg/d, quetiapine 32.3mg/d, risperidone 0.4mg/d, sertindole 1.1 mg/d, ziprasidone 7.9 mg/d, zotepine 13.2 mg/d. For iloperidone, lurasidone, and paliperidone no data were available. Conclusions: The classical mean dose method is not reliant on the limited availability of fixed-dose data at the lower end of the effective dose range, which is the major limitation of “minimum effective dose methods” and “dose-response curve methods.” In contrast, the mean doses found by the current approach may have in part depended on the dose ranges chosen for the original trials. Ultimate conclusions on dose equivalence of antipsychotics will need to be based on a review of various methods. PMID:25841041

  11. Space Radiation Organ Doses for Astronauts on Past and Future Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cucinotta, Francis A.

    2007-01-01

    We review methods and data used for determining astronaut organ dose equivalents on past space missions including Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle, NASA-Mir, and International Space Station (ISS). Expectations for future lunar missions are also described. Physical measurements of space radiation include the absorbed dose, dose equivalent, and linear energy transfer (LET) spectra, or a related quantity, the lineal energy (y) spectra that is measured by a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC). These data are used in conjunction with space radiation transport models to project organ specific doses used in cancer and other risk projection models. Biodosimetry data from Mir, STS, and ISS missions provide an alternative estimate of organ dose equivalents based on chromosome aberrations. The physical environments inside spacecraft are currently well understood with errors in organ dose projections estimated as less than plus or minus 15%, however understanding the biological risks from space radiation remains a difficult problem because of the many radiation types including protons, heavy ions, and secondary neutrons for which there are no human data to estimate risks. The accuracy of projections of organ dose equivalents described here must be supplemented with research on the health risks of space exposure to properly assess crew safety for exploration missions.

  12. Evaluation of radiation dose of triple rule-out coronary angiography protocols with different scan length using 256-slice CT

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsai, Chia-Jung; Lee, Jason J. S.; Chen, Liang-Kuang; Mok, Greta S. P.; Hsu, Shih-Ming; Wu, Tung-Hsin

    2011-10-01

    Triple rule-out coronary CT angiography (TRO-CTA) is a new approach for providing noninvasive visualization of coronary arteries with simultaneous evaluation of pulmonary arteries, thoracic aorta and other intrathoracic structures. The increasing use of TRO-CTA examination with longer scan length is associated with the concerns about radiation dose and their corresponding cancer risk. The purpose of this study is to evaluate organ dose and effective dose for the TRO-CTA examination with 2 scan lengths: TRO std and TRO ext, using 256-slice CT. TRO-CTA examinations were performed on a 256-slice CT scanner without ECG-based tube current modulation. Absorbed organ doses were measured using an anthropomorphic phantom and thermal-luminance dosimeters (TLDs). Effective dose was determined by taking a sum of the measured absorbed organ doses multiplied with the tissue weighting factor based on ICRP-103, and compared to that calculated using the dose-length product (DLP) method. We obtained high organ doses in the thyroid, esophagus, breast, heart and lung in both TRO-CTA protocols. Effective doses of the TRO std and TRO ext protocols with the phantom method were 26.37 and 42.49 mSv, while those with the DLP method were 19.68 and 38.96 mSv, respectively. Our quantitative dose information establishes a relationship between radiation dose and scanning length, and can provide a practical guidance to best clinical practice.

  13. TU-H-CAMPUS-IeP1-05: A Framework for the Analytic Calculation of Patient-Specific Dose Distribution Due to CBCT Scan for IGRT

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Youn, H; Jeon, H; Nam, J

    Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of an analytic framework to estimate patients’ absorbed dose distribution owing to daily cone-beam CT scan for image-guided radiation treatment. Methods: To compute total absorbed dose distribution, we separated the framework into primary and scattered dose calculations. Using the source parameters such as voltage, current, and bowtie filtration, for the primary dose calculation, we simulated the forward projection from the source to each voxel of an imaging object including some inhomogeneous inserts. Then we calculated the primary absorbed dose at each voxel based on the absorption probability deduced from the HU values and Beer’s law.more » In sequence, all voxels constructing the phantom were regarded as secondary sources to radiate scattered photons for scattered dose calculation. Details of forward projection were identical to that of the previous step. The secondary source intensities were given by using scatter-to- primary ratios provided by NIST. In addition, we compared the analytically calculated dose distribution with their Monte Carlo simulation results. Results: The suggested framework for absorbed dose estimation successfully provided the primary and secondary dose distributions of the phantom. Moreover, our analytic dose calculations and Monte Carlo calculations were well agreed each other even near the inhomogeneous inserts. Conclusion: This work indicated that our framework can be an effective monitor to estimate a patient’s exposure owing to cone-beam CT scan for image-guided radiation treatment. Therefore, we expected that the patient’s over-exposure during IGRT might be prevented by our framework.« less

  14. Hormones and Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: Low-Dose Effects and Nonmonotonic Dose Responses

    PubMed Central

    Colborn, Theo; Hayes, Tyrone B.; Heindel, Jerrold J.; Jacobs, David R.; Lee, Duk-Hee; Shioda, Toshi; Soto, Ana M.; vom Saal, Frederick S.; Welshons, Wade V.; Zoeller, R. Thomas

    2012-01-01

    For decades, studies of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have challenged traditional concepts in toxicology, in particular the dogma of “the dose makes the poison,” because EDCs can have effects at low doses that are not predicted by effects at higher doses. Here, we review two major concepts in EDC studies: low dose and nonmonotonicity. Low-dose effects were defined by the National Toxicology Program as those that occur in the range of human exposures or effects observed at doses below those used for traditional toxicological studies. We review the mechanistic data for low-dose effects and use a weight-of-evidence approach to analyze five examples from the EDC literature. Additionally, we explore nonmonotonic dose-response curves, defined as a nonlinear relationship between dose and effect where the slope of the curve changes sign somewhere within the range of doses examined. We provide a detailed discussion of the mechanisms responsible for generating these phenomena, plus hundreds of examples from the cell culture, animal, and epidemiology literature. We illustrate that nonmonotonic responses and low-dose effects are remarkably common in studies of natural hormones and EDCs. Whether low doses of EDCs influence certain human disorders is no longer conjecture, because epidemiological studies show that environmental exposures to EDCs are associated with human diseases and disabilities. We conclude that when nonmonotonic dose-response curves occur, the effects of low doses cannot be predicted by the effects observed at high doses. Thus, fundamental changes in chemical testing and safety determination are needed to protect human health. PMID:22419778

  15. Accuracy and optimal timing of activity measurements in estimating the absorbed dose of radioiodine in the treatment of Graves' disease

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Merrill, S.; Horowitz, J.; Traino, A. C.; Chipkin, S. R.; Hollot, C. V.; Chait, Y.

    2011-02-01

    Calculation of the therapeutic activity of radioiodine 131I for individualized dosimetry in the treatment of Graves' disease requires an accurate estimate of the thyroid absorbed radiation dose based on a tracer activity administration of 131I. Common approaches (Marinelli-Quimby formula, MIRD algorithm) use, respectively, the effective half-life of radioiodine in the thyroid and the time-integrated activity. Many physicians perform one, two, or at most three tracer dose activity measurements at various times and calculate the required therapeutic activity by ad hoc methods. In this paper, we study the accuracy of estimates of four 'target variables': time-integrated activity coefficient, time of maximum activity, maximum activity, and effective half-life in the gland. Clinical data from 41 patients who underwent 131I therapy for Graves' disease at the University Hospital in Pisa, Italy, are used for analysis. The radioiodine kinetics are described using a nonlinear mixed-effects model. The distributions of the target variables in the patient population are characterized. Using minimum root mean squared error as the criterion, optimal 1-, 2-, and 3-point sampling schedules are determined for estimation of the target variables, and probabilistic bounds are given for the errors under the optimal times. An algorithm is developed for computing the optimal 1-, 2-, and 3-point sampling schedules for the target variables. This algorithm is implemented in a freely available software tool. Taking into consideration 131I effective half-life in the thyroid and measurement noise, the optimal 1-point time for time-integrated activity coefficient is a measurement 1 week following the tracer dose. Additional measurements give only a slight improvement in accuracy.

  16. Defining unnecessary disinfection procedures for single-dose and multiple-dose vials.

    PubMed

    Buckley, T; Dudley, S M; Donowitz, L G

    1994-11-01

    Recommendations in the literature conflict on the necessity of disinfecting single-use vials prior to aspiration of fluid. Interventions to disinfect the stopper surface on multiple-dose vials vary considerably. To determine the necessity of alcohol disinfection of the stopper on single-dose vials and to compare povidone-iodine and alcohol versus alcohol-only disinfection of the stopper prior to each needle penetration on multiple-dose vials. The rubber stopper surfaces of 100 single-dose vials were cultured for the presence of bacteria. To determine the efficacy of two procedures for disinfection of multiple-dose vials, 87 stopper surfaces routinely disinfected with both povidone-iodine and alcohol were cultured for bacteria. After a change in practice, 100 multiple-dose vials routinely disinfected with alcohol only were cultured for the presence of bacteria. Of the cultures done on single-dose vial stoppers, 99% were sterile. A comparison of the two disinfection techniques for multiple-dose vials revealed that 83 (95%) of the 87 vials prepped with both povidone-iodine and alcohol were sterile, compared with all stoppers disinfected with alcohol only. This study shows the lack of necessity of any disinfection procedure on the rubber stopper of single-dose vials and the efficacy of alcohol only for disinfecting the stopper of multiple-dose vials.

  17. PATIENT RADIATION DOSE FROM CHEST X-RAY EXAMINATIONS IN THE WEST BANK-PALESTINE.

    PubMed

    Lahham, Adnan; Issa, Ahlam; ALMasri, Hussein

    2018-02-01

    Radiation doses to patients resulting from chest X-ray examinations were evaluated in four medical centers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem-Palestine. Absorbed organ and effective doses were calculated for a total of 428 adult male and female patients by using commercially available Monte Carlo based softwares; CALDOSE-X5 and PCXMC-2.0, and hermaphrodite mathematical adult phantoms. Patients were selected randomly from medical records in the time period from November 2014 to February 2015. A database of surveyed patients and exposure factors has been established and includes: patient's height, weight, age, gender, X-ray tube voltage, electric current (mAs), examination projection (anterior posterior (AP), posterior anterior (PA), lateral), X-ray tube filtration thickness in each X-ray equipment, anode angle, focus to skin distance and X-ray beam size. The average absorbed doses in the whole body from different projections were: 0.06, 0.07 and 0.11 mGy from AP, PA and lateral projections, respectively. The average effective dose for all surveyed patients was 0.14 mSv for all chest X-ray examinations and projections in the four investigated medical centers. The effect of projection geometry was also investigated. The average effective doses for AP, PA and lateral projections were 0.14, 0.07 and 0.22 mSv, respectively. The collective effective dose estimated for the exposed population was ~60 man-mSv. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Quantities for assessing high photon doses to the body: a calculational approach.

    PubMed

    Eakins, Jonathan S; Ainsbury, Elizabeth A

    2018-06-01

    Tissue reactions are the most clinically significant consequences of high-dose exposures to ionising radiation. However, currently there is no universally recognized dose quantity that can be used to assess and report generalised risks to individuals following whole body exposures in the high-dose range. In this work, a number of potential dose quantities are presented and discussed, with mathematical modelling techniques employed to compare them and explore when their differences are most or least manifest. The results are interpreted to propose the average (D GRB ) of the absorbed doses to the stomach, small intestine, red bone marrow, and brain as the optimum quantity for informing assessments of risk. A second, maximally conservative dose quantity (D Max ) is also suggested, which places limits on any under-estimates resulting from the adoption of D GRB . The primary aim of this work is to spark debate, with further work required to refine the final choice of quantity or quantities most appropriate for the full range of different potential exposure scenarios.

  19. Changes in deviation of absorbed dose to water among users by chamber calibration shift.

    PubMed

    Katayose, Tetsurou; Saitoh, Hidetoshi; Igari, Mitsunobu; Chang, Weishan; Hashimoto, Shimpei; Morioka, Mie

    2017-07-01

    The JSMP01 dosimetry protocol had adopted the provisional 60 Co calibration coefficient [Formula: see text], namely, the product of exposure calibration coefficient N C and conversion coefficient k D,X . After that, the absorbed dose to water D w  standard was established, and the JSMP12 protocol adopted the [Formula: see text] calibration. In this study, the influence of the calibration shift on the measurement of D w among users was analyzed. The intercomparison of the D w using an ionization chamber was annually performed by visiting related hospitals. Intercomparison results before and after the calibration shift were analyzed, the deviation of D w among users was re-evaluated, and the cause of deviation was estimated. As a result, the stability of LINAC, calibration of the thermometer and barometer, and collection method of ion recombination were confirmed. The statistical significance of standard deviation of D w was not observed, but that of difference of D w among users was observed between N C and [Formula: see text] calibration. Uncertainty due to chamber-to-chamber variation was reduced by the calibration shift, consequently reducing the uncertainty among users regarding D w . The result also pointed out uncertainty might be reduced by accurate and detailed instructions on the setup of an ionization chamber.

  20. Investigation of natural effective gamma dose rates case study: Ardebil Province in Iran

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Gamma rays pose enough energy to induce chemical changes that may be biologically important for the normal functioning of body cells. The external exposure of human beings to natural environmental gamma radiation normally exceeds that from all man-made sources combined. In this research natural background gamma dose rates and corresponding annual effective doses were determined for selected cities of Ardebil province. Outdoor gamma dose rates were measured using an Ion Chamber Survey Meter in 105 locations in selected districts. Average absorbed doses for Ardebil, Sar-Ein, Germy, Neer, Shourabil Recreational Lake, and Kosar were determined as 265, 219, 344, 233, 352, and 358 nSv/h, respectively. Although dose rates recorded for Germi and Kosar are comparable with some areas with high natural radiation background, however, the dose rates in other districts are well below the levels reported for such locations. Average annual effective dose due to indoor and outdoor gamma radiation for Ardebil province was estimated as 1.73 (1.35–2.39) mSv, which is on average 2 times higher than the world population weighted average. PMID:23369115

  1. Estimated ultraviolet radiation doses in wetlands in six national parks

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Diamond, S.A.; Trenham, P.C.; Adams, Michael J.; Hossack, B.R.; Knapp, R.A.; Stark, L.; Bradford, D.; Corn, P.S.; Czarnowski, K.; Brooks, P.D.; Fagre, D.B.; Breen, B.; Dentenbeck, N.E.; Tonnessen, K.

    2005-01-01

    Ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B, 280–320-nm wavelengths) doses were estimated for 1024 wetlands in six national parks: Acadia (Acadia), Glacier (Glacier), Great Smoky Mountains (Smoky), Olympic (Olympic), Rocky Mountain (Rocky), and Sequoia/Kings Canyon (Sequoia). Estimates were made using ground-based UV-B data (Brewer spectrophotometers), solar radiation models, GIS tools, field characterization of vegetative features, and quantification of DOC concentration and spectral absorbance. UV-B dose estimates were made for the summer solstice, at a depth of 1 cm in each wetland. The mean dose across all wetlands and parks was 19.3 W-h m−2 (range of 3.4–32.1 W-h m−2). The mean dose was lowest in Acadia (13.7 W-h m−2) and highest in Rocky (24.4 W-h m−2). Doses were significantly different among all parks. These wetland doses correspond to UV-B flux of 125.0 μW cm−2 (range 21.4–194.7 μW cm−2) based on a day length, averaged among all parks, of 15.5 h. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), a key determinant of water-column UV-B flux, ranged from 0.6 (analytical detection limit) to 36.7 mg C L−1 over all wetlands and parks, and reduced potential maximal UV-B doses at 1-cm depth by 1%–87 %. DOC concentration, as well as its effect on dose, was lowest in Sequoia and highest in Acadia (DOC was equivalent in Acadia, Glacier, and Rocky). Landscape reduction of potential maximal UV-B doses ranged from zero to 77% and was lowest in Sequoia. These regional differences in UV-B wetland dose illustrate the importance of considering all aspects of exposure in evaluating the potential impact of UV-B on aquatic organisms.

  2. Detector photon response and absorbed dose and their applications to rapid triage techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Voss, Shannon Prentice

    As radiation specialists, one of our primary objectives in the Navy is protecting people and the environment from the effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Focusing on radiological dispersal devices (RDD) will provide increased personnel protection as well as optimize emergency response assets for the general public. An attack involving an RDD has been of particular concern because it is intended to spread contamination over a wide area and cause massive panic within the general population. A rapid method of triage will be necessary to segregate the unexposed and slightly exposed from those needing immediate medical treatment. Because of the aerosol dispersal of the radioactive material, inhalation of the radioactive material may be the primary exposure route. The primary radionuclides likely to be used in a RDD attack are Co-60, Cs-137, Ir-192, Sr-90 and Am-241. Through the use of a MAX phantom along with a few Simulink MATLAB programs, a good anthropomorphic phantom was created for use in MCNPX simulations that would provide organ doses from internally deposited radionuclides. Ludlum model 44-9 and 44-2 detectors were used to verify the simulated dose from the MCNPX code. Based on the results, acute dose rate limits were developed for emergency response personnel that would assist in patient triage.

  3. Neutron dose estimation via LET spectrometry using CR-39 detector for the reaction 9Be (p, n)

    PubMed Central

    Sahoo, G. S.; Tripathy, S. P.; Paul, S.; Sharma, S. D.; Sharma, S. C.; Joshi, D. S.; Bandyopadhyay, T.

    2014-01-01

    CR-39 detectors, widely used for neutron dosimetry in accelerator radiation environment, have also been applied in tissue microdosimetry by generating the linear energy transfer (LET) spectrum. In this work, the neutron dose has been estimated via LET spectrometry for 9Be (p, n) reaction which is useful for personnel monitoring around particle accelerators and accelerator based therapy facilities. Neutrons were generated by the interaction of protons of 6 different energies from 4–24 MeV with a thick Be target. The LET spectra were obtained from the major and minor radii of each track and the thickness of removed surface. From the LET spectra, the absorbed dose (DLET) and the dose equivalent (HLET) were estimated using Q-L relationship as given by International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 60. The track density in CR-39 detector and hence the neutron yield was found to be increasing with the increase in projectile (proton) energy. Similar observations were also obtained for absorbed dose (DLET) and dose equivalents (HLET). PMID:25525310

  4. Joint minimization of uplink and downlink whole-body exposure dose in indoor wireless networks.

    PubMed

    Plets, D; Joseph, W; Vanhecke, K; Vermeeren, G; Wiart, J; Aerts, S; Varsier, N; Martens, L

    2015-01-01

    The total whole-body exposure dose in indoor wireless networks is minimized. For the first time, indoor wireless networks are designed and simulated for a minimal exposure dose, where both uplink and downlink are considered. The impact of the minimization is numerically assessed for four scenarios: two WiFi configurations with different throughputs, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) configuration for phone call traffic, and a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) configuration with a high data rate. Also, the influence of the uplink usage on the total absorbed dose is characterized. Downlink dose reductions of at least 75% are observed when adding more base stations with a lower transmit power. Total dose reductions decrease with increasing uplink usage for WiFi due to the lack of uplink power control but are maintained for LTE and UMTS. Uplink doses become dominant over downlink doses for usages of only a few seconds for WiFi. For UMTS and LTE, an almost continuous uplink usage is required to have a significant effect on the total dose, thanks to the power control mechanism.

  5. Joint Minimization of Uplink and Downlink Whole-Body Exposure Dose in Indoor Wireless Networks

    PubMed Central

    Plets, D.; Joseph, W.; Vanhecke, K.; Vermeeren, G.; Wiart, J.; Aerts, S.; Varsier, N.; Martens, L.

    2015-01-01

    The total whole-body exposure dose in indoor wireless networks is minimized. For the first time, indoor wireless networks are designed and simulated for a minimal exposure dose, where both uplink and downlink are considered. The impact of the minimization is numerically assessed for four scenarios: two WiFi configurations with different throughputs, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) configuration for phone call traffic, and a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) configuration with a high data rate. Also, the influence of the uplink usage on the total absorbed dose is characterized. Downlink dose reductions of at least 75% are observed when adding more base stations with a lower transmit power. Total dose reductions decrease with increasing uplink usage for WiFi due to the lack of uplink power control but are maintained for LTE and UMTS. Uplink doses become dominant over downlink doses for usages of only a few seconds for WiFi. For UMTS and LTE, an almost continuous uplink usage is required to have a significant effect on the total dose, thanks to the power control mechanism. PMID:25793213

  6. Hybrid dose calculation: a dose calculation algorithm for microbeam radiation therapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Donzelli, Mattia; Bräuer-Krisch, Elke; Oelfke, Uwe; Wilkens, Jan J.; Bartzsch, Stefan

    2018-02-01

    Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) is still a preclinical approach in radiation oncology that uses planar micrometre wide beamlets with extremely high peak doses, separated by a few hundred micrometre wide low dose regions. Abundant preclinical evidence demonstrates that MRT spares normal tissue more effectively than conventional radiation therapy, at equivalent tumour control. In order to launch first clinical trials, accurate and efficient dose calculation methods are an inevitable prerequisite. In this work a hybrid dose calculation approach is presented that is based on a combination of Monte Carlo and kernel based dose calculation. In various examples the performance of the algorithm is compared to purely Monte Carlo and purely kernel based dose calculations. The accuracy of the developed algorithm is comparable to conventional pure Monte Carlo calculations. In particular for inhomogeneous materials the hybrid dose calculation algorithm out-performs purely convolution based dose calculation approaches. It is demonstrated that the hybrid algorithm can efficiently calculate even complicated pencil beam and cross firing beam geometries. The required calculation times are substantially lower than for pure Monte Carlo calculations.

  7. Calorimetry of electron beams and the calibration of dosimeters at high doses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Humphreys, J. C.; McLaughlin, W. L.

    Graphite or metal calorimeters are used to make absolute dosimetric measurements of high-energy electron beams. These calibrated beams are then used to calibrate several types of dosimeters for high-dose applications such as medical-product sterilization, polymer modification, food processing, or electronic-device hardness testing. The electron beams are produced either as continuous high-power beams at approximately 4.5 MeV by d.c. type accelerators or in the energy range of approximately 8 to 50 MeV using pulsed microwave linear accelerators (linacs). The continuous beams are generally magnetically scanned to produce a broad, uniform radiation environment for the processing of materials of extended lateral dimensions. The higher-energy pulsed beams may also be scanned for processing applications or may be used in an unscanned, tightly-focused mode to produce maximum absorbed dose rates such as may be required for electronic-device radiation hardness testing. The calorimeters are used over an absorbed dose range of 10 2 to 10 4 Gy. Intercomparison studies are reported between National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and UK National Physical Laboratory (NPL) graphite disk calorimeters at high doses, using the NPL 10-MeV linac, and agreement was found within 1.5%. It was also shown that the electron-beam responses of radiochromic film dosimeters and alanine pellet dosimeters can be accurately calibrated by comparison with calorimeter readings.

  8. Fine structure of the absorbed dose rate monitored in Zagreb, Croatia, in the period 1985-2011.

    PubMed

    Babić, D; Senčar, J; Petrinec, B; Marović, G; Bituh, T; Skoko, B

    2013-04-01

    We report on the fine structure of the absorbed dose rate D which was measured and recorded on a daily basis at the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health in Zagreb, Croatia, throughout the period 1985-2011. After the Chernobyl accident, D increased steeply by a factor of 3.5, but this is the only prominent feature in the D versus time (t) curve. In the absence of accidental conditions, the D(t) is flat and amounts to 30-35 pGy/s. Despite the apparent plainness of D(t), its Fourier transform reveals several periodic modulations hidden in the noise. Some of the corresponding periods (6 and 12 months) can be related to seasonal atmospheric changes but this is not the case with the other periods identified (9.3, 13.7, 15.7, 20, 31, and 39 months). These are found to agree well with literature data on periodicities in solar activity, which implies that they are most probably linked to variations in the atmospheric production of (7)Be by cosmic rays. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Vancomycin Dosing in Obese Patients: Special Considerations and Novel Dosing Strategies.

    PubMed

    Durand, Cheryl; Bylo, Mary; Howard, Brian; Belliveau, Paul

    2018-06-01

    To review the literature regarding vancomycin pharmacokinetics in obese patients and strategies used to improve dosing in this population. PubMed, EMBASE (1974 to November 2017), and Google Scholar searches were conducted using the search terms vancomycin, obese, obesity, pharmacokinetics, strategy, and dosing. Additional articles were selected from reference lists of selected studies. Included articles were those published in English with a primary focus on vancomycin pharmacokinetic parameters in obese patients and practical vancomycin dosing strategies, clinical experiences, or challenges of dosing vancomycin in this population. Volume of distribution and clearance are the pharmacokinetic parameters that most often affect vancomycin dosing in obese patients; both are increased in this population. Challenges with dosing in obese patients include inconsistent and inadequate dosing, observations that the obese population may not be homogeneous, and reports of an increased likelihood of supratherapeutic trough concentrations. Investigators have revised and developed dosing and monitoring protocols to address these challenges. These approaches improved target trough attainment to varying degrees. Some of the vancomycin dosing approaches provided promising results in obese patients, but there were notable differences in methods used to develop these approaches, and sample sizes were small. Although some approaches can be considered for validation in individual institutions, further research is warranted. This may include validating approaches in larger populations with narrower obesity severity ranges, investigating target attainment in indication-specific target ranges, and evaluating the impact of different dosing weights and methods of creatinine clearance calculation.

  10. Distribution of Absorbed Dose in Cone-Beam Breast Computed Tomography: A Phantom Study With Radiochromic Films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Russo, Paolo; Coppola, Teresa; Mettivier, Giovanni

    2010-08-01

    Cone-Beam Breast Computed Tomography (CBBCT) of the pendant breast with dedicated scanners is an experimental 3D X-ray imaging technique for breast cancer diagnosis under evaluation in comparison to conventional two-view 2-D mammography of the compressed breast. In CBBCT it is generally assumed that a more uniform distribution of the radiation dose to the breast volume can be obtained, with respect to mammography, at equal Mean Glandular Dose (MGD) levels. In fact, in CBBCT the X-ray beam rotates for 360 deg around the breast, while in each mammography view the breast is irradiated from one side only. Using a CBBCT laboratory scanner developed by our group, we have measured the distribution of the radiation dose in a hemi-ellipsoidal PMMA breast phantom of 14 cm diameter simulating the average uncompressed breast, using radiochromic films type XR-SP inserted at mid-plane in the phantom. The technique factors were 80 kVp (5.6 mm Al Half Value Layer), tube load in the range 23-100 mAs, for an air kerma at isocenter in the range 4.7-20 mGy, for a calculated MGD in the range 3.5-15 mGy for a 14 cm diameter breast of 50% glandularity. Results indicate that the dose decreases from the periphery to the center of the phantom, and that along a transverse profile, the relative dose variation Δ = ((edge-center)/center) is up to (25 ±4)% at a distance of 80 mm from the nipple. As for the relative dose variation along the phantom longitudinal axis, the maximum value at middle of the phantom measured is δ = ((nipple-chest wall)/chest wall) = -(15 ±4)%, indicating that the dose decreases from the chest wall toward the nipple. The values of the parameters Δ and δ depend also on the height of the X-ray tube focal spot with respect to the phantom vertex (nipple). Results are in rough agreement with similar previous determinations using thermoluminescence dosimeters.

  11. Small total dose measurement system for SDS-1

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kimoto, Yugo; Satoh, Yohei; Tachihara, Hiroshi

    2009-11-01

    The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) uses monitors on board satellites to measure and record in-flight data on ionization effects in space. A compact, total dose measurement system for the small satellite (SDS-1) was developed based on the previous system for measuring total ionizing dose effects. Especially, the sensor for SDS-1 is quite smaller than the sensor for SOHLA-1, which is presented in the last year. The sensor is 8 mm wide×3 mm high×19 mm long and weighs approximately 4 g with 500 mm its wire harness. Eight pin LCC RADFET and temperature sensor are arranged on it. Seven sensors are arranged on some components inside the SDS-1. One of the sensors is arranged on a printed board in advanced microprocessing in-ORBIT experiment equipment (AMI). The AMI demonstrate 320 MIPS microprocessor and DC-DC converter for space. The absorbed dose at the points where the sensors are arranged was evaluated before flight and will be compared with resulting flight data.

  12. Sensitivity and specificity of dosing alerts for dosing errors among hospitalized pediatric patients

    PubMed Central

    Stultz, Jeremy S; Porter, Kyle; Nahata, Milap C

    2014-01-01

    Objectives To determine the sensitivity and specificity of a dosing alert system for dosing errors and to compare the sensitivity of a proprietary system with and without institutional customization at a pediatric hospital. Methods A retrospective analysis of medication orders, orders causing dosing alerts, reported adverse drug events, and dosing errors during July, 2011 was conducted. Dosing errors with and without alerts were identified and the sensitivity of the system with and without customization was compared. Results There were 47 181 inpatient pediatric orders during the studied period; 257 dosing errors were identified (0.54%). The sensitivity of the system for identifying dosing errors was 54.1% (95% CI 47.8% to 60.3%) if customization had not occurred and increased to 60.3% (CI 54.0% to 66.3%) with customization (p=0.02). The sensitivity of the system for underdoses was 49.6% without customization and 60.3% with customization (p=0.01). Specificity of the customized system for dosing errors was 96.2% (CI 96.0% to 96.3%) with a positive predictive value of 8.0% (CI 6.8% to 9.3). All dosing errors had an alert over-ridden by the prescriber and 40.6% of dosing errors with alerts were administered to the patient. The lack of indication-specific dose ranges was the most common reason why an alert did not occur for a dosing error. Discussion Advances in dosing alert systems should aim to improve the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the system for dosing errors. Conclusions The dosing alert system had a low sensitivity and positive predictive value for dosing errors, but might have prevented dosing errors from reaching patients. Customization increased the sensitivity of the system for dosing errors. PMID:24496386

  13. Low-Dose versus Standard-Dose Intravenous Alteplase in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Craig S; Robinson, Thompson; Lindley, Richard I; Arima, Hisatomi; Lavados, Pablo M; Lee, Tsong-Hai; Broderick, Joseph P; Chen, Xiaoying; Chen, Guofang; Sharma, Vijay K; Kim, Jong S; Thang, Nguyen H; Cao, Yongjun; Parsons, Mark W; Levi, Christopher; Huang, Yining; Olavarría, Verónica V; Demchuk, Andrew M; Bath, Philip M; Donnan, Geoffrey A; Martins, Sheila; Pontes-Neto, Octavio M; Silva, Federico; Ricci, Stefano; Roffe, Christine; Pandian, Jeyaraj; Billot, Laurent; Woodward, Mark; Li, Qiang; Wang, Xia; Wang, Jiguang; Chalmers, John

    2016-06-16

    Thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke with a lower-than-standard dose of intravenous alteplase may improve recovery along with a reduced risk of intracerebral hemorrhage. Using a 2-by-2 quasi-factorial open-label design, we randomly assigned 3310 patients who were eligible for thrombolytic therapy (median age, 67 years; 63% Asian) to low-dose intravenous alteplase (0.6 mg per kilogram of body weight) or the standard dose (0.9 mg per kilogram); patients underwent randomization within 4.5 hours after the onset of stroke. The primary objective was to determine whether the low dose would be noninferior to the standard dose with respect to the primary outcome of death or disability at 90 days, which was defined by scores of 2 to 6 on the modified Rankin scale (range, 0 [no symptoms] to 6 [death]). Secondary objectives were to determine whether the low dose would be superior to the standard dose with respect to centrally adjudicated symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and whether the low dose would be noninferior in an ordinal analysis of modified Rankin scale scores (testing for an improvement in the distribution of scores). The trial included 935 patients who were also randomly assigned to intensive or guideline-recommended blood-pressure control. The primary outcome occurred in 855 of 1607 participants (53.2%) in the low-dose group and in 817 of 1599 participants (51.1%) in the standard-dose group (odds ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95 to 1.25; the upper boundary exceeded the noninferiority margin of 1.14; P=0.51 for noninferiority). Low-dose alteplase was noninferior in the ordinal analysis of modified Rankin scale scores (unadjusted common odds ratio, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.89 to 1.13; P=0.04 for noninferiority). Major symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage occurred in 1.0% of the participants in the low-dose group and in 2.1% of the participants in the standard-dose group (P=0.01); fatal events occurred within 7 days in 0.5% and 1.5%, respectively

  14. Genotoxic effects of high dose rate X-ray and low dose rate gamma radiation in ApcMin/+ mice.

    PubMed

    Graupner, Anne; Eide, Dag M; Brede, Dag A; Ellender, Michele; Lindbo Hansen, Elisabeth; Oughton, Deborah H; Bouffler, Simon D; Brunborg, Gunnar; Olsen, Ann Karin

    2017-10-01

    Risk estimates for radiation-induced cancer in humans are based on epidemiological data largely drawn from the Japanese atomic bomb survivor studies, which received an acute high dose rate (HDR) ionising radiation. Limited knowledge exists about the effects of chronic low dose rate (LDR) exposure, particularly with respect to the application of the dose and dose rate effectiveness factor. As part of a study to investigate the development of colon cancer following chronic LDR vs. acute HDR radiation, this study presents the results of genotoxic effects in blood of exposed mice. CBAB6 F1 Apc +/+ (wild type) and Apc Min/+ mice were chronically exposed to estimated whole body absorbed doses of 1.7 or 3.2 Gy 60 Co-γ-rays at a LDR (2.2 mGy h -1 ) or acutely exposed to 2.6 Gy HDR X-rays (1.3 Gy min -1 ). Genotoxic endpoints assessed in blood included chromosomal damage (flow cytometry based micronuclei (MN) assay), mutation analyses (Pig-a gene mutation assay), and levels of DNA lesions (Comet assay, single-strand breaks (ssb), alkali labile sites (als), oxidized DNA bases). Ionising radiation (ca. 3 Gy) induced genotoxic effects dependent on the dose rate. Chromosomal aberrations (MN assay) increased 3- and 10-fold after chronic LDR and acute HDR, respectively. Phenotypic mutation frequencies as well as DNA lesions (ssb/als) were modulated after acute HDR but not after chronic LDR. The Apc Min/+ genotype did not influence the outcome in any of the investigated endpoints. The results herein will add to the scant data available on genotoxic effects following chronic LDR of ionising radiation. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:560-569, 2017. © 2017 The Authors Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Environmental Mutagen Society. © 2017 The Authors Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Environmental Mutagen Society.

  15. Appropriate Use of Effective Dose in Radiation Protection and Risk Assessment.

    PubMed

    Fisher, Darrell R; Fahey, Frederic H

    2017-08-01

    tissue reactions. The weighting factors incorporate substantial uncertainties, and linearity of the dose-response function at low dose is uncertain and highly disputed. Since effective dose is not predictive of future cancer incidence, it follows that effective dose should never be used to estimate future cancer risk from specific sources of radiation exposure. Instead, individual assessments of potential detriment should only be based on organ or tissue radiation absorbed dose, together with best scientific understanding of the corresponding dose-response relationships.

  16. Effective dose equivalent on the ninth Shuttle--Mir mission (STS-91)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yasuda, H.; Badhwar, G. D.; Komiyama, T.; Fujitaka, K.

    2000-01-01

    Organ and tissue doses and effective dose equivalent were measured using a life-size human phantom on the ninth Shuttle-Mir Mission (STS-91, June 1998), a 9.8-day spaceflight at low-Earth orbit (about 400 km in altitude and 51.65 degrees in inclination). The doses were measured at 59 positions using a combination of thermoluminescent dosimeters of Mg(2)SiO(4):Tb (TDMS) and plastic nuclear track detectors (PNTD). In correcting the change in efficiency of the TDMS, it was assumed that reduction of efficiency is attributed predominantly to HZE particles with energy greater than 100 MeV nucleon(-1). A conservative calibration curve was chosen for determining LET from the PNTD track-formation sensitivities. The organ and tissue absorbed doses during the mission ranged from 1.7 to 2.7 mGy and varied by a factor of 1.6. The dose equivalent ranged from 3.4 to 5.2 mSv and varied by a factor of 1.5 on the basis of the dependence of Q on LET in the 1990 recommendations of the ICRP. The effective quality factor (Q(e)) varied from 1.7 to 2.4. The dose equivalents for several radiation-sensitive organs, such as the stomach, lung, gonad and breast, were not significantly different from the skin dose equivalent (H(skin)). The effective dose equivalent was evaluated as 4.1 mSv, which was about 90% of the H(skin).

  17. Solar particle dose rate buildup and distribution in critical body organs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Atwell, William; Weyland, Mark D.; Simonsen, Lisa C.

    1993-01-01

    Human body organs have varying degrees of radiosensitivity as evidenced by radioepidemiologic tables. The major critical organs for both the male and female that have been identified include the lung, thyroid, stomach, and breast (female). Using computerized anatomical models of the 50th percentile United States Air Force male and female, we present the self-shielding effects of these various body organs and how the shielding effects change as the location (dose point) in the body varies. Several major solar proton events from previous solar cycles and several events from the current 22nd solar cycle have been analyzed. The solar particle event rise time, peak intensity, and decay time vary considerably from event to event. Absorbed dose and dose equivalent rate calculations and organ risk assessment data are presented for each critical body organ. These data are compared with the current NASA astronaut dose limits as recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements.

  18. Evaluation of the uncertainties in the TLD radiosurgery postal dose system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Campos, L. T.; Leite, S. P.; de Almeida, C. E. V.; Magalhães, L. A. G.

    2018-03-01

    Stereotactic radiosurgery is a single-fraction radiation therapy procedure for treating intracranial lesions using a stereotactic apparatus and multiple narrow beams delivered through noncoplanar isocentric arcs. To guarantee a high quality standard, a comprehensive Quality Assurance programme is extremely important to ensure that the measured dose is consistent with the tolerance considered to improve treatment quality. The Radiological Science Laboratory operates a postal audit programme in SRT and SRS. The purpose of the programme is to verify the target localization accuracy in known geometry and the dosimetric conditions of the TPS. The programme works in such a way those thermoluminescence dosimeters, consisting of LiF chips, are sent to the centre where they are to be irradiated to a certain dose. The TLD are then returned, where they are evaluated and the absorbed dose is obtained from TLDs readings. The aim of the present work is estimate the uncertainties in the process of dose determination, using experimental data.

  19. Effective radiation dose of ProMax 3D cone-beam computerized tomography scanner with different dental protocols.

    PubMed

    Qu, Xing-min; Li, Gang; Ludlow, John B; Zhang, Zu-yan; Ma, Xu-chen

    2010-12-01

    The aim of this study was to compare effective doses resulting from different scan protocols for cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) using International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 1990 and 2007 calculations of dose. Average tissue-absorbed dose, equivalent dose, and effective dose for a ProMax 3D CBCT with different dental protocols were calculated using thermoluminescent dosimeter chips in a human equivalent phantom. Effective doses were derived using ICRP 1990 and the superseding 2007 recommendations. Effective doses (ICRP 2007) for default patient sizes from small to large ranged from 102 to 298 μSv. The coefficient of determination (R(2)) between tube current and effective dose (ICRP 2007) was 0.90. When scanning with lower resolution settings, the effective doses were reduced significantly (P < .05). ProMax 3D can provide a wide range of radiation dose levels. Reduction in radiation dose can be achieved when using lower settings of exposure parameters. Copyright © 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. EYE LENS DOSIMETRY FOR FLUOROSCOPICALLY GUIDED CLINICAL PROCEDURES: PRACTICAL APPROACHES TO PROTECTION AND DOSE MONITORING.

    PubMed

    Martin, Colin J

    2016-06-01

    Doses to the eye lenses of clinicians undertaking fluoroscopically guided procedures can exceed the dose annual limit of 20 mSv, so optimisation of radiation protection is essential. Ceiling-suspended shields and disposable radiation absorbing pads can reduce eye dose by factors of 2-7. Lead glasses that shield against exposures from the side can lower doses by 2.5-4.5 times. Training in effective use of protective devices is an essential element in achieving good protection and acceptable eye doses. Effective methods for dose monitoring are required to identify protection issues. Dosemeters worn adjacent to the eye provide the better option for interventional clinicians, but an unprotected dosemeter worn at the neck will give an indication of eye dose that is adequate for most interventional staff. Potential requirements for protective devices and dose monitoring can be determined from risk assessments using generic values for dose linked to examination workload. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Investigation of dose characteristics in three-dimensional MAGAT-type polymer gel dosimetry with MSE MR imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Jason J. S.; Tsai, Chia-Jung; Lo, Man-Kuok; Huang, Yung-Hui; Chen, Chien-Chuan; Wu, Jay; Tyan, Yeu-Sheng; Wu, Tung-Hsin

    2008-05-01

    A new type of normoxic polymer gel dosimeter, named MAGAT responses well to absorbed dose even when manufacturing in the presence of normal levels of oxygen. The aim of this study was to evaluate dose response, diffusion effect and cumulated dose response under multiple fractional irradiations of the MAGAT gel dosimeter using Multiple Spin-Echo (MSE) Magnetic Resonance (MR) sequence. Dose response was performed by irradiating MAGAT-gel-filled testing vials with a 6 MV linear accelerator and a linear relationship was present with doses from 0 to 6 Gy, but gradually, a bi-exponential function result was obtained with given doses up to 20 Gy. No significant difference in dose response was present between single and cumulated doses (p > 0.05). For study of diffusion effect, edge sharpness of the R2 map imaging between two split doses was smaller than 1 cm of dose profile penumbra between 20% and 80%. In conclusion, the MAGAT polymer gel dosimeter with MSE MR imaging is a promising method for dose verification in clinical radiation therapy practice.

  2. Case Example of Dose Optimization Using Data From Bortezomib Dose-Finding Clinical Trials

    PubMed Central

    Backenroth, Daniel; Cheung, Ying Kuen Ken; Hershman, Dawn L.; Vulih, Diana; Anderson, Barry; Ivy, Percy; Minasian, Lori

    2016-01-01

    Purpose The current dose-finding methodology for estimating the maximum tolerated dose of investigational anticancer agents is based on the cytotoxic chemotherapy paradigm. Molecularly targeted agents (MTAs) have different toxicity profiles, which may lead to more long-lasting mild or moderate toxicities as well as to late-onset and cumulative toxicities. Several approved MTAs have been poorly tolerated during long-term administration, leading to postmarketing dose optimization studies to re-evaluate the optimal treatment dose. Using data from completed bortezomib dose-finding trials, we explore its toxicity profile, optimize its dose, and examine the appropriateness of current designs for identifying an optimal dose. Patients and Methods We classified the toxicities captured from 481 patients in 14 bortezomib dose-finding studies conducted through the National Cancer Institute Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, computed the incidence of late-onset toxicities, and compared the incidence of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) among groups of patients receiving different doses of bortezomib. Results A total of 13,008 toxicities were captured: 46% of patients’ first DLTs and 88% of dose reductions or discontinuations of treatment because of toxicity were observed after the first cycle. Moreover, for the approved dose of 1.3 mg/m2, the estimated cumulative incidence of DLT was > 50%, and the estimated cumulative incidence of dose reduction or treatment discontinuation because of toxicity was nearly 40%. Conclusions When considering the entire course of treatment, the approved bortezomib dose exceeds the conventional ceiling DLT rate of 20% to 33%. Retrospective analysis of trial data provides an opportunity for dose optimization of MTAs. Future dose-finding studies of MTAs should take into account late-onset toxicities to ensure that a tolerable dose is identified for future efficacy and comparative trials. PMID:26926682

  3. Case Example of Dose Optimization Using Data From Bortezomib Dose-Finding Clinical Trials.

    PubMed

    Lee, Shing M; Backenroth, Daniel; Cheung, Ying Kuen Ken; Hershman, Dawn L; Vulih, Diana; Anderson, Barry; Ivy, Percy; Minasian, Lori

    2016-04-20

    The current dose-finding methodology for estimating the maximum tolerated dose of investigational anticancer agents is based on the cytotoxic chemotherapy paradigm. Molecularly targeted agents (MTAs) have different toxicity profiles, which may lead to more long-lasting mild or moderate toxicities as well as to late-onset and cumulative toxicities. Several approved MTAs have been poorly tolerated during long-term administration, leading to postmarketing dose optimization studies to re-evaluate the optimal treatment dose. Using data from completed bortezomib dose-finding trials, we explore its toxicity profile, optimize its dose, and examine the appropriateness of current designs for identifying an optimal dose. We classified the toxicities captured from 481 patients in 14 bortezomib dose-finding studies conducted through the National Cancer Institute Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, computed the incidence of late-onset toxicities, and compared the incidence of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) among groups of patients receiving different doses of bortezomib. A total of 13,008 toxicities were captured: 46% of patients' first DLTs and 88% of dose reductions or discontinuations of treatment because of toxicity were observed after the first cycle. Moreover, for the approved dose of 1.3 mg/m(2), the estimated cumulative incidence of DLT was > 50%, and the estimated cumulative incidence of dose reduction or treatment discontinuation because of toxicity was nearly 40%. When considering the entire course of treatment, the approved bortezomib dose exceeds the conventional ceiling DLT rate of 20% to 33%. Retrospective analysis of trial data provides an opportunity for dose optimization of MTAs. Future dose-finding studies of MTAs should take into account late-onset toxicities to ensure that a tolerable dose is identified for future efficacy and comparative trials. © 2016 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  4. Dose comparison between conventional and quasi-monochromatic systems for diagnostic radiology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baldelli, P.; Taibi, A.; Tuffanelli, A.; Gambaccini, M.

    2004-09-01

    Several techniques have been introduced in the last year to reduce the dose to the patient by minimizing the risk of tumour induced by radiation. In this work the radiological potential of dose reduction in quasi-monochromatic spectra produced via mosaic crystal Bragg diffraction has been evaluated, and a comparison with conventional spectra has been performed for four standard examinations: head, chest, abdomen and lumbar sacral spine. We have simulated quasi-monochromatic x-rays with the Shadow code, and conventional spectra with the Spectrum Processor. By means of the PCXMC software, we have simulated four examinations according to parameters established by the European Guidelines, and calculated absorbed dose for principal organs and the effective dose. Simulations of quasi-monochromatic laminar beams have been performed without anti-scatter grid, because of their inherent scatter geometry, and compared with simulations with conventional beams with anti-scatter grids. Results have shown that the dose reduction due to the introduction of quasi-monochromatic x-rays depends on different parameters related to the quality of the beam, the organ composition and the anti-scatter grid. With parameters chosen in this study a significant dose reduction can be achieved for two out of four kinds of examination.

  5. Kilovoltage Imaging Doses in the Radiotherapy of Pediatric Cancer Patients

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Deng Jun, E-mail: jun.deng@yale.edu; Chen Zhe; Roberts, Kenneth B.

    Purpose: To investigate doses induced by kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography (kVCBCT) to pediatric cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, as well as strategies for dose reduction. Methods and Materials: An EGS4 Monte Carlo code was used to calculate three-dimensional dose deposition due to kVCBCT on 4 pediatric cancer patients. Absorbed doses to various organs were analyzed for both half-fan and full-fan modes. Clinical conditions, such as distance from organ at risk (OAR) to CBCT field border, kV peak energy, and testicular shielding, were studied. Results: The mean doses induced by one CBCT scan operated at 125 kV in half-fan mode to testes,more » liver, kidneys, femoral heads, spinal cord, brain, eyes, lens, and optical nerves were 2.9, 4.7, 7.7, 10.5, 8.8, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, and 7.2 cGy, respectively. Increasing the distances from OARs to CBCT field border greatly reduced the doses to OARs, ranging from 33% reduction for spinal cord to 2300% reduction for testes. As photon beam energy increased from 60 to 125 kV, the dose increase due to kVCBCT ranged from 170% for lens to 460% for brain and spinal cord. A testicular shielding made of 1-cm cerrobend could reduce CBCT doses down to 31%, 51%, 68%, and 82%, respectively, for 60, 80, 100, and 125 kV when the testes lay within the CBCT field. Conclusions: Generally speaking, kVCBCT deposits much larger doses to critical structures in children than in adults, usually by a factor of 2 to 3. Increasing the distances from OARs to CBCT field border greatly reduces doses to OARs. Depending on OARs, kVCBCT-induced doses increase linearly or exponentially with photon beam energy. Testicular shielding works more efficiently at lower kV energies. On the basis of our study, it is essential to choose an appropriate scanning protocol when kVCBCT is applied to pediatric cancer patients routinely.« less

  6. Evaluation of S-values and dose distributions for {sup 90}Y, {sup 131}I, {sup 166}Ho, and {sup 188}Re in seven lobes of the rat liver

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Xie Tianwu; Liu Qian; Zaidi, Habib

    2012-03-15

    Purpose: Rats have been widely used in radionuclide therapy research for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This has created the need to assess rat liver absorbed radiation dose. In most dose estimation studies, the rat liver is considered as a homogeneous integrated target organ with a tissue composition assumed to be similar to that of human liver tissue. However, the rat liver is composed of several lobes having different anatomical and chemical characteristics. To assess the overall impact on rat liver dose calculation, the authors use a new voxel-based rat model with identified suborgan regions of the liver. Methods:more » The liver in the original cryosectional color images was manually segmented into seven individual lobes and subsequently integrated into a voxel-based computational rat model. Photon and electron particle transport was simulated using the MCNPX Monte Carlo code to calculate absorbed fractions and S-values for {sup 90}Y, {sup 131}I, {sup 166}Ho, and {sup 188}Re for the seven liver lobes. The effect of chemical composition on organ-specific absorbed dose was investigated by changing the chemical composition of the voxel filling liver material. Radionuclide-specific absorbed doses at the voxel level were further assessed for a small spherical hepatic tumor. Results: The self-absorbed dose for different liver lobes varied depending on their respective masses. A maximum difference of 3.5% was observed for the liver self-absorbed fraction between rat and human tissues for photon energies below 100 keV. {sup 166}Ho and {sup 188}Re produce a uniformly distributed high dose in the tumor and relatively low absorbed dose for surrounding tissues. Conclusions: The authors evaluated rat liver radiation doses from various radionuclides used in HCC treatments using a realistic computational rat model. This work contributes to a better understanding of all aspects influencing radiation transport in organ-specific radiation dose evaluation for

  7. Comparison of the calculated absorbed dose using the Cadplan™ treatment planning software and Tld-100 measurements in an Alderson-Rando phantom for a bronchogenic treatment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gutiérrez Castillo, J. G., E-mail: jggc59@hotmail.com; Álvarez Romero, J. T., E-mail: trinidad.alvarez@inin.gob.mx, E-mail: fisarmandotorres@gmail.com, E-mail: victor.tovar@inin.gob.mx; Calderón, A. Torres, E-mail: trinidad.alvarez@inin.gob.mx, E-mail: fisarmandotorres@gmail.com, E-mail: victor.tovar@inin.gob.mx

    2014-11-07

    To verify the accuracy of the absorbed doses D calculated by a TPS Cadplan for a bronchogenic treatment (in an Alderson-Rando phantom) are chosen ten points with the following D's and localizations. Point 1, posterior position on the left edge with 136.4 Gy. Points: 2, 3 and 4 in the left lung with 104.9, 104.3 and 105.8 Gy, respectively; points 5 and 6 at the mediastinum with 192.4 and 173.5 Gy; points 7, 8 and 9 in the right lung with 105.8, 104.2 and 104.7 Gy, and 10 at posterior position on right edge with 143.7 Gy. IAEA type capsulesmore » with TLD 100 powder are placed, planned and irradiated. The evaluation of the absorbed dose is carried out a curve of calibration for the LiF response (nC) {sup vs} {sup DW}, to several cavity theories. The traceability for the DW is obtained with a secondary standard calibrated at the NRC (Canada). The dosimetric properties for the materials considered are determined from the Hounsfield numbers reported by the TPS. The stopping power ratios are calculated for nominal spectrum to 6 MV photons. The percent variations among the planned and determined D in all the cases they are < ± 3%.« less

  8. Low- and high-dose laser irradiation effects on cell migration and destruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Layton, Elivia; Gallagher, Kyra A.; Zukerman, Sara; Stevens, Brianna; Zhou, Feifan; Liu, Hong; Chen, Wei R.

    2018-02-01

    Metastases are the cause of more than 90 percent of cancer-related deaths. Current treatment methods, including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, fail to target the metastases effectively. One potential treatment for metastatic cancer is laser immunotherapy (LIT). LIT combines the use of a photothermal laser with an immunoadjuvant, Glycated Chitosan (GC). GC combined with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has proven to be a viable alternative to traditional cancer treatment methods, when under irradiation of laser with appropriate wavelength. In this study, the effects of low dose and high dose laser irradiation on metastatic pancreatic cancer cell migration were observed. It was found that low dose irradiation increased the migration rate, but the high dose irradiation significantly decreased the migration rate of the cancer cells. When using LIT, the goal is to kill tumor cells and to prompt the correct immune response. If the tumor were irradiated with a low dose, it would promote metastasis. If the dose of irradiation were too high, it would destroy the entire tumor and the immune response would not recognize the tumor. Therefore, the laser dose plays an important role in LIT, particularly when using SWNT as light absorbing agent. Our results from this study will delineate the optimal laser irradiation dose for destroying tumor cells and at the same time preserve and release tumor antigens as a precursor of antitumor immune response.

  9. Out of field dose during Gamma Knife treatment: a paediatric case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moutrie, V.; Grace, M.; Izard, M. A.; Fuller, J. W.

    2017-01-01

    An 11-year-old girl with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) was referred for Gamma Knife treatment. As this would be the first paediatric treatment in Australia, additional investigations were undertaken into out of field dose to assure the best possible long term outcome for the patient. A phantom was constructed from water equivalent materials to simulate the patient. A target volume was defined to emulate the size and location of the AVM visible in diagnostic images. An ionisation chamber and EBT3 Gafchromic film were used to record absorbed dose at strategic points both on the surface and at depth within the phantom. On the day of treatment, EBT3 Gafchromic film was used to conduct in vivo dosimetry. The pre-treatment phantom measurements matched the planning system for the cranial section (the only modelled section) and no measurable dose above background was detected in the extracranial sites. In vivo measurements of the lenses returned doses of up to 2 cGy for imaging and 8 cGy for treatment which was also consistent with the planned dose. Dose to the thyroid, chest and abdomen was not measurable above background.

  10. Assessment of pharmacokinetic proportionality of levofloxacin and cyclosporine over a 100-fold dose range in healthy human volunteers.

    PubMed

    Lim, Mi-sun; Seong, Sook Jin; Park, Jeonghyeon; Seo, Jeong Ju; Lee, Joomi; Yu, Kyung-Sang; Lee, Hae Won; Yoon, Young-Ran

    2012-04-01

    Levofloxacin and cyclosporine show different pharmacokinetic properties, but are known to be dose proportional within the therapeutic range. The authors evaluated the pharmacokinetic proportionality of levofloxacin and cyclosporine over a 100-fold dose range in healthy human volunteers, by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Two independent, randomized, crossover studies were performed. For levofloxacin, eight volunteers were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive a low dose (7.5 mg) orally or intravenously, followed by a 1-week washout period and administration via the alternate route. After another 1-week washout period, a therapeutic dose (750 mg) was administered to all eight subjects. For cyclosporine, another eight volunteers received a low dose (2 mg) or a therapeutic dose (200 mg) orally with a 1-week washout period. Drug concentrations were determined by LC-MS/MS. For levofloxacin, the mean values for dose-normalized C(max) and AUC(last) with the two doses were as follows: therapeutic dose, 15.2 ± 4.6 ng/ml/mg and 103.6 ± 15.5 ng·h/ml/mg, respectively; low dose, 17.1 ± 6.5 ng/ml/mg and 72.6 ± 8.7 ng·h/ml/mg, respectively. For cyclosporine, the mean values for dose-normalized C(max) and AUC(last) were as follows: therapeutic dose, 4.9 ± 1.5 ng/ml/mg and 15.4 ± 4.9 ng·h/ml/mg, respectively; low dose, 1.6 ± 0.6 ng/ml/mg and 9.3 ± 7.3 ng·h/ml/mg, respectively. In this study levofloxacin, which is completely absorbed and primarily eliminated renally without modification, showed better pharmacokinetic proportionality than cyclosporine, which is poorly absorbed and extensively metabolized.

  11. A dose-response curve for biodosimetry from a 6 MV electron linear accelerator

    PubMed Central

    Lemos-Pinto, M.M.P.; Cadena, M.; Santos, N.; Fernandes, T.S.; Borges, E.; Amaral, A.

    2015-01-01

    Biological dosimetry (biodosimetry) is based on the investigation of radiation-induced biological effects (biomarkers), mainly dicentric chromosomes, in order to correlate them with radiation dose. To interpret the dicentric score in terms of absorbed dose, a calibration curve is needed. Each curve should be constructed with respect to basic physical parameters, such as the type of ionizing radiation characterized by low or high linear energy transfer (LET) and dose rate. This study was designed to obtain dose calibration curves by scoring of dicentric chromosomes in peripheral blood lymphocytes irradiated in vitro with a 6 MV electron linear accelerator (Mevatron M, Siemens, USA). Two software programs, CABAS (Chromosomal Aberration Calculation Software) and Dose Estimate, were used to generate the curve. The two software programs are discussed; the results obtained were compared with each other and with other published low LET radiation curves. Both software programs resulted in identical linear and quadratic terms for the curve presented here, which was in good agreement with published curves for similar radiation quality and dose rates. PMID:26445334

  12. MCNP simulation of radiation doses distributions in a water phantoms simulating interventional radiology patients

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Wenjun; Mah, Eugene; Huda, Walter; Selby, Bayne; Yao, Hai

    2011-03-01

    Purpose: To investigate the dose distributions in water cylinders simulating patients undergoing Interventional Radiological examinations. Method: The irradiation geometry consisted of an x-ray source, dose-area-product chamber, and image intensifier as currently used in Interventional Radiology. Water cylinders of diameters ranging between 17 and 30 cm were used to simulate patients weighing between 20 and 90 kg. X-ray spectra data with peak x-ray tube voltages ranging from 60 to 120 kV were generated using XCOMP3R. Radiation dose distributions inside the water cylinder (Dw) were obtained using MCNP5. The depth dose distribution along the x-ray beam central axis was normalized to free-in-air air kerma (AK) that is incident on the phantom. Scattered radiation within the water cylinders but outside the directly irradiated region was normalized to the dose at the edge of the radiation field. The total absorbed energy to the directly irradiated volume (Ep) and indirectly irradiated volume (Es) were also determined and investigated as a function of x-ray tube voltage and phantom size. Results: At 80 kV, the average Dw/AK near the x-ray entrance point was 1.3. The ratio of Dw near the entrance point to Dw near the exit point increased from ~ 26 for the 17 cm water cylinder to ~ 290 for the 30 cm water cylinder. At 80 kV, the relative dose for a 17 cm water cylinder fell to 0.1% at 49 cm away from the central ray of the x-ray beam. For a 30 cm water cylinder, the relative dose fell to 0.1% at 53 cm away from the central ray of the x-ray beam. At a fixed x-ray tube voltage of 80 kV, increasing the water cylinder diameter from 17 to 30 cm increased the Es/(Ep+Es) ratio by about 50%. At a fixed water cylinder diameter of 24 cm, increasing the tube voltage from 60 kV to 120 kV increased the Es/(Ep+Es) ratio by about 12%. The absorbed energy from scattered radiation was between 20-30% of the total energy absorbed by the water cylinder, and was affected more by patient size

  13. Automated size-specific CT dose monitoring program: assessing variability in CT dose.

    PubMed

    Christianson, Olav; Li, Xiang; Frush, Donald; Samei, Ehsan

    2012-11-01

    The potential health risks associated with low levels of ionizing radiation have created a movement in the radiology community to optimize computed tomography (CT) imaging protocols to use the lowest radiation dose possible without compromising the diagnostic usefulness of the images. Despite efforts to use appropriate and consistent radiation doses, studies suggest that a great deal of variability in radiation dose exists both within and between institutions for CT imaging. In this context, the authors have developed an automated size-specific radiation dose monitoring program for CT and used this program to assess variability in size-adjusted effective dose from CT imaging. The authors radiation dose monitoring program operates on an independent health insurance portability and accountability act compliant dosimetry server. Digital imaging and communication in medicine routing software is used to isolate dose report screen captures and scout images for all incoming CT studies. Effective dose conversion factors (k-factors) are determined based on the protocol and optical character recognition is used to extract the CT dose index and dose-length product. The patient's thickness is obtained by applying an adaptive thresholding algorithm to the scout images and is used to calculate the size-adjusted effective dose (ED(adj)). The radiation dose monitoring program was used to collect data on 6351 CT studies from three scanner models (GE Lightspeed Pro 16, GE Lightspeed VCT, and GE Definition CT750 HD) and two institutions over a one-month period and to analyze the variability in ED(adj) between scanner models and across institutions. No significant difference was found between computer measurements of patient thickness and observer measurements (p = 0.17), and the average difference between the two methods was less than 4%. Applying the size correction resulted in ED(adj) that differed by up to 44% from effective dose estimates that were not adjusted by patient size

  14. Comparison of TID Effects in Space-Like Variable Dose Rates and Constant Dose Rates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harris, Richard D.; McClure, Steven S.; Rax, Bernard G.; Evans, Robin W.; Jun, Insoo

    2008-01-01

    The degradation of the LM193 dual voltage comparator has been studied at different TID dose rate profiles, including several different constant dose rates and a variable dose rate that simulates the behavior of a solar flare. A comparison of results following constant dose rate vs. variable dose rates is made to explore how well the constant dose rates used for typical part testing predict the performance during a simulated space-like mission. Testing at a constant dose rate equal to the lowest dose rate seen during the simulated flare provides an extremely conservative estimate of the overall amount of degradation. A constant dose rate equal to the average dose rate is also more conservative than the variable rate. It appears that, for this part, weighting the dose rates by the amount of total dose received at each rate (rather than the amount of time at each dose rate) results in an average rate that produces an amount of degradation that is a reasonable approximation to that received by the variable rate.

  15. Establishment of a γ-H2AX foci-based assay to determine biological dose of radon to red bone marrow in rats

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Jing; He, Linfeng; Fan, Dunhuang; Ding, Defang; Wang, Xufei; Gao, Yun; Zhang, Xuxia; Li, Qiang; Chen, Honghong

    2016-01-01

    The biodosimetric information is critical for assessment of cancer risk in populations exposed to high radon. However, no tools are available for biological dose estimation following radon exposure. Here, we established a γ-H2AX foci-based assay to determine biological dose to red bone marrow (RBM) in radon-inhaled rats. After 1–3 h of in vitro radon exposure, a specific pattern of γ-H2AX foci, linear tracks with individual p-ATM and p-DNA-PKcs foci, was observed, and the yield of γ-H2AX foci and its linear tracks displayed a linear dose-response manner in both rat peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and bone-marrow lymphocytes (BMLs). When the cumulative doses of radon inhaled by rats reached 14, 30 and 60 working level months (WLM), the yields of three types of foci markedly increased in both PBLs and BMLs, and γ-H2AX foci-based dose estimates to RBM were 0.97, 2.06 and 3.94 mGy, respectively. Notably, BMLs displayed a more profound increase of three types of foci than PBLs, and the absorbed dose ratio between BMLs and PBLs was similar between rats exposed to 30 and 60 WLM of radon. Taken together, γ-H2AX foci quantitation in PBLs is able to estimate RBM-absorbed doses with the dose-response curve of γ-H2AX foci after in vitro radon exposure and the ratio of RBM- to PBL-absorbed doses in rats following radon exposure. PMID:27445126

  16. Establishment of a γ-H2AX foci-based assay to determine biological dose of radon to red bone marrow in rats

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jing; He, Linfeng; Fan, Dunhuang; Ding, Defang; Wang, Xufei; Gao, Yun; Zhang, Xuxia; Li, Qiang; Chen, Honghong

    2016-07-01

    The biodosimetric information is critical for assessment of cancer risk in populations exposed to high radon. However, no tools are available for biological dose estimation following radon exposure. Here, we established a γ-H2AX foci-based assay to determine biological dose to red bone marrow (RBM) in radon-inhaled rats. After 1-3 h of in vitro radon exposure, a specific pattern of γ-H2AX foci, linear tracks with individual p-ATM and p-DNA-PKcs foci, was observed, and the yield of γ-H2AX foci and its linear tracks displayed a linear dose-response manner in both rat peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and bone-marrow lymphocytes (BMLs). When the cumulative doses of radon inhaled by rats reached 14, 30 and 60 working level months (WLM), the yields of three types of foci markedly increased in both PBLs and BMLs, and γ-H2AX foci-based dose estimates to RBM were 0.97, 2.06 and 3.94 mGy, respectively. Notably, BMLs displayed a more profound increase of three types of foci than PBLs, and the absorbed dose ratio between BMLs and PBLs was similar between rats exposed to 30 and 60 WLM of radon. Taken together, γ-H2AX foci quantitation in PBLs is able to estimate RBM-absorbed doses with the dose-response curve of γ-H2AX foci after in vitro radon exposure and the ratio of RBM- to PBL-absorbed doses in rats following radon exposure.

  17. Measurement and effects of MOSKIN detectors on skin dose during high energy radiotherapy treatment.

    PubMed

    Alnawaf, Hani; Butson, Martin; Yu, Peter K N

    2012-09-01

    During in vivo dosimetry for megavoltage X-ray beams, detectors such as diodes, Thermo luminescent dosimeters (TLD's) and MOSFET devices are placed on the patient's skin. This of course will affect the skin dose delivered during that fraction of the treatment. Whilst the overall impact on increasing skin dose would be minimal, little has been quantified concerning the level of increase in absorbed dose, in vivo dosimeters produce when placed in the beams path. To this extent, measurements have been made and analysis performed on dose changes caused by MOSKIN, MOSFET, skin dose detectors. Maximum increases in skin dose were measured as 15 % for 6 MV X-rays and 10 % for 10 MV X-rays at the active crystal of the MOSKIN device which is the thickest part of the detector. This is compared to 32 and 26 % for a standard 1 mm thick LiF TLD at 10 × 10 cm(2) field size for 6 and 10 MV X-rays respectively. Radiochromic film, EBT2 has been shown to provide a high resolution 2 dimensional map of skin dose from these detectors and measures the effects of in vivo dosimeters used for radiotherapy dose assessment.

  18. Evaluation of effective dose with chest digital tomosynthesis system using Monte Carlo simulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Dohyeon; Jo, Byungdu; Lee, Youngjin; Park, Su-Jin; Lee, Dong-Hoon; Kim, Hee-Joung

    2015-03-01

    Chest digital tomosynthesis (CDT) system has recently been introduced and studied. This system offers the potential to be a substantial improvement over conventional chest radiography for the lung nodule detection and reduces the radiation dose with limited angles. PC-based Monte Carlo program (PCXMC) simulation toolkit (STUK, Helsinki, Finland) is widely used to evaluate radiation dose in CDT system. However, this toolkit has two significant limits. Although PCXMC is not possible to describe a model for every individual patient and does not describe the accurate X-ray beam spectrum, Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission (GATE) simulation describes the various size of phantom for individual patient and proper X-ray spectrum. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate effective dose in CDT system with the Monte Carlo simulation toolkit using GATE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effective dose in virtual infant chest phantom of posterior-anterior (PA) view in CDT system using GATE simulation. We obtained the effective dose at different tube angles by applying dose actor function in GATE simulation which was commonly used to obtain the medical radiation dosimetry. The results indicated that GATE simulation was useful to estimate distribution of absorbed dose. Consequently, we obtained the acceptable distribution of effective dose at each projection. These results indicated that GATE simulation can be alternative method of calculating effective dose in CDT applications.

  19. Dose uniformity analysis among ten 16-slice same-model CT scanners.

    PubMed

    Erdi, Yusuf Emre

    2012-01-01

    With the introduction of multislice scanners, computed tomographic (CT) dose optimization has become important. The patient-absorbed dose may differ among the scanners although they are the same type and model. To investigate the dose output variation of the CT scanners, we designed the study to analyze dose outputs of 10 same-model CT scanners using 3 clinical protocols. Ten GE Lightspeed (GE Healthcare, Waukesha, Wis) 16-slice scanners located at main campus and various satellite locations of our institution have been included in this study. All dose measurements were performed using poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) head (diameter, 16 cm) and body (diameter, 32 cm) phantoms manufactured by Radcal (RadCal Corp, Monrovia, Calif) using a 9095 multipurpose analyzer with 10 × 9-3CT ion chamber both from the same manufacturer. Ion chamber is inserted into the peripheral and central axis locations and volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) is calculated as weighted average of doses at those locations. Three clinical protocol settings for adult head, high-resolution chest, and adult abdomen are used for dose measurements. We have observed up to 9.4% CTDIvol variation for the adult head protocol in which the largest variation occurred among the protocols. However, head protocol uses higher milliampere second values than the other 2 protocols. Most of the measured values were less than the system-stored CTDIvol values. It is important to note that reduction in dose output from tubes as they age is expected in addition to the intrinsic radiation output fluctuations of the same scanner. Although the same model CT scanners were used in this study, it is possible to see CTDIvol variation in standard patient scanning protocols of head, chest, and abdomen. The compound effect of the dose variation may be larger with higher milliampere and multiphase and multilocation CT scans.

  20. Determination of absorbed dose to water for high-energy photon and electron beams-comparison of the standards DIN 6800-2 (1997), IAEA TRS 398 (2000) and DIN 6800-2 (2006).

    PubMed

    Zakaria, Golam Abu; Schuette, Wilhelm

    2007-01-01

    For the determination of the absorbed dose to water for high-energy photon and electron beams the IAEA code of practice TRS-398 (2000) is applied internationally. In Germany, the German dosimetry protocol DIN 6800-2 (1997) is used. Recently, the DIN standard has been revised and published as Draft National Standard DIN 6800-2 (2006). It has adopted widely the methodology and dosimetric data of the code of practice. This paper compares these three dosimetry protocols systematically and identifies similarities as well as differences. The investigation was done with 6 and 18 MV photon as well as 5 to 21 MeV electron beams. While only cylindrical chambers were used for photon beams, measurements of electron beams were performed using cylindrical as well as plane-parallel chambers. The discrepancies in the determination of absorbed dose to water between the three protocols were 0.4% for photon beams and 1.5% for electron beams. Comparative measurements showed a deviation of less than 0.5% between our measurements following protocol DIN 6800-2 (2006) and TLD inter-comparison procedure in an external audit.

  1. Dose specification for 192Ir high dose rate brachytherapy in terms of dose-to-water-in-medium and dose-to-medium-in-medium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paiva Fonseca, Gabriel; Carlsson Tedgren, Åsa; Reniers, Brigitte; Nilsson, Josef; Persson, Maria; Yoriyaz, Hélio; Verhaegen, Frank

    2015-06-01

    Dose calculation in high dose rate brachytherapy with 192Ir is usually based on the TG-43U1 protocol where all media are considered to be water. Several dose calculation algorithms have been developed that are capable of handling heterogeneities with two possibilities to report dose: dose-to-medium-in-medium (Dm,m) and dose-to-water-in-medium (Dw,m). The relation between Dm,m and Dw,m for 192Ir is the main goal of this study, in particular the dependence of Dw,m on the dose calculation approach using either large cavity theory (LCT) or small cavity theory (SCT). A head and neck case was selected due to the presence of media with a large range of atomic numbers relevant to tissues and mass densities such as air, soft tissues and bone interfaces. This case was simulated using a Monte Carlo (MC) code to score: Dm,m, Dw,m (LCT), mean photon energy and photon fluence. Dw,m (SCT) was derived from MC simulations using the ratio between the unrestricted collisional stopping power of the actual medium and water. Differences between Dm,m and Dw,m (SCT or LCT) can be negligible (<1%) for some tissues e.g. muscle and significant for other tissues with differences of up to 14% for bone. Using SCT or LCT approaches leads to differences between Dw,m (SCT) and Dw,m (LCT) up to 29% for bone and 36% for teeth. The mean photon energy distribution ranges from 222 keV up to 356 keV. However, results obtained using mean photon energies are not equivalent to the ones obtained using the full, local photon spectrum. This work concludes that it is essential that brachytherapy studies clearly report the dose quantity. It further shows that while differences between Dm,m and Dw,m (SCT) mainly depend on tissue type, differences between Dm,m and Dw,m (LCT) are, in addition, significantly dependent on the local photon energy fluence spectrum which varies with distance to implanted sources.

  2. Deformable Dose Reconstruction to Optimize the Planning and Delivery of Liver Cancer Radiotherapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Velec, Michael

    The precise delivery of radiation to liver cancer patients results in improved control with higher tumor doses and minimized normal tissues doses. A margin of normal tissue around the tumor requires irradiation however to account for treatment delivery uncertainties. Daily image-guidance allows targeting of the liver, a surrogate for the tumor, to reduce geometric errors. However poor direct tumor visualization, anatomical deformation and breathing motion introduce uncertainties between the planned dose, calculated on a single pre-treatment computed tomography image, and the dose that is delivered. A novel deformable image registration algorithm based on tissue biomechanics was applied to previous liver cancer patients to track targets and surrounding organs during radiotherapy. Modeling these daily anatomic variations permitted dose accumulation, thereby improving calculations of the delivered doses. The accuracy of the algorithm to track dose was validated using imaging from a deformable, 3-dimensional dosimeter able to optically track absorbed dose. Reconstructing the delivered dose revealed that 70% of patients had substantial deviations from the initial planned dose. An alternative image-guidance technique using respiratory-correlated imaging was simulated, which reduced both the residual tumor targeting errors and the magnitude of the delivered dose deviations. A planning and delivery strategy for liver radiotherapy was then developed that minimizes the impact of breathing motion, and applied a margin to account for the impact of liver deformation during treatment. This margin is 38% smaller on average than the margin used clinically, and permitted an average dose-escalation to liver tumors of 9% for the same risk of toxicity. Simulating the delivered dose with deformable dose reconstruction demonstrated the plans with smaller margins were robust as 90% of patients' tumors received the intended dose. This strategy can be readily implemented with widely

  3. The pharmacokinetic and safety profiles of blonanserin in healthy Chinese volunteers after single fasting doses and single and multiple postprandial doses.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xia; Wang, Hongyun; Jiang, Ji; Chen, Rui; Zhou, Ying; Zhong, Wen; Liu, Hongzhong; Hu, Pei

    2014-03-01

    Blonanserin is a novel atypical antipsychotic drug acting as a mixed serotonin 5-HT2A and dopamine D2 receptor antagonist. This study investigated the pharmacokinetics and safety of blonanserin in healthy Chinese males. This was an open-label trial with two parts. Twenty-four subjects were enrolled in part A to receive a single fasting dose of 4 or 8 mg blonanserin (each n = 12); part B recruited 12 subjects and administered single and sequentially twice-daily multiple postprandial doses of blonanserin 2 mg for 9 days. Serial blood samples were taken for the bioassay of plasma blonanserin and its four metabolites during both sub-studies. Safety was assessed, including repeat measurements of fasting serum prolactin, insulin, triglyceride and cholesterol. Blonanserin was rapidly absorbed, accompanied with immediate plasma concentration elevation of the N-oxide form (M2) and gradual rises of the N-deethylated form (M1) and its downstream metabolites. The mean elimination half-life of blonanserin (7.7-11.9 h) was much longer than that of M2 (1.2-1.3 h) but shorter than that of M1 (26.4-31.4 h) after single fasting doses. After food intake, a single dose of 2 mg blonanserin resulted in total exposure and peak concentrations of blonanserin similar to those observed with a single fasting dose of blonanserin 4 mg. Moreover, the relationship of metabolite over parent compound ratio was different between M1 and M2 after single and multiple postprandial administrations (single dose vs multiple dose: M1, 0.33 vs 0.75; M2, 0.13 vs 0.067). Mild but transient increases of prolactin, insulin and triglyceride were observed. The pharmacokinetics of blonanserin in Chinese subjects were similar to those observed in Japanese subjects. This study suggested that food intake not only increases the bioavailability of blonanserin but differently affects the pharmacokinetics of its metabolites as well. The drug was safe and well tolerated in healthy Chinese males.

  4. DSC studies on gamma irradiated poly(vinylidene fluoride) applied to high gamma dose dosimetry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Batista, Adriana S. M.; Faria, Luiz O.

    2017-11-01

    Poly(vinylidene fluoride) homopolymer (PVDF) was investigated for use on high gamma dose dosimetry. Samples were irradiated with gamma doses ranging from 100 kGy to 3000 kGy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to construct an unambiguous relationship between the melting transition latent heat (LM) and the absorbed dose (D). DSC thermograms were taken immediately, 1, 2 and 8 months after the irradiation process revealing that the LMx D relationship presented no change for doses ranging from 100 to 2750 kGy. FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy data revealed the radio-induction of C˭O and C˭C bonds. These radio-induced bonds were responsible by the chain stiffening and chain oxidation, respectively. SEM microscopy demonstrates that the spherulitic large crystalline structures present in pristine PVDF are destroyed with doses as low as 100 kGy. The DRX analysis revealed that the main effect of high gamma doses in the crystalline structure of PVDF is to provoke a change from the pristine PVDF α-phase to the γ-phase. Both the ability to detect gamma doses in a large dose range and the low fading features make PVDF homopolymers good candidates to be investigated as high gamma dose dosimeters.

  5. Automated size-specific CT dose monitoring program: Assessing variability in CT dose

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Christianson, Olav; Li Xiang; Frush, Donald

    2012-11-15

    Purpose: The potential health risks associated with low levels of ionizing radiation have created a movement in the radiology community to optimize computed tomography (CT) imaging protocols to use the lowest radiation dose possible without compromising the diagnostic usefulness of the images. Despite efforts to use appropriate and consistent radiation doses, studies suggest that a great deal of variability in radiation dose exists both within and between institutions for CT imaging. In this context, the authors have developed an automated size-specific radiation dose monitoring program for CT and used this program to assess variability in size-adjusted effective dose from CTmore » imaging. Methods: The authors radiation dose monitoring program operates on an independent health insurance portability and accountability act compliant dosimetry server. Digital imaging and communication in medicine routing software is used to isolate dose report screen captures and scout images for all incoming CT studies. Effective dose conversion factors (k-factors) are determined based on the protocol and optical character recognition is used to extract the CT dose index and dose-length product. The patient's thickness is obtained by applying an adaptive thresholding algorithm to the scout images and is used to calculate the size-adjusted effective dose (ED{sub adj}). The radiation dose monitoring program was used to collect data on 6351 CT studies from three scanner models (GE Lightspeed Pro 16, GE Lightspeed VCT, and GE Definition CT750 HD) and two institutions over a one-month period and to analyze the variability in ED{sub adj} between scanner models and across institutions. Results: No significant difference was found between computer measurements of patient thickness and observer measurements (p= 0.17), and the average difference between the two methods was less than 4%. Applying the size correction resulted in ED{sub adj} that differed by up to 44% from effective dose

  6. Bioavailability of dexmedetomidine after extravascular doses in healthy subjects

    PubMed Central

    Anttila, Markku; Penttilä, Jani; Helminen, Antti; Vuorilehto, Lauri; Scheinin, Harry

    2003-01-01

    Aim To determine the absolute bioavailability of extravascularly administered dexmedetomidine, a novel a2-adrenoceptor agonist, in healthy subjects. Methods Single 2 µg kg−1 doses of dexmedetomidine were given intravenously, intramuscularly, perorally and buccally (where the solution is not swallowed) to 12 healthy male subjects. The drug concentration-time data were analysed using linear one-compartment (buccal and peroral data), or two-compartment modelling (intravenous data), or noncompartmental methods (intramuscular data). Results Mean (95% CI) absolute bioavailability after peroral, buccal and intramuscular administration was 16% (12–20%), 82% (73–92%) and 104% (96–112%), respectively. Conclusion Dexmedetomidine is well absorbed systemically through the oral mucosa, and therefore buccal dosing may provide an effective, noninvasive route to administer the drug. PMID:14616431

  7. Measurements of environmental terrestrial gamma radiation dose rate in three mountainous locations in the western region of Saudi Arabia

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Al-Ghorabie, Fayez H.H.

    2005-06-01

    This paper describes measurements of external gamma radiation dose rate from terrestrial gamma-rays 1 m above the ground in three different mountainous locations in the western region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These locations are At-Taif city, Al-Hada village, and Ash-Shafa village. CaSO{sub 4}:Dy (TLD-900) thermoluminescent dosimeters were used for the detection of terrestrial gamma radiation at 40 different places in the three locations. The values of terrestrial gamma radiation dose rate measured ranged between 14 and 279 nGy h{sup -1} for the time interval from June 2001 to June 2002. The measured dose rate varied with the seasonmore » of the year. The average gamma radiation dose rates were 468, 541, and 781 {mu}Gy y{sup -1} for At-Taif city, Al-Hada village, and Ash-Shafa village, respectively. The corresponding average absorbed doses to the population of the three locations were 328, 379, and 547 {mu}Sv y{sup -1}, respectively. The quality factor of 0.7 Sv Gy{sup -1} was applied in the calculations of the absorbed dose to humans.« less

  8. Mobile-Dose: A Dose-Meter Designed for Use in Automatic Machineries for Dose Manipulation in Nuclear Medicine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Asmundis, Riccardo; Boiano, Alfonso; Ramaglia, Antonio

    2008-06-01

    Mobile-Dose has been designed for a very innovative use: the integration in a robotic machinery for automatic preparation of radioactive doses, to be injected to patients in Nuclear Medicine Departments, with real time measurement of the activity under preparation. Mobile-Dose gives a constant measurement of the dose during the filling of vials or syringes, triggering the end of the filling process based on a predefined dose limit. Several applications of Mobile-Dose have been delivered worldwide, from Italian hospitals and clinics to European and Japanese ones. The design of such an instrument and its integration in robotic machineries, was required by an Italian company specialised in radiation protection tools for nuclear applications, in the period 2001-2003. At the time of its design, apparently no commercial instruments with a suitable interfacing capability to the external world existed: we designed it in order to satisfy all the strict requirements coming from the medical aspects (precision within 10%, repeatability, stability, time response) and from the industrial conceiving principles that are mandatory to ensure a good reliability in such a complicated environment. The instrument is suitable to be used in standalone mode too, thanks to its portability and compactness and to the intelligent operator panel programmed for this purpose.

  9. Commissioning dosimetry and in situ dose mapping of a semi-industrial Cobalt-60 gamma-irradiation facility using Fricke and Ceric-cerous dosimetry system and comparison with Monte Carlo simulation data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mortuza, Md Firoz; Lepore, Luigi; Khedkar, Kalpana; Thangam, Saravanan; Nahar, Arifatun; Jamil, Hossen Mohammad; Bandi, Laxminarayan; Alam, Md Khorshed

    2018-03-01

    Characterization of a 90 kCi (3330 TBq), semi-industrial, cobalt-60 gamma irradiator was performed by commissioning dosimetry and in-situ dose mapping experiments with Ceric-cerous and Fricke dosimetry systems. Commissioning dosimetry was carried out to determine dose distribution pattern of absorbed dose in the irradiation cell and products. To determine maximum and minimum absorbed dose, overdose ratio and dwell time of the tote boxes, homogeneous dummy product (rice husk) with a bulk density of 0.13 g/cm3 were used in the box positions of irradiation chamber. The regions of minimum absorbed dose of the tote boxes were observed in the lower zones of middle plane and maximum absorbed doses were found in the middle position of front plane. Moreover, as a part of dose mapping, dose rates in the wall positions and some selective strategic positions were also measured to carry out multiple irradiation program simultaneously, especially for low dose research irradiation program. In most of the cases, Monte Carlo simulation data, using Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended code version MCNPX 2.7., were found to be in congruence with experimental values obtained from Ceric-cerous and Fricke dosimetry; however, in close proximity positions from the source, the dose rate variation between chemical dosimetry and MCNP was higher than distant positions.

  10. Low-Dose Carcinogenicity Studies

    EPA Science Inventory

    One of the major deficiencies of cancer risk assessments is the lack of low-dose carcinogenicity data. Most assessments require extrapolation from high to low doses, which is subject to various uncertainties. Only 4 low-dose carcinogenicity studies and 5 low-dose biomarker/pre-n...

  11. Automated extraction of radiation dose information from CT dose report images.

    PubMed

    Li, Xinhua; Zhang, Da; Liu, Bob

    2011-06-01

    The purpose of this article is to describe the development of an automated tool for retrieving texts from CT dose report images. Optical character recognition was adopted to perform text recognitions of CT dose report images. The developed tool is able to automate the process of analyzing multiple CT examinations, including text recognition, parsing, error correction, and exporting data to spreadsheets. The results were precise for total dose-length product (DLP) and were about 95% accurate for CT dose index and DLP of scanned series.

  12. Radon Release and Its Simulated Effect on Radiation Doses.

    PubMed

    Orabi, Momen

    2017-03-01

    One of the main factors that affect the uncertainty in calculating the gamma-radiation absorbed dose rate inside a room is the variation in the degree of secular equilibrium of the considered radioactive series. A component of this factor, considered in this paper, is the release of radon (Rn) from building materials to the living space of the room. This release takes place through different steps. These steps are represented and mathematically formulated. The diffusion of radon inside the material is described by Fick's second law. Some of the factors affecting the radon release rate (e.g. covering walls, moisture, structure of the building materials, etc.) are discussed. This scheme is used to study the impact of radon release on the gamma-radiation absorbed dose rate inside a room. The investigation is carried out by exploiting the MCNP simulation software. Different building materials are considered with different radon release rates. Special care is given to Rn due to its relatively higher half-life and higher indoor concentration than the other radon isotopes. The results of the presented model show that the radon release is of a significant impact in some building materials.

  13. Radiation dose to the eyes and parotids during CT of the sinuses.

    PubMed

    Bassim, Marc K; Ebert, Charles S; Sit, Roger C; Senior, Brent A

    2005-10-01

    To measure the radiation dose to the lens and parotid during high-resolution computed tomography scan of the sinuses. Nine cadaver heads were scanned in the axial plane by means of a fine-cut (0.75 mm) protocol. Images were then reconstructed in the coronal and sagittal planes for use with the image guidance software. Thermoluminescent dosimeters were taped over the eyes and parotids and used to measure the radiation dose absorbed by these organs. Doses obtained were 29.5 mGy for the lens and around 30 mGy for the parotid. The measured doses are lower than the reported acute thresholds of 500-2000 mGy for lens opacities and well below the threshold of 2500 mGy for damage to the parotid. These results demonstrate minimal risk from radiation through the use of high-resolution computed tomography and support the use of such a protocol for diagnosis and preoperative planning.

  14. Sci-Sat AM: Radiation Dosimetry and Practical Therapy Solutions - 06: Investigation of an absorbed dose to water formalism for a miniature low-energy x-ray source

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Watson, Peter; Seuntjens, Jan

    Purpose: We present a formalism for calculating the absorbed dose to water from a miniature x-ray source (The INTRABEAM system, Carl Zeiss), using a parallel-plate ionization chamber calibrated in terms of air-kerma. Monte Carlo calculations were performed to derive a chamber conversion factor (C{sub Q}) from reference air-kerma to dose to water for the INTRABEAM. C{sub Q} was investigated as a function of depth in water, and compared with the manufacturer’s reported value. The effect of chamber air cavity dimension tolerance was also investigated. Methods: Air-kerma (A{sub k}) from a reference beam was calculated using the EGSnrc user code cavity.more » Using egs-chamber, a model of a PTW 34013 parallel-plate ionization chamber was created according to manufacturer specifications. The dose to the chamber air cavity (D{sub gas}) was simulated both in-air (with reference beam) and in-water (with INTRABEAM source). Dose to a small water voxel (D{sub w}) was also calculated. C{sub Q} was derived from these quantities. Results: C{sub Q} was found to vary by up to 15% (1.30 vs 1.11) between chamber dimension extremes. The agreement between chamber C{sub Q} was found to improve with increasing depth in water. However, in all cases investigated, C{sub Q} was larger than the manufacturer reported value of 1.054. Conclusions: Our results show that cavity dimension tolerance has a significant effect on C{sub Q}, with differences as large as 15%. In all cases considered, C{sub Q} was found to be larger than the reported value of 1.054. This suggests that the recommended calculation underestimates the dose to water.« less

  15. Estimation of dose rates at the entrance surface for exposure scenarios of total body irradiation using MCNPX code

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cunha, J. S.; Cavalcante, F. R.; Souza, S. O.; Souza, D. N.; Santos, W. S.; Carvalho Júnior, A. B.

    2017-11-01

    One of the main criteria that must be held in Total Body Irradiation (TBI) is the uniformity of dose in the body. In TBI procedures the certification that the prescribed doses are absorbed in organs is made with dosimeters positioned on the patient skin. In this work, we modelled TBI scenarios in the MCNPX code to estimate the entrance dose rate in the skin for comparison and validation of simulations with experimental measurements from literature. Dose rates were estimated simulating an ionization chamber laterally positioned on thorax, abdomen, leg and thigh. Four exposure scenarios were simulated: ionization chamber (S1), TBI room (S2), and patient represented by hybrid phantom (S3) and water stylized phantom (S4) in sitting posture. The posture of the patient in experimental work was better represented by S4 compared with hybrid phantom, and this led to minimum and maximum percentage differences of 1.31% and 6.25% to experimental measurements for thorax and thigh regions, respectively. As for all simulations reported here the percentage differences in the estimated dose rates were less than 10%, we considered that the obtained results are consistent with experimental measurements and the modelled scenarios are suitable to estimate the absorbed dose in organs during TBI procedure.

  16. [Clinical applications of dosing algorithm in the predication of warfarin maintenance dose].

    PubMed

    Huang, Sheng-wen; Xiang, Dao-kang; An, Bang-quan; Li, Gui-fang; Huang, Ling; Wu, Hai-li

    2011-12-27

    To evaluate the feasibility of clinical application for genetic based dosing algorithm in the predication of warfarin maintenance dose in Chinese population. The clinical data were collected and blood samples harvested from a total of 126 patients undergoing heart valve replacement. The genotypes of VKORC1 and CYP2C9 were determined by melting curve analysis after PCR. They were divided randomly into the study and control groups. In the study group, the first three doses of warfarin were prescribed according to the predicted warfarin maintenance dose while warfarin was initiated at 2.5 mg/d in the control group. The warfarin doses were adjusted according to the measured international normalized ratio (INR) values. And all subjects were followed for 50 days after an initiation of warfarin therapy. At the end of a 50-day follow-up period, the proportions of the patients on a stable dose were 82.4% (42/51) and 62.5% (30/48) for the study and control groups respectively. The mean durations of reaching a stable dose of warfarin were (27.5 ± 1.8) and (34.7 ± 1.8) days and the median durations were (24.0 ± 1.7) and (33.0 ± 4.5) days in the study and control groups respectively. Significant differences existed in the durations of reaching a stable dose between the two groups (P = 0.012). Compared with the control group, the hazard ratio (HR) for the duration of reaching a stable dose was 1.786 in the study group (95%CI 1.088 - 2.875, P = 0.026). The predicted dosing algorithm incorporating genetic and non-genetic factors may shorten the duration of achieving efficiently a stable dose of warfarin. And the present study validates the feasibility of its clinical application.

  17. Single Dose and Repeat Once-Daily Dose Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of Valbenazine in Healthy Male Subjects.

    PubMed

    Luo, Rosa; Bozigian, Haig; Jimenez, Roland; Loewen, Gordon; O'Brien, Christopher F

    2017-08-01

    Valbenazine (VBZ) is a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor approved for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia. The safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of VBZ following single and repeat once-daily (QD) dosing were evaluated in 2 randomized, single-center, double-blind studies in healthy male subjects. In the first study, 2 cohorts of 8 subjects were administered single doses (SD) of placebo (PBO; N = 2/period) or VBZ (N = 6/period; 1, 2, 5, or 12.5 mg for Cohort 1 and 12.5, 25, 50, or 75 mg for Cohort 2) using a sequential escalation scheme. The second study consisted of 2 phases. In the initial phase, subjects were administered SD PBO (N = 2/period) or VBZ (N = 6/period; 75, 100, 125 or 150 mg) with sequential escalation. In the second phase, subjects received PBO, or 50 or 100 mg VBZ (N = 4:8:8) QD for 8 days (Cohort 1) or PBO or 50 mg VBZ (N = 6:6) QD for 8 days (Cohort 2). For both studies, plasma concentrations of VBZ and its active metabolite, NBI-98782, were determined. Safety was assessed throughout the studies. PK parameters were determined using noncompartmental methods. In both studies, VBZ was rapidly absorbed with peak concentrations typically observed within 1.5 hours. Peak NBI-98782 concentrations were typically observed at 4.0 to 9.0 hours. Terminal elimination half-life for both VBZ and NBI-98782 was ~20 hours. Across the 1 to 150 mg SD range evaluated across the studies, VBZ and NBI-98782 C max and AUC increased dose-proportionally from 50 to 150 mg and more than dose-proportionally from 1 to 50 mg. QD VBZ and NBI-98782 C max and AUC parameters were also dose-proportional between the 50 and 100 mg doses. Steady-state for both analytes appeared to be achieved by Day 8. The accumulation index was ~1.5 for VBZ and ~2.5 for NBI-98782. Peak to trough fluctuation was approximately 250% for VBZ and 70% for NBI-98782. Across both studies, NBI-98782 exposure was approximately 20%-30% that of VBZ based on molar ratios. In the first study

  18. Single Dose and Repeat Once-Daily Dose Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of Valbenazine in Healthy Male Subjects

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Rosa; Bozigian, Haig; Jimenez, Roland; Loewen, Gordon; O’Brien, Christopher F.

    2017-01-01

    Valbenazine (VBZ) is a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor approved for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia. The safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of VBZ following single and repeat once-daily (QD) dosing were evaluated in 2 randomized, single-center, double-blind studies in healthy male subjects. In the first study, 2 cohorts of 8 subjects were administered single doses (SD) of placebo (PBO; N = 2/period) or VBZ (N = 6/period; 1, 2, 5, or 12.5 mg for Cohort 1 and 12.5, 25, 50, or 75 mg for Cohort 2) using a sequential escalation scheme. The second study consisted of 2 phases. In the initial phase, subjects were administered SD PBO (N = 2/period) or VBZ (N = 6/period; 75, 100, 125 or 150 mg) with sequential escalation. In the second phase, subjects received PBO, or 50 or 100 mg VBZ (N = 4:8:8) QD for 8 days (Cohort 1) or PBO or 50 mg VBZ (N = 6:6) QD for 8 days (Cohort 2). For both studies, plasma concentrations of VBZ and its active metabolite, NBI-98782, were determined. Safety was assessed throughout the studies. PK parameters were determined using noncompartmental methods. In both studies, VBZ was rapidly absorbed with peak concentrations typically observed within 1.5 hours. Peak NBI-98782 concentrations were typically observed at 4.0 to 9.0 hours. Terminal elimination half-life for both VBZ and NBI-98782 was ~20 hours. Across the 1 to 150 mg SD range evaluated across the studies, VBZ and NBI-98782 Cmax and AUC increased dose-proportionally from 50 to 150 mg and more than dose-proportionally from 1 to 50 mg. QD VBZ and NBI-98782 Cmax and AUC parameters were also dose-proportional between the 50 and 100 mg doses. Steady-state for both analytes appeared to be achieved by Day 8. The accumulation index was ~1.5 for VBZ and ~2.5 for NBI-98782. Peak to trough fluctuation was approximately 250% for VBZ and 70% for NBI-98782. Across both studies, NBI-98782 exposure was approximately 20%–30% that of VBZ based on molar ratios. In the first study

  19. In vivo dose verification method in catheter based high dose rate brachytherapy.

    PubMed

    Jaselskė, Evelina; Adlienė, Diana; Rudžianskas, Viktoras; Urbonavičius, Benas Gabrielis; Inčiūra, Arturas

    2017-12-01

    In vivo dosimetry is a powerful tool for dose verification in radiotherapy. Its application in high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is usually limited to the estimation of gross errors, due to inability of the dosimetry system/ method to record non-uniform dose distribution in steep dose gradient fields close to the radioactive source. In vivo dose verification in interstitial catheter based HDR brachytherapy is crucial since the treatment is performed inserting radioactive source at the certain positions within the catheters that are pre-implanted into the tumour. We propose in vivo dose verification method for this type of brachytherapy treatment which is based on the comparison between experimentally measured and theoretical dose values calculated at well-defined locations corresponding dosemeter positions in the catheter. Dose measurements were performed using TLD 100-H rods (6 mm long, 1 mm diameter) inserted in a certain sequences into additionally pre-implanted dosimetry catheter. The adjustment of dosemeter positioning in the catheter was performed using reconstructed CT scans of patient with pre-implanted catheters. Doses to three Head&Neck and one Breast cancer patient have been measured during several randomly selected treatment fractions. It was found that the average experimental dose error varied from 4.02% to 12.93% during independent in vivo dosimetry control measurements for selected Head&Neck cancer patients and from 7.17% to 8.63% - for Breast cancer patient. Average experimental dose error was below the AAPM recommended margin of 20% and did not exceed the measurement uncertainty of 17.87% estimated for this type of dosemeters. Tendency of slightly increasing average dose error was observed in every following treatment fraction of the same patient. It was linked to the changes of theoretically estimated dosemeter positions due to the possible patient's organ movement between different treatment fractions, since catheter reconstruction was

  20. Background radiation dose of dumpsites in Ota and Environs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Usikalu, M. R.; Ola, O. O.; Achuka, J. A.; Babarimisa, I. O.; Ayara, W. A.

    2017-05-01

    In-situ measurement of background radiation dose from selected dumpsites in Ota and its environs was done using Radialert Nuclear Radiation Monitor (Digilert 200). Ten measurements were taken from each dumpsite. The measured background radiation range between 0.015 mRhr-1 for AOD and 0.028 mRhr-1 for SUS dumpsites. The calculated annual equivalent doses vary between 1.31 mSvyr-1 for AOD and 2.28 mSv/yr for SUS dumpsites. The air absorbed dose calculated ranged from 150 nGyhr-1 to 280 nGy/hr for AOD and SUS dumpsites respectively with an average value of 217 nGyhr-1 for all the locations. All the estimated parameters were higher than permissible limit set for background radiation for the general public. Conclusively, the associated challenge and radiation burden posed by the wastes on the studied locations and scavengers is high. Therefore, there is need by the regulatory authorities to look into the way and how waste can be properly managed so as to alleviate the effects on the populace leaving and working in the dumpsites vicinity.

  1. Normalized dose data for upper gastrointestinal tract contrast studies performed to infants

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Damilakis, John; Stratakis, John; Raissaki, Maria

    The aim of the current study was to (a) provide normalized dose data for the estimation of the radiation dose from upper gastrointestinal tract contrast (UGIC) studies carried out to infants and (b) estimate the average patient dose and risks associated with radiation from UGIC examinations performed in our institution. Organ and effective doses, normalized to entrance skin dose (ESD) and dose area product (DAP) were estimated for UGIC procedures utilizing the Monte Carlo N-particle (MCNP) transport code and two mathematical phantoms, one corresponding to the size of a newborn and one to the size of a 1-year-old child. Themore » validity of the MCNP results was verified by comparison with dose data obtained in physical anthropomorphic phantoms simulating a newborn and a 1-year-old infant using thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD). Data were also collected from 25 consecutive UGIC examinations performed to infants. Study participants were (a) 12 infants aged from 0.5 to 5.9 months (group 1) and (b) 13 infants aged from 6 to 15 months (group 2). For each examination, ESD and dose to comforters were measured using TLD. Patient effective doses were estimated using normalized dose data obtained in the simulation study. The risk for fatal cancer induction was estimated using appropriate coefficients. The results consist of tabulated dose data normalized to ESD or DAP for the estimation of patient dose. Conversion coefficients were estimated for various tube potentials and beam filtration values. The mean total fluoroscopy time was 1.26 and 1.62 min for groups 1 and 2, respectively. The average effective dose was 1.6 mSv for group 1 and 1.9 mSv for group 2. The risk of cancer attributable to the radiation exposure associated with a typical UGIC study was found to be up to 3 per 10 000 infants undergoing an UGIC examination. The mean radiation dose absorbed by the hands of comforters was 47 {mu}Gy. In conclusion, estimation of radiation doses associated with UGIC studies

  2. Potential implications of the bystander effect on TCP and EUD when considering target volume dose heterogeneity.

    PubMed

    Balderson, Michael J; Kirkby, Charles

    2015-01-01

    In light of in vitro evidence suggesting that radiation-induced bystander effects may enhance non-local cell killing, there is potential for impact on radiotherapy treatment planning paradigms such as the goal of delivering a uniform dose throughout the clinical target volume (CTV). This work applies a bystander effect model to calculate equivalent uniform dose (EUD) and tumor control probability (TCP) for external beam prostate treatment and compares the results with a more common model where local response is dictated exclusively by local absorbed dose. The broad assumptions applied in the bystander effect model are intended to place an upper limit on the extent of the results in a clinical context. EUD and TCP of a prostate cancer target volume under conditions of increasing dose heterogeneity were calculated using two models: One incorporating bystander effects derived from previously published in vitro bystander data ( McMahon et al. 2012 , 2013a); and one using a common linear-quadratic (LQ) response that relies exclusively on local absorbed dose. Dose through the CTV was modelled as a normal distribution, where the degree of heterogeneity was then dictated by changing the standard deviation (SD). Also, a representative clinical dose distribution was examined as cold (low dose) sub-volumes were systematically introduced. The bystander model suggests a moderate degree of dose heterogeneity throughout a target volume will yield as good or better outcome compared to a uniform dose in terms of EUD and TCP. For a typical intermediate risk prostate prescription of 78 Gy over 39 fractions maxima in EUD and TCP as a function of increasing SD occurred at SD ∼ 5 Gy. The plots only dropped below the uniform dose values for SD ∼ 10 Gy, almost 13% of the prescribed dose. Small, but potentially significant differences in the outcome metrics between the models were identified in the clinically-derived dose distribution as cold sub-volumes were introduced. In terms of

  3. Depth dose measurements with the Liulin-5 experiment inside the spherical phantom of the MATROSHKA-R project onboard the International Space Station

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Semkova, J.; Koleva, R.; Maltchev, St.; Bankov, N.; Benghin, V.; Chernykh, I.; Shurshakov, V.; Petrov, V.; Drobyshev, S.; Nikolaev, I.

    2012-02-01

    The Liulin-5 experiment is a part of the international project MATROSHKA-R on the Russian segment of the ISS, which uses a tissue-equivalent spherical phantom equipped with a set of radiation detectors. The objective of the MATROSHKA-R project is to provide depth dose distribution of the radiation field inside the sphere in order to get more information on the distribution of dose in a human body. Liulin-5 is a charged particle telescope using three silicon detectors. It measures time resolved energy deposition spectra, linear energy transfer (LET) spectra, particle flux, and absorbed doses of electrons, protons and heavy ions, simultaneously at three depths along the radius of the phantom. Measurements during the minimum of the solar activity in cycle 23 show that the average absorbed daily doses at 40 mm depth in the phantom are between 180 μGy/day and 220 μGy/day. The absorbed doses at 165 mm depth in the phantom decrease by a factor of 1.6-1.8 compared to the doses at 40 mm depth due to the self-shielding of the phantom from trapped protons. The average dose equivalent at 40 mm depth is 590 ± 32 μSV/day and the galactic cosmic rays (GCR) contribute at least 70% of the total dose equivalent at that depth. Shown is that due to the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) trapped protons asymmetry and the direction of Liulin-5 lowest shielding zone the dose rates on ascending and descending nodes in SAA are different. The data obtained are compared to data from other radiation detectors on ISS.

  4. Probability Estimates of Solar Proton Doses During Periods of Low Sunspot Number for Short Duration Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Atwell, William; Tylka, Allan J.; Dietrich, William F.; Rojdev, Kristina; Matzkind, Courtney

    2016-01-01

    In an earlier paper presented at ICES in 2015, we investigated solar particle event (SPE) radiation exposures (absorbed dose) to small, thinly-shielded spacecraft during a period when the monthly smoothed sunspot number (SSN) was less than 30. Although such months are generally considered "solar-quiet", SPEs observed during these months even include Ground Level Events, the most energetic type of SPE. In this paper, we add to previous study those SPEs that occurred in 1973-2015 when the SSN was greater than 30 but less than 50. Based on the observable energy range of the solar protons, we classify the event as GLEs, sub-GLEs, and sub-sub-GLEs, all of which are potential contributors to the radiation hazard. We use the spectra of these events to construct a probabilistic model of the absorbed dose due to solar protons when SSN < 50 at various confidence levels for various depths of shielding and for various mission durations. We provide plots and tables of solar proton-induced absorbed dose as functions of confidence level, shielding thickness, and mission-duration that will be useful to system designers.

  5. Current activities in the ICRP concerning estimation of radiation doses to patients from radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic use

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mattsson, S.; Johansson, L.; Leide-Svegborn, S.; Liniecki, J.; Nosske, D.; Riklund, K.; Stabin, M.; Taylor, D.

    2011-09-01

    A Task Group within the ICRP Committees 2 and 3 is continuously working to improve absorbed dose estimates to patients investigated with radiopharmaceuticals. The work deals with reviews of the literature, initiation of new or complementary studies of the biokinetics of a compound and dose estimates. Absorbed dose calculations for organs and tissues have up to now been carried out using the MIRD formalism. There is still a lack of necessary biokinetic data from measurements in humans. More time series obtained by nuclear medicine imaging techniques such as whole-body planar gamma-camera imaging, SPECT or PET are highly desirable for this purpose. In 2008, a new addendum to ICRP Publication 53 was published under the name of ICRP Publication 106 containing biokinetic data and absorbed dose information to organs and tissues of patients of various ages for radiopharmaceuticals in common use. That report also covers a number of generic models and realistic maximum models covering other large groups of substances (e.g. "123I-brain receptor substances"). Together with ICRP Publication 80, most radiopharmaceuticals in clinical use at the time of publication were covered except the radioiodine labeled compounds for which the ICRP dose estimates are still found in Publication 53. There is an increasing use of new radiopharmaceuticals, especially PET-tracers and the TG has recently finished its work with biokinetic and dosimetric data for 18F-FET, 18F-FLT and 18F-choline. The work continues now with new data for 11C-raclopride, 11C-PiB and 123I-ioflupan as well as re-evaluation of published data for 82Rb-chloride, 18F-fluoride and radioiodide. This paper summarises published ICRP-information on dose to patients from radiopharmaceuticals and gives some preliminary data for substances under review.

  6. Dose response evaluation of a low-density normoxic polymer gel dosimeter using MRI

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haraldsson, P.; Karlsson, A.; Wieslander, E.; Gustavsson, H.; Bäck, S. Å. J.

    2006-02-01

    A low-density (~0.6 g cm-3) normoxic polymer gel, containing the antioxidant tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosponium (THP), has been investigated with respect to basic absorbed dose response characteristics. The low density was obtained by mixing the gel with expanded polystyrene spheres. The depth dose data for 6 and 18 MV photons were compared with Monte Carlo calculations. A large volume phantom was irradiated in order to study the 3D dose distribution from a 6 MV field. Evaluation of the gel was carried out using magnetic resonance imaging. An approximately linear response was obtained for 1/T2 versus dose in the dose range of 2 to 8 Gy. A small decrease in the dose response was observed for increasing concentrations of THP. A good agreement between measured and Monte Carlo calculated data was obained, both for test tubes and the larger 3D phantom. It was shown that a normoxic polymer gel with a reduced density could be obtained by adding expanded polystyrene spheres. In order to get reliable results, it is very important to have a uniform distribution of the gel and expanded polystyrene spheres in the phantom volume.

  7. Dose mapping using MCNP code and experiment for SVST-Co-60/B irradiator in Vietnam.

    PubMed

    Tran, Van Hung; Tran, Khac An

    2010-06-01

    By using MCNP code and ethanol-chlorobenzene (ECB) dosimeters the simulations and measurements of absorbed dose distribution in a tote-box of the Cobalt-60 irradiator, SVST-Co60/B at VINAGAMMA have been done. Based on the results Dose Uniformity Ratios (DUR), positions and values of minimum and maximum dose extremes in a tote-box, and efficiency of the irradiator for the different dummy densities have been gained. There is a good agreement between simulation and experimental results in comparison and they have valuable meanings for operation of the irradiator. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. SU-E-T-477: An Efficient Dose Correction Algorithm Accounting for Tissue Heterogeneities in LDR Brachytherapy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mashouf, S; Lai, P; Karotki, A

    2014-06-01

    Purpose: Seed brachytherapy is currently used for adjuvant radiotherapy of early stage prostate and breast cancer patients. The current standard for calculation of dose surrounding the brachytherapy seeds is based on American Association of Physicist in Medicine Task Group No. 43 (TG-43 formalism) which generates the dose in homogeneous water medium. Recently, AAPM Task Group No. 186 emphasized the importance of accounting for tissue heterogeneities. This can be done using Monte Carlo (MC) methods, but it requires knowing the source structure and tissue atomic composition accurately. In this work we describe an efficient analytical dose inhomogeneity correction algorithm implemented usingmore » MIM Symphony treatment planning platform to calculate dose distributions in heterogeneous media. Methods: An Inhomogeneity Correction Factor (ICF) is introduced as the ratio of absorbed dose in tissue to that in water medium. ICF is a function of tissue properties and independent of source structure. The ICF is extracted using CT images and the absorbed dose in tissue can then be calculated by multiplying the dose as calculated by the TG-43 formalism times ICF. To evaluate the methodology, we compared our results with Monte Carlo simulations as well as experiments in phantoms with known density and atomic compositions. Results: The dose distributions obtained through applying ICF to TG-43 protocol agreed very well with those of Monte Carlo simulations as well as experiments in all phantoms. In all cases, the mean relative error was reduced by at least 50% when ICF correction factor was applied to the TG-43 protocol. Conclusion: We have developed a new analytical dose calculation method which enables personalized dose calculations in heterogeneous media. The advantages over stochastic methods are computational efficiency and the ease of integration into clinical setting as detailed source structure and tissue segmentation are not needed. University of Toronto, Natural

  9. A novel method for the evaluation of uncertainty in dose-volume histogram computation.

    PubMed

    Henríquez, Francisco Cutanda; Castrillón, Silvia Vargas

    2008-03-15

    Dose-volume histograms (DVHs) are a useful tool in state-of-the-art radiotherapy treatment planning, and it is essential to recognize their limitations. Even after a specific dose-calculation model is optimized, dose distributions computed by using treatment-planning systems are affected by several sources of uncertainty, such as algorithm limitations, measurement uncertainty in the data used to model the beam, and residual differences between measured and computed dose. This report presents a novel method to take them into account. To take into account the effect of associated uncertainties, a probabilistic approach using a new kind of histogram, a dose-expected volume histogram, is introduced. The expected value of the volume in the region of interest receiving an absorbed dose equal to or greater than a certain value is found by using the probability distribution of the dose at each point. A rectangular probability distribution is assumed for this point dose, and a formulation that accounts for uncertainties associated with point dose is presented for practical computations. This method is applied to a set of DVHs for different regions of interest, including 6 brain patients, 8 lung patients, 8 pelvis patients, and 6 prostate patients planned for intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Results show a greater effect on planning target volume coverage than in organs at risk. In cases of steep DVH gradients, such as planning target volumes, this new method shows the largest differences with the corresponding DVH; thus, the effect of the uncertainty is larger.

  10. Impact of x-ray dose on track formation and data analysis for CR-39-based proton diagnostics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rinderknecht, H. G.; Rojas-Herrera, J.; Zylstra, A. B.; Frenje, J. A.; Gatu Johnson, M.; Sio, H.; Sinenian, N.; Rosenberg, M. J.; Li, C. K.; Séguin, F. H.; Petrasso, R. D.; Filkins, T.; Steidle, Jeffrey A.; Steidle, Jessica A.; Traynor, N.; Freeman, C.

    2015-12-01

    The nuclear track detector CR-39 is used extensively for charged particle diagnosis, in particular proton spectroscopy, at inertial confinement fusion facilities. These detectors can absorb x-ray doses from the experiments in the order of 1-100 Gy, the effects of which are not accounted for in the previous detector calibrations. X-ray dose absorbed in the CR-39 has previously been shown to affect the track size of alpha particles in the detector, primarily due to a measured reduction in the material bulk etch rate [Rojas-Herrera et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 86, 033501 (2015)]. Similar to the previous findings for alpha particles, protons with energies in the range 0.5-9.1 MeV are shown to produce tracks that are systematically smaller as a function of the absorbed x-ray dose in the CR-39. The reduction of track size due to x-ray dose is found to diminish with time between exposure and etching if the CR-39 is stored at ambient temperature, and complete recovery is observed after two weeks. The impact of this effect on the analysis of data from existing CR-39-based proton diagnostics on OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility is evaluated and best practices are proposed for cases in which the effect of x rays is significant.

  11. Impact of x-ray dose on track formation and data analysis for CR-39-based proton diagnostics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rinderknecht, H. G.; Rojas-Herrera, J.; Zylstra, A. B.

    The nuclear track detector CR-39 is used extensively for charged particle diagnosis, in particular proton spectroscopy, at inertial confinement fusion facilities. These detectors can absorb x-ray doses from the experiments in the order of 1–100 Gy, the effects of which are not accounted for in the previous detector calibrations. X-ray dose absorbed in the CR-39 has previously been shown to affect the track size of alpha particles in the detector, primarily due to a measured reduction in the material bulk etch rate [Rojas-Herrera et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 86, 033501 (2015)]. Similar to the previous findings for alpha particles, protonsmore » with energies in the range 0.5–9.1 MeV are shown to produce tracks that are systematically smaller as a function of the absorbed x-ray dose in the CR-39. The reduction of track size due to x-ray dose is found to diminish with time between exposure and etching if the CR-39 is stored at ambient temperature, and complete recovery is observed after two weeks. Furthermore, the impact of this effect on the analysis of data from existing CR-39-based proton diagnostics on OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility is evaluated and best practices are proposed for cases in which the effect of x rays is significant.« less

  12. Impact of x-ray dose on track formation and data analysis for CR-39-based proton diagnostics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rinderknecht, H. G., E-mail: rinderknecht1@llnl.gov; Rojas-Herrera, J.; Zylstra, A. B.

    The nuclear track detector CR-39 is used extensively for charged particle diagnosis, in particular proton spectroscopy, at inertial confinement fusion facilities. These detectors can absorb x-ray doses from the experiments in the order of 1–100 Gy, the effects of which are not accounted for in the previous detector calibrations. X-ray dose absorbed in the CR-39 has previously been shown to affect the track size of alpha particles in the detector, primarily due to a measured reduction in the material bulk etch rate [Rojas-Herrera et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 86, 033501 (2015)]. Similar to the previous findings for alpha particles, protonsmore » with energies in the range 0.5–9.1 MeV are shown to produce tracks that are systematically smaller as a function of the absorbed x-ray dose in the CR-39. The reduction of track size due to x-ray dose is found to diminish with time between exposure and etching if the CR-39 is stored at ambient temperature, and complete recovery is observed after two weeks. The impact of this effect on the analysis of data from existing CR-39-based proton diagnostics on OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility is evaluated and best practices are proposed for cases in which the effect of x rays is significant.« less

  13. Impact of x-ray dose on track formation and data analysis for CR-39-based proton diagnostics

    DOE PAGES

    Rinderknecht, H. G.; Rojas-Herrera, J.; Zylstra, A. B.; ...

    2015-12-23

    The nuclear track detector CR-39 is used extensively for charged particle diagnosis, in particular proton spectroscopy, at inertial confinement fusion facilities. These detectors can absorb x-ray doses from the experiments in the order of 1–100 Gy, the effects of which are not accounted for in the previous detector calibrations. X-ray dose absorbed in the CR-39 has previously been shown to affect the track size of alpha particles in the detector, primarily due to a measured reduction in the material bulk etch rate [Rojas-Herrera et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 86, 033501 (2015)]. Similar to the previous findings for alpha particles, protonsmore » with energies in the range 0.5–9.1 MeV are shown to produce tracks that are systematically smaller as a function of the absorbed x-ray dose in the CR-39. The reduction of track size due to x-ray dose is found to diminish with time between exposure and etching if the CR-39 is stored at ambient temperature, and complete recovery is observed after two weeks. Furthermore, the impact of this effect on the analysis of data from existing CR-39-based proton diagnostics on OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility is evaluated and best practices are proposed for cases in which the effect of x rays is significant.« less

  14. Dosimetric quality endpoints for low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy using biological effective dose (bed) vs. conventional dose

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Singh, Rachana; Al-Hallaq, Hania; Pelizzari, Charles A.

    2003-12-31

    The purpose of this study was to compare conventional low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy dosimetric quality parameters with their biological effective dose (BED) counterparts. To validate a model for transformation from conventional dose to BED, the postimplant plans of 31 prostate brachytherapy patients were evaluated using conventional dose-volume histogram (DVH) quality endpoints and analogous BED-DVH endpoints. Based on CT scans obtained 4 weeks after implantation, DVHs were computed and standard dosimetric endpoints V100 (volume receiving 100% of the prescribed dose), V150, V200, HI (1-[V150/V100]), and D90 (dose that 90% of the target volume received) were obtained for quality analysis. Using known andmore » reported transformations, dose grids were transformed to BED-early ({alpha}/{beta} = 10 Gy) and BED-late ({alpha}/{beta} = 3 Gy) grids, and the same dosimetric endpoints were analyzed. For conventional, BED-early and BED-late DVHs, no differences in V100 were seen (0.896, 0.893, and 0.894, respectively). However, V150 and V200 were significantly higher for both BED-early (0.582 and 0.316) and BED-late (0.595 and 0.337), compared with the conventional (0.539 and 0.255) DVHs. D90 was significantly lower for the BED-early (103.1 Gy) and BED-late transformations (106.9 Gy) as compared with the conventional (119.5 Gy) DVHs. The conventional prescription parameter V100 is the same for the corresponding BED-early and BED-late transformed DVHs. The toxicity parameters V150 and V200 are slightly higher using the BED transformations, suggesting that the BED doses are somewhat higher than predicted using conventional DVHs. The prescription/quality parameter D90 is slightly lower, implying that target coverage is lower than predicted using conventional DVHs. This methodology can be applied to analyze BED dosimetric endpoints to improve clinical outcome and reduce complications of prostate brachytherapy.« less

  15. Neutron dose equivalent meter

    DOEpatents

    Olsher, Richard H.; Hsu, Hsiao-Hua; Casson, William H.; Vasilik, Dennis G.; Kleck, Jeffrey H.; Beverding, Anthony

    1996-01-01

    A neutron dose equivalent detector for measuring neutron dose capable of accurately responding to neutron energies according to published fluence to dose curves. The neutron dose equivalent meter has an inner sphere of polyethylene, with a middle shell overlying the inner sphere, the middle shell comprising RTV.RTM. silicone (organosiloxane) loaded with boron. An outer shell overlies the middle shell and comprises polyethylene loaded with tungsten. The neutron dose equivalent meter defines a channel through the outer shell, the middle shell, and the inner sphere for accepting a neutron counter tube. The outer shell is loaded with tungsten to provide neutron generation, increasing the neutron dose equivalent meter's response sensitivity above 8 MeV.

  16. High-dose Versus Low-dose Tranexamic Acid to Reduce Transfusion Requirements in Pediatric Scoliosis Surgery.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Daniel J; Johnson, Christine C; Goobie, Susan M; Nami, Nina; Wetzler, Joshua A; Sponseller, Paul D; Frank, Steven M

    2017-12-01

    Our objective was to quantify blood loss and transfusion requirements for high-dose and low-dose tranexamic acid (TXA) dosing regimens in pediatric patients undergoing spinal fusion for correction of idiopathic scoliosis. Previous investigators have established the efficacy of TXA in pediatric scoliosis surgery; however, the dosing regimens vary widely and the optimal dose has not been established. We retrospectively analyzed electronic medical records for 116 patients who underwent spinal fusion surgery for idiopathic scoliosis by a single surgeon and were treated with TXA. In total, 72 patients received a 10 mg/kg loading dose with a 1 mg/kg/h maintenance dose (low-dose) and 44 patients received 50 mg/kg loading dose with a 5 mg/kg/h maintenance dose (high-dose). Estimated blood loss and transfusion requirements were compared between dosing groups. Patient characteristics were nearly identical between the 2 groups. Compared with the low-dose TXA group, the high-dose TXA group had decreased estimated blood loss (695 vs. 968 mL, P=0.01), and a decrease in both intraoperative (0.3 vs. 0.9 units, P=0.01) and whole hospitalization (0.4 vs. 1.0 units, P=0.04) red blood cell transfusion requirements. The higher-dose TXA was associated with decreased intraoperative (P=0.01), and whole hospital transfusion (P=0.01) requirements, even after risk-adjustment for potential confounding variables. High-dose TXA is more effective than low-dose TXA in reducing blood loss and transfusion requirements in pediatric idiopathic scoliosis patients undergoing surgery. Level-III, retrospective cohort study.

  17. Switching From Age-Based Stimulus Dosing to Dose Titration Protocols in Electroconvulsive Therapy: Empirical Evidence for Better Patient Outcomes With Lower Peak and Cumulative Energy Doses.

    PubMed

    O'Neill-Kerr, Alex; Yassin, Anhar; Rogers, Stephen; Cornish, Janie

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to test the proposition that adoption of a dose titration protocol may be associated with better patient outcomes, at lower treatment dose, and with comparable cumulative dose to that in patients treated using an age-based stimulus dosing protocol. This was an analysis of data assembled from archived records and based on cohorts of patients treated respectively on an age-based stimulus dosing protocol and on a dose titration protocol in the National Health Service in England. We demonstrated a significantly better response in the patient cohort treated with dose titration than with age-based stimulus dosing. Peak doses were less and the total cumulative dose was less in the dose titration group than in the age-based stimulus dosing group. Our findings are consistent with superior outcomes in patients treated using a dose titration protocol when compared with age-based stimulus dosing in a similar cohort of patients.

  18. Fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients for heavy ions calculated using the PHITS code and the ICRP/ICRU adult reference computational phantoms.

    PubMed

    Sato, Tatsuhiko; Endo, Akira; Niita, Koji

    2010-04-21

    The fluence to organ-absorbed-dose and effective-dose conversion coefficients for heavy ions with atomic numbers up to 28 and energies from 1 MeV/nucleon to 100 GeV/nucleon were calculated using the PHITS code coupled to the ICRP/ICRU adult reference computational phantoms, following the instruction given in ICRP Publication 103 (2007 (Oxford: Pergamon)). The conversion coefficients for effective dose equivalents derived using the radiation quality factors of both Q(L) and Q(y) relationships were also estimated, utilizing the functions for calculating the probability densities of absorbed dose in terms of LET (L) and lineal energy (y), respectively, implemented in PHITS. The calculation results indicate that the effective dose can generally give a conservative estimation of the effective dose equivalent for heavy-ion exposure, although it is occasionally too conservative especially for high-energy lighter-ion irradiations. It is also found from the calculation that the conversion coefficients for the Q(y)-based effective dose equivalents are generally smaller than the corresponding Q(L)-based values because of the conceptual difference between LET and y as well as the numerical incompatibility between the Q(L) and Q(y) relationships. The calculated data of these dose conversion coefficients are very useful for the dose estimation of astronauts due to cosmic-ray exposure.

  19. 40 CFR Appendix A to Part 197 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose Equivalent

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total risk when the whole body is irradiated... internal irradiation from incorporated radionuclides, the total absorbed dose will be spread out in time...

  20. 40 CFR Appendix A to Part 197 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose Equivalent

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total risk when the whole body is irradiated... internal irradiation from incorporated radionuclides, the total absorbed dose will be spread out in time...

  1. 40 CFR Appendix A to Part 197 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose Equivalent

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total risk when the whole body is irradiated... internal irradiation from incorporated radionuclides, the total absorbed dose will be spread out in time...

  2. 40 CFR Appendix A to Part 197 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose Equivalent

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total risk when the whole body is irradiated... internal irradiation from incorporated radionuclides, the total absorbed dose will be spread out in time...

  3. 40 CFR Appendix A to Part 197 - Calculation of Annual Committed Effective Dose Equivalent

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... resulting from irradiation of the tissue or organ to the total risk when the whole body is irradiated... internal irradiation from incorporated radionuclides, the total absorbed dose will be spread out in time...

  4. 131 iodine gamma dose determination in the thyroid gland using two geometrical shapes: a comparative study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Betka, A.; Bentabet, A.; Azbouche, A.; Fenineche, N.; Adjiri, A.; Dib, A.

    2015-05-01

    In order to study the internal gamma dose, we used a Monte Carlo code ‘Penelope’ simulation with two geometrical models (cylindrical and spherical). The deposited energy was determined via the loss of energy calculated from the quantum theory for inelastic collisions based on the first-order (plane-wave) Born approximation for charged particles with individual atoms and molecules. Our results show that the cylindrical geometry is more suitable for carrying out such a study. Moreover, we developed an analytical expression for the 131 iodine gamma dose (the energy deposited per photon absorbed dose). This latter could be considered as an important tool for evaluating the gamma dose without going through stochastic models.

  5. Single-Dose and Multiple-Dose Pharmacokinetics of Nicotine 6 mg Gum.

    PubMed

    Hansson, Anna; Rasmussen, Thomas; Kraiczi, Holger

    2017-04-01

    Under-dosing is a recognized problem with current nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Therefore, a new 6mg nicotine gum has been developed. To compare the nicotine uptake from the 6mg gum versus currently available NRT products, two pharmacokinetic studies were performed. In one randomized crossover study, 44 healthy adult smokers received single doses of 6, 4, and 2mg nicotine gum, and 4mg nicotine lozenge on separate occasions. In a separate randomized crossover multiple-dose study over 11 hours, 50 healthy adult smokers received one 6mg gum every hour and 90 minutes, respectively, one 4mg gum every hour, and one 4mg lozenge every hour. In both studies, blood samples were collected over 12 hours to determine single-dose and multiple-dose pharmacokinetic variables. In the single-dose study, the amount of nicotine released from the 2, 4, and 6mg gums (1.44, 3.36, and 4.94mg) as well as the resulting maximum concentration and area under the curve (5.9, 10.1, and 13.8ng/mL, and 17.1, 30.7, 46.2ng/mL × h, respectively) increased with dose. The maximum concentration and area under the curve of the 6mg gum were 44% and 30% greater, respectively, than those for 4mg lozenge. Upon hourly administration, the steady-state average plasma nicotine concentration with 6mg gum (37.4ng/mL) was significantly higher than those for 4mg lozenge (28.3ng/mL) and 4mg gum (27.1ng/mL). Nicotine delivery via the 6mg gum results in higher plasma nicotine concentrations after a single dose and at steady state than with currently available oral NRT. Under-dosing is a recognized problem with current NRT. Therefore, a new 6mg nicotine gum has been developed. Our studies show that upon single-dose and multiple-dose administration, the 6mg gum releases and delivers more nicotine to the systemic circulation than 2mg gum, 4mg gum, and 4mg lozenge. Thus, each 6mg nicotine gum provides a higher degree of nicotine substitution and/or lasts for a longer period of time than currently available nicotine

  6. Parotid gland mean dose as a xerostomia predictor in low-dose domains.

    PubMed

    Gabryś, Hubert Szymon; Buettner, Florian; Sterzing, Florian; Hauswald, Henrik; Bangert, Mark

    2017-09-01

    Xerostomia is a common side effect of radiotherapy resulting from excessive irradiation of salivary glands. Typically, xerostomia is modeled by the mean dose-response characteristic of parotid glands and prevented by mean dose constraints to either contralateral or both parotid glands. The aim of this study was to investigate whether normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models based on the mean radiation dose to parotid glands are suitable for the prediction of xerostomia in a highly conformal low-dose regime of modern intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) techniques. We present a retrospective analysis of 153 head and neck cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. The Lyman Kutcher Burman (LKB) model was used to evaluate predictive power of the parotid gland mean dose with respect to xerostomia at 6 and 12 months after the treatment. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and precision-recall (PR) curves. Average mean doses to ipsilateral and contralateral parotid glands were 25.4 Gy and 18.7 Gy, respectively. QUANTEC constraints were met in 74% of patients. Mild to severe (G1+) xerostomia prevalence at both 6 and 12 months was 67%. Moderate to severe (G2+) xerostomia prevalence at 6 and 12 months was 20% and 15%, respectively. G1 + xerostomia was predicted reasonably well with area under the ROC curve ranging from 0.69 to 0.76. The LKB model failed to provide reliable G2 + xerostomia predictions at both time points. Reduction of the mean dose to parotid glands below QUANTEC guidelines resulted in low G2 + xerostomia rates. In this dose domain, the mean dose models predicted G1 + xerostomia fairly well, however, failed to recognize patients at risk of G2 + xerostomia. There is a need for the development of more flexible models able to capture complexity of dose response in this dose regime.

  7. Optimizing Radiation Doses for Computed Tomography Across Institutions: Dose Auditing and Best Practices.

    PubMed

    Demb, Joshua; Chu, Philip; Nelson, Thomas; Hall, David; Seibert, Anthony; Lamba, Ramit; Boone, John; Krishnam, Mayil; Cagnon, Christopher; Bostani, Maryam; Gould, Robert; Miglioretti, Diana; Smith-Bindman, Rebecca

    2017-06-01

    Radiation doses for computed tomography (CT) vary substantially across institutions. To assess the impact of institutional-level audit and collaborative efforts to share best practices on CT radiation doses across 5 University of California (UC) medical centers. In this before/after interventional study, we prospectively collected radiation dose metrics on all diagnostic CT examinations performed between October 1, 2013, and December 31, 2014, at 5 medical centers. Using data from January to March (baseline), we created audit reports detailing the distribution of radiation dose metrics for chest, abdomen, and head CT scans. In April, we shared reports with the medical centers and invited radiology professionals from the centers to a 1.5-day in-person meeting to review reports and share best practices. We calculated changes in mean effective dose 12 weeks before and after the audits and meeting, excluding a 12-week implementation period when medical centers could make changes. We compared proportions of examinations exceeding previously published benchmarks at baseline and following the audit and meeting, and calculated changes in proportion of examinations exceeding benchmarks. Of 158 274 diagnostic CT scans performed in the study period, 29 594 CT scans were performed in the 3 months before and 32 839 CT scans were performed 12 to 24 weeks after the audit and meeting. Reductions in mean effective dose were considerable for chest and abdomen. Mean effective dose for chest CT decreased from 13.2 to 10.7 mSv (18.9% reduction; 95% CI, 18.0%-19.8%). Reductions at individual medical centers ranged from 3.8% to 23.5%. The mean effective dose for abdominal CT decreased from 20.0 to 15.0 mSv (25.0% reduction; 95% CI, 24.3%-25.8%). Reductions at individual medical centers ranged from 10.8% to 34.7%. The number of CT scans that had an effective dose measurement that exceeded benchmarks was reduced considerably by 48% and 54% for chest and abdomen, respectively. After

  8. Sci—Fri PM: Dosimetry—04: Radiation out-of-field dose in the treatment of pediatric central nervous system malignancies

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Taddei, P J; Tannous, J; Nabha, R

    Children diagnosed with central nervous system (CNS) malignancies often receive radiotherapy, which can cause radiogenic late effects. In order to identify and reduce the risk of these late effects, we must understand the radiation doses that these children receive. Modern treatment planning systems accurately estimate the absorbed dose within the treatment fields but poorly estimate the dose outside them. The purpose of our study was to measure the out-of-field dose for children receiving localized radiotherapy for CNS cancer and apply an analytical model for estimating dose as a function of distance from the field edge. Radiation fields designed for amore » 12-year-old boy treated in our clinic were applied to an anthropomorphic phantom containing more than 200 thermoluminescent dosimeters. A double-Gaussian function of absorbed dose versus distance from the field edge (i.e., 50% isodose line) was applied, and parameters were allowed to vary and were fit to the model by minimizing the root mean square deviation, RMSD. The fitted model accurately predicted the dose from distances of 4 cm to 50 cm (RMSD = 0.54 cGy/Gy), but the model was not useful in estimating dose for distances less than 4 cm because of wide variation in measured dose, and the double-Gaussian model failed by systematically underestimating the dose beyond 50 cm. In conclusion, the double-Gaussian model may be applicable for points at distances from the field edge between 4 cm and 50 cm, where most children's radiosensitive tissues are located, but for points beyond 50 cm, an improvement should be investigated.« less

  9. [ESTIMATION OF IONIZING RADIATION EFFECTIVE DOSES IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CREWS BY THE METHOD OF CALCULATION MODELING].

    PubMed

    Mitrikas, V G

    2015-01-01

    Monitoring of the radiation loading on cosmonauts requires calculation of absorbed dose dynamics with regard to the stay of cosmonauts in specific compartments of the space vehicle that differ in shielding properties and lack means of radiation measurement. The paper discusses different aspects of calculation modeling of radiation effects on human body organs and tissues and reviews the effective dose estimates for cosmonauts working in one or another compartment over the previous period of the International space station operation. It was demonstrated that doses measured by a real or personal dosimeters can be used to calculate effective dose values. Correct estimation of accumulated effective dose can be ensured by consideration for time course of the space radiation quality factor.

  10. Dose and dose rate effects of whole-body gamma-irradiation: I. Lymphocytes and lymphoid organs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pecaut, M. J.; Nelson, G. A.; Gridley, D. S.

    2001-01-01

    The major goal of part I of this study was to compare varying doses and dose rates of whole-body gamma-radiation on lymphoid cells and organs. C57BL/6 mice (n = 75) were exposed to 0, 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 Gy gamma-rays (60Co) at 1 cGy/min (low-dose rate, LDR) and 80 cGy/min (high-dose rate, HDR) and euthanized 4 days later. A significant dose-dependent loss of spleen mass was observed with both LDR and HDR irradiation; for the thymus this was true only with HDR. Decreasing leukocyte and lymphocyte numbers occurred with increasing dose in blood and spleen at both dose rates. The numbers (not percentages) of CD3+ T lymphocytes decreased in the blood in a dose-dependent manner at both HDR and LDR. Splenic T cell counts decreased with dose only in HDR groups; percentages increased with dose at both dose rates. Dose-dependent decreases occurred in CD4+ T helper and CD8+ T cytotoxic cell counts at HDR and LDR. In the blood the percentages of CD4+ cells increased with increasing dose at both dose rates, whereas in the spleen the counts decreased only in the HDR groups. The percentages of the CD8+ population remained stable in both blood and spleen. CD19+ B cell counts and percentages in both compartments declined markedly with increasing HDR and LDR radiation. NK1.1+ natural killer cell numbers and proportions remained relatively stable. Overall, these data indicate that the observed changes were highly dependent on the dose, but not dose rate, and that cells in the spleen are more affected by dose rate than those in blood. The results also suggest that the response of lymphocytes in different body compartments may be variable.

  11. SCCT guidelines on radiation dose and dose-optimization strategies in cardiovascular CT

    PubMed Central

    Halliburton, Sandra S.; Abbara, Suhny; Chen, Marcus Y.; Gentry, Ralph; Mahesh, Mahadevappa; Raff, Gilbert L.; Shaw, Leslee J.; Hausleiter, Jörg

    2012-01-01

    Over the last few years, computed tomography (CT) has developed into a standard clinical test for a variety of cardiovascular conditions. The emergence of cardiovascular CT during a period of dramatic increase in radiation exposure to the population from medical procedures and heightened concern about the subsequent potential cancer risk has led to intense scrutiny of the radiation burden of this new technique. This has hastened the development and implementation of dose reduction tools and prompted closer monitoring of patient dose. In an effort to aid the cardiovascular CT community in incorporating patient-centered radiation dose optimization and monitoring strategies into standard practice, the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography has produced a guideline document to review available data and provide recommendations regarding interpretation of radiation dose indices and predictors of risk, appropriate use of scanner acquisition modes and settings, development of algorithms for dose optimization, and establishment of procedures for dose monitoring. PMID:21723512

  12. Dose rate in brachytherapy using after-loading machine: pulsed or high-dose rate?

    PubMed

    Hannoun-Lévi, J-M; Peiffert, D

    2014-10-01

    Since February 2014, it is no longer possible to use low-dose rate 192 iridium wires due to the end of industrial production of IRF1 and IRF2 sources. The Brachytherapy Group of the French society of radiation oncology (GC-SFRO) has recommended switching from iridium wires to after-loading machines. Two types of after-loading machines are currently available, based on the dose rate used: pulsed-dose rate or high-dose rate. In this article, we propose a comparative analysis between pulsed-dose rate and high-dose rate brachytherapy, based on biological, technological, organizational and financial considerations. Copyright © 2014 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Primary and secondary particle contributions to the depth dose distribution in a phantom shielded from solar flare and Van Allen protons

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Santoro, R. T.; Claiborne, H. C.; Alsmiller, R. G., Jr.

    1972-01-01

    Calculations have been made using the nucleon-meson transport code NMTC to estimate the absorbed dose and dose equivalent distributions in astronauts inside space vehicles bombarded by solar flare and Van Allen protons. A spherical shell shield of specific radius and thickness with a 30-cm-diam. tissue ball at the geometric center was used to simulate the spacecraft-astronaut configuration. The absorbed dose and the dose equivalent from primary protons, secondary protons, heavy nuclei, charged pions, muons, photons, and positrons and electrons are given as a function of depth in the tissue phantom. Results are given for solar flare protons with a characteristic rigidity of 100 MV and for Van Allen protons in a 240-nautical-mile circular orbit at 30 degree inclination angle incident on both 20-g/sq cm-thick aluminum and polyethylene spherical shell shields.

  14. Determination of absorbed dose to water for high-energy photon and electron beams-comparison of the standards DIN 6800-2 (1997), IAEA TRS 398 (2000) and DIN 6800-2 (2006)

    PubMed Central

    Zakaria, Golam Abu; Schuette, Wilhelm

    2007-01-01

    For the determination of the absorbed dose to water for high-energy photon and electron beams the IAEA code of practice TRS-398 (2000) is applied internationally. In Germany, the German dosimetry protocol DIN 6800-2 (1997) is used. Recently, the DIN standard has been revised and published as Draft National Standard DIN 6800-2 (2006). It has adopted widely the methodology and dosimetric data of the code of practice. This paper compares these three dosimetry protocols systematically and identifies similarities as well as differences. The investigation was done with 6 and 18 MV photon as well as 5 to 21 MeV electron beams. While only cylindrical chambers were used for photon beams, measurements of electron beams were performed using cylindrical as well as plane-parallel chambers. The discrepancies in the determination of absorbed dose to water between the three protocols were 0.4% for photon beams and 1.5% for electron beams. Comparative measurements showed a deviation of less than 0.5% between our measurements following protocol DIN 6800-2 (2006) and TLD inter-comparison procedure in an external audit. PMID:21217912

  15. Single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of dapoxetine hydrochloride, a novel agent for the treatment of premature ejaculation.

    PubMed

    Modi, Nishit B; Dresser, Mark J; Simon, Mary; Lin, Denise; Desai, Dhaval; Gupta, Suneel

    2006-03-01

    Dapoxetine is a serotonin transporter inhibitor currently in development for the treatment of premature ejaculation. This randomized, 2-sequence, 2-treatment crossover study assessed the single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of dapoxetine following once-daily administration of dapoxetine 30 mg and 60 mg to healthy male volunteers. Dapoxetine was rapidly absorbed following oral administration, with peak plasma concentrations reached approximately 1 hour after dosing; plasma concentrations after single doses of dapoxetine decreased rapidly to approximately 5% of peak concentrations by 24 hours. Elimination was biphasic, with an initial half-life of approximately 1.4 hours and a terminal half-life of approximately 20 hours. Dapoxetine showed time-invariant pharmacokinetics and dose proportionality between doses, and its pharmacokinetics was unaffected by multiple dosing. The pharmacokinetics of dapoxetine metabolites, desmethyldapoxetine and dapoxetine-N-oxide, was similarly unaffected by multiple dosing. There were no serious adverse events; the most commonly reported adverse events were diarrhea, dizziness, and nausea.

  16. On effective dose for radiotherapy based on doses to nontarget organs and tissues

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Uselmann, Adam J., E-mail: ajuselmann@wisc.edu; Thomadsen, Bruce R.

    2015-02-15

    Purpose: The National Council for Radiation Protection and Measurement (NCRP) published estimates for the collective population dose and the mean effective dose to the population of the United States from medical imaging procedures for 1980/1982 and for 2006. The earlier report ignored the effective dose from radiotherapy and the latter gave a cursory discussion of the topic but again did not include it in the population exposure for various reasons. This paper explains the methodology used to calculate the effective dose in due to radiotherapy procedures in the latter NCRP report and revises the values based on more detailed modeling.more » Methods: This study calculated the dose to nontarget organs from radiotherapy for reference populations using CT images and published peripheral dose data. Results: Using International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 60 weighting factors, the total effective dose to nontarget organs in radiotherapy patients is estimated as 298 ± 194 mSv per patient, while the U.S. population effective dose is 0.939 ± 0.610 mSv per person, with a collective dose of 283 000 ± 184 000 person Sv per year. Using ICRP 103 weighting factors, the effective dose is 281 ± 183 mSv per patient, 0.887 ± 0.577 mSv per person in the U.S., and 268 000 ± 174 000 person Sv per year. The uncertainty in the calculations is largely governed by variations in patient size, which was accounted for by considering a range of patient sizes and taking the average treatment site to nontarget organ distance. Conclusions: The methods used to estimate the effective doses from radiotherapy used in NCRP Report No. 160 have been explained and the values updated.« less

  17. Calculation of midplane dose for total body irradiation from entrance and exit dose MOSFET measurements.

    PubMed

    Satory, P R

    2012-03-01

    This work is the development of a MOSFET based surface in vivo dosimetry system for total body irradiation patients treated with bilateral extended SSD beams using PMMA missing tissue compensators adjacent to the patient. An empirical formula to calculate midplane dose from MOSFET measured entrance and exit doses has been derived. The dependency of surface dose on the air-gap between the spoiler and the surface was investigated by suspending a spoiler above a water phantom, and taking percentage depth dose measurements (PDD). Exit and entrances doses were measured with MOSFETs in conjunction with midplane doses measured with an ion chamber. The entrance and exit doses were combined using an exponential attenuation formula to give an estimate of midplane dose and were compared to the midplane ion chamber measurement for a range of phantom thicknesses. Having a maximum PDD at the surface simplifies the prediction of midplane dose, which is achieved by ensuring that the air gap between the compensator and the surface is less than 10 cm. The comparison of estimated midplane dose and measured midplane dose showed no dependence on phantom thickness and an average correction factor of 0.88 was found. If the missing tissue compensators are kept within 10 cm of the patient then MOSFET measurements of entrance and exit dose can predict the midplane dose for the patient.

  18. Ascending-dose study of noribogaine in healthy volunteers: pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety, and tolerability.

    PubMed

    Glue, Paul; Lockhart, Michelle; Lam, Fred; Hung, Noelyn; Hung, Cheung-Tak; Friedhoff, Lawrence

    2015-02-01

    Noribogaine is the active metabolite of the naturally occurring psychoactive substance ibogaine, and may help suppress withdrawal symptoms in opioid-dependent subjects. The objectives of this Phase I study were to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic profiles of noribogaine. In this ascending single-dose, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study in 36 healthy drug-free male volunteers, 4 cohorts (n = 9) received oral doses of 3, 10, 30, or 60 mg or matching placebo, with intensive safety and pharmacokinetic assessments out to 216 hours, along with pharmacodynamic assessments sensitive to the effects of mu-opioid agonists. Noribogaine was rapidly absorbed, with peak concentrations occurring 2-3 hours after oral dosing, and showed dose-linear increases of area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and Cmax between 3 and 60 mg. The drug was slowly eliminated, with mean half-life estimates of 28-49 hours across dose groups. Apparent volume of distribution was high (mean 1417-3086 L across dose groups). No safety or tolerability issues were identified in any cohort. No mu-opioid agonist pharmacodynamic effects were noted in pupillometry or cold-pressor testing. Single oral doses of noribogaine 3-60 mg were safe and well tolerated in healthy volunteers. © 2014, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

  19. SU-F-T-159: Monte Carlo Simulation Studies of Three-Dimensional Dose Distribution for Polymer Gel Dosimeter and Radiochromic Gel Dosimeter in a Proton Beam

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Park, M; Kim, G; Jung, H

    Purpose: The purpose of this simulation study is to evaluate the proton detectability of gel dosimeters, and estimate the three-dimensional dose distribution of protons in the radiochromic gel and polymer gel dosimeter compared with the dose distribution in water. Methods: The commercial composition ratios of normoxic polymer gel and LCV micelle radiochromic gel were included in this simulation study. The densities of polymer and radiochromic gel were 1.024 and 1.005 g/cm3, respectively. The 50, 80 and 140 MeV proton beam energies were selected. The dose distributions of protons in the polymer and radiochromic gel were simulated using Monte Carlo radiationmore » transport code (MCNPX 2.7.0, Los Alamos Laboratory). The water equivalent depth profiles and the dose distributions of two gel dosimeters were compared for the water. Results: In case of irradiating 50, 80 and 140 MeV proton beam to water phantom, the reference Bragg-peak depths are represented at 2.22, 5.18 and 13.98 cm, respectively. The difference in the water equivalent depth is represented to about 0.17 and 0.37 cm in the radiochromic gel and polymer gel dosimeter, respectively. The proton absorbed doses in the radiochromic gel dosimeter are calculated to 2.41, 3.92 and 6.90 Gy with increment of incident proton energies. In the polymer gel dosimeter, the absorbed doses are calculated to 2.37, 3.85 and 6.78 Gy with increment of incident proton energies. The relative absorbed dose in radiochromic gel (about 0.47 %) is similar to that of water than the relative absorbed dose of polymer gel (about 2.26 %). In evaluating the proton dose distribution, we found that the dose distribution of both gel dosimeters matched that of water in most cases. Conclusion: As the dosimetry device, the radiochromic gel dosimeter has the potential particle detectability and is feasible to use for quality assurance of proton beam therapy beam.« less

  20. Conversion coefficients for determination of dispersed photon dose during radiotherapy: NRUrad input code for MCNP.

    PubMed

    Shahmohammadi Beni, Mehrdad; Ng, C Y P; Krstic, D; Nikezic, D; Yu, K N

    2017-01-01

    Radiotherapy is a common cancer treatment module, where a certain amount of dose will be delivered to the targeted organ. This is achieved usually by photons generated by linear accelerator units. However, radiation scattering within the patient's body and the surrounding environment will lead to dose dispersion to healthy tissues which are not targets of the primary radiation. Determination of the dispersed dose would be important for assessing the risk and biological consequences in different organs or tissues. In the present work, the concept of conversion coefficient (F) of the dispersed dose was developed, in which F = (Dd/Dt), where Dd was the dispersed dose in a non-targeted tissue and Dt is the absorbed dose in the targeted tissue. To quantify Dd and Dt, a comprehensive model was developed using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) package to simulate the linear accelerator head, the human phantom, the treatment couch and the radiotherapy treatment room. The present work also demonstrated the feasibility and power of parallel computing through the use of the Message Passing Interface (MPI) version of MCNP5.

  1. Conversion coefficients for determination of dispersed photon dose during radiotherapy: NRUrad input code for MCNP

    PubMed Central

    Krstic, D.; Nikezic, D.

    2017-01-01

    Radiotherapy is a common cancer treatment module, where a certain amount of dose will be delivered to the targeted organ. This is achieved usually by photons generated by linear accelerator units. However, radiation scattering within the patient’s body and the surrounding environment will lead to dose dispersion to healthy tissues which are not targets of the primary radiation. Determination of the dispersed dose would be important for assessing the risk and biological consequences in different organs or tissues. In the present work, the concept of conversion coefficient (F) of the dispersed dose was developed, in which F = (Dd/Dt), where Dd was the dispersed dose in a non-targeted tissue and Dt is the absorbed dose in the targeted tissue. To quantify Dd and Dt, a comprehensive model was developed using the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) package to simulate the linear accelerator head, the human phantom, the treatment couch and the radiotherapy treatment room. The present work also demonstrated the feasibility and power of parallel computing through the use of the Message Passing Interface (MPI) version of MCNP5. PMID:28362837

  2. Dose heterogeneity correction for low-energy brachytherapy sources using dual-energy CT images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mashouf, S.; Lechtman, E.; Lai, P.; Keller, B. M.; Karotki, A.; Beachey, D. J.; Pignol, J. P.

    2014-09-01

    Permanent seed implant brachytherapy is currently used for adjuvant radiotherapy of early stage prostate and breast cancer patients. The current standard for calculation of dose around brachytherapy sources is based on the AAPM TG-43 formalism, which generates the dose in a homogeneous water medium. Recently, AAPM TG-186 emphasized the importance of accounting for tissue heterogeneities. We have previously reported on a methodology where the absorbed dose in tissue can be obtained by multiplying the dose, calculated by the TG-43 formalism, by an inhomogeneity correction factor (ICF). In this work we make use of dual energy CT (DECT) images to extract ICF parameters. The advantage of DECT over conventional CT is that it eliminates the need for tissue segmentation as well as assignment of population based atomic compositions. DECT images of a heterogeneous phantom were acquired and the dose was calculated using both TG-43 and TG-43 × \\text{ICF} formalisms. The results were compared to experimental measurements using Gafchromic films in the mid-plane of the phantom. For a seed implant configuration of 8 seeds spaced 1.5 cm apart in a cubic structure, the gamma passing score for 2%/2 mm criteria improved from 40.8% to 90.5% when ICF was applied to TG-43 dose distributions.

  3. Dose escalation using conformal high-dose-rate brachytherapy improves outcome in unfavorable prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Martinez, Alvaro A; Gustafson, Gary; Gonzalez, José; Armour, Elwood; Mitchell, Chris; Edmundson, Gregory; Spencer, William; Stromberg, Jannifer; Huang, Raywin; Vicini, Frank

    2002-06-01

    To overcome radioresistance for patients with unfavorable prostate cancer, a prospective trial of pelvic external beam irradiation (EBRT) interdigitated with dose-escalating conformal high-dose-rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy was performed. Between November 1991 and August 2000, 207 patients were treated with 46 Gy pelvic EBRT and increasing HDR brachytherapy boost doses (5.50-11.5 Gy/fraction) during 5 weeks. The eligibility criteria were pretreatment prostate-specific antigen level >or=10.0 ng/mL, Gleason score >or=7, or clinical Stage T2b or higher. Patients were divided into 2 dose levels, low-dose biologically effective dose <93 Gy (58 patients) and high-dose biologically effective dose >93 Gy (149 patients). No patient received hormones. We used the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology definition for biochemical failure. The median age was 69 years. The mean follow-up for the group was 4.4 years, and for the low and high-dose levels, it was 7.0 and 3.4 years, respectively. The actuarial 5-year biochemical control rate was 74%, and the overall, cause-specific, and disease-free survival rate was 92%, 98%, and 68%, respectively. The 5-year biochemical control rate for the low-dose group was 52%; the rate for the high-dose group was 87% (p <0.001). Improvement occurred in the cause-specific survival in favor of the brachytherapy high-dose level (p = 0.014). On multivariate analysis, a low-dose level, higher Gleason score, and higher nadir value were associated with increased biochemical failure. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Grade 3 gastrointestinal/genitourinary complications ranged from 0.5% to 9%. The actuarial 5-year impotency rate was 51%. Pelvic EBRT interdigitated with transrectal ultrasound-guided real-time conformal HDR prostate brachytherapy boost is both a precise dose delivery system and a very effective treatment for unfavorable prostate cancer. We demonstrated an incremental beneficial effect on biochemical control and

  4. Human papillomavirus vaccination coverage using two-dose or three-dose schedule criteria.

    PubMed

    Lin, Xia; Rodgers, Loren; Zhu, Liping; Stokley, Shannon; Meites, Elissa; Markowitz, Lauri E

    2017-10-13

    In October 2016, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination recommendation to include a 2-dose schedule for U.S. adolescents initiating the vaccine series before their 15th birthday. We analyzed records for >4million persons aged 9-17years receiving any HPV vaccine by the end of each quarter during January 1, 2014-September 30, 2016 from six Immunization Information Systems Sentinel Sites, and reclassified HPV vaccination up-to-date coverage according to the updated recommendations. Compared with HPV vaccination up-to-date coverage by the 3-dose schedule only, including criteria for either a 2-dose or 3-dose schedule increased up-to-date coverage in 11-12, 13-14, and 15-17 year-olds by 4.5-8.5 percentage points. The difference between 3-dose up-to-date coverage and 2- or 3-dose up-to-date coverage was greatest in late 2016. These data provide baseline HPV vaccination coverage using current ACIP recommendations. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. In vivo urethral dose measurements: a method to verify high dose rate prostate treatments.

    PubMed

    Brezovich, I A; Duan, J; Pareek, P N; Fiveash, J; Ezekiel, M

    2000-10-01

    Radiation doses delivered in high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy are susceptible to many inaccuracies and errors, including imaging, planning and delivery. Consequently, the dose delivered to the patient may deviate substantially from the treatment plan. We investigated the feasibility of using TLD measurements in the urethra to estimate the discrepancy in treatments for prostate cancer. The dose response of the 1 mm diam, 6 mm long LiF rods that we used for the in vivo measurements was calibrated with the 192Ir HDR source, as well as a 60Co teletherapy unit. A train of 20 rods contained in a sterile plastic tube was inserted into the urethral (Foley) catheter for the duration of a treatment fraction, and the measured doses were compared to the treatment plan. Initial results from a total of seven treatments in four patients show good agreement between theory and experiment. Analysis of any one treatment showed agreement within 11.7% +/- 6.2% for the highest dose encountered in the central prostatic urethra, and within 10.4% +/- 4.4% for the mean dose. Taking the average over all seven treatments shows agreement within 1.7% for the maximum urethral dose, and within 1.5% for the mean urethral dose. Based on these initial findings it seems that planned prostate doses can be accurately reproduced in the clinic.

  6. A feasibility study to calculate unshielded fetal doses to pregnant patients in 6-MV photon treatments using Monte Carlo methods and anatomically realistic phantoms

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bednarz, Bryan; Xu, X. George

    2008-07-15

    A Monte Carlo-based procedure to assess fetal doses from 6-MV external photon beam radiation treatments has been developed to improve upon existing techniques that are based on AAPM Task Group Report 36 published in 1995 [M. Stovall et al., Med. Phys. 22, 63-82 (1995)]. Anatomically realistic models of the pregnant patient representing 3-, 6-, and 9-month gestational stages were implemented into the MCNPX code together with a detailed accelerator model that is capable of simulating scattered and leakage radiation from the accelerator head. Absorbed doses to the fetus were calculated for six different treatment plans for sites above the fetusmore » and one treatment plan for fibrosarcoma in the knee. For treatment plans above the fetus, the fetal doses tended to increase with increasing stage of gestation. This was due to the decrease in distance between the fetal body and field edge with increasing stage of gestation. For the treatment field below the fetus, the absorbed doses tended to decrease with increasing gestational stage of the pregnant patient, due to the increasing size of the fetus and relative constant distance between the field edge and fetal body for each stage. The absorbed doses to the fetus for all treatment plans ranged from a maximum of 30.9 cGy to the 9-month fetus to 1.53 cGy to the 3-month fetus. The study demonstrates the feasibility to accurately determine the absorbed organ doses in the mother and fetus as part of the treatment planning and eventually in risk management.« less

  7. Reducing absorbed dose to eye lenses in head CT examinations: the effect of bismuth shielding.

    PubMed

    Ciarmatori, Alberto; Nocetti, L; Mistretta, G; Zambelli, G; Costi, T

    2016-06-01

    The eye lens is considered to be among the most radiosensitive human tissues. Brain CT scans may unnecessarily expose it to radiation even if the area of clinical interest is far from the eyes. The aim of this study is to implement a bismuth eye lens shielding system for Head-CT acquisitions in these cases. The study is focused on the assessment of the dosimetric characteristics of the shielding system as well as on its effect on image quality. The shielding system was tested in two set-ups which differ for distance ("contact" and "4 cm" Set up respectively). Scans were performed on a CTDI phantom and an anthropomorphic phantom. A reference set up without shielding system was acquired to establish a baseline. Image quality was assessed by signal (not HU converted), noise and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) evaluation. The overall dose reduction was evaluated by measuring the CTDIvol while the eye lens dose reduction was assessed by placing thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) on an anthropomorphic phantom. The image quality analysis exhibits the presence of an artefact that mildly increases the CT number up to 3 cm below the shielding system. Below the artefact, the difference of the Signal and the CNR are negligible between the three different set-ups. Regarding the CTDI, the analysis demonstrates a decrease by almost 12 % (in the "contact" set-up) and 9 % (in the "4 cm" set-up). TLD measurements exhibit an eye lens dose reduction by 28.5 ± 5 and 21.1 ± 5 % respectively at the "contact" and the "4 cm" distance. No relevant artefact was found and image quality was not affected by the shielding system. Significant dose reductions were measured. These features make the shielding set-up useful for clinical implementation in both studied positions.

  8. Radon survey and soil gamma doses in primary schools of Batman, Turkey.

    PubMed

    Damla, Nevzat; Aldemir, Kamuran

    2014-06-01

    A survey was conducted to evaluate levels of indoor radon and gamma doses in 42 primary schools located in Batman, southeastern Anatolia, Turkey. Indoor radon measurements were carried out using CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detector-based radon dosimeters. The overall mean annual (222)Rn activity in the surveyed area was found to be 49 Bq m(-3) (equivalent to an annual effective dose of 0.25 mSv). However, in one of the districts (Besiri) the maximum radon value turned out to be 307 Bq m(-3). The estimated annual effective doses are less than the recommended action level (3-10 mSv). It is found that the radon concentration decreases with increasing floor number. The concentrations of natural and artificial radioisotopes were determined using gamma-ray spectroscopy for soil samples collected in close vicinity of the studied schools. The mean gamma activity concentrations in the soil samples were 31, 25, 329 and 12 Bq kg(-1) for (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs, respectively. The radiological parameters such as the absorbed dose rate in air and the annual effective dose equivalent were calculated. These radiological parameters were evaluated and compared with the internationally recommended values.

  9. Entrance surface dose in cerebral interventional radiology procedures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barrera-Rico, M.; López-Rendón, X.; Rivera-Ordóñez, C. E.; Gamboa-deBuen, I.

    2012-10-01

    At the Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía (INNN) diagnostic as well as therapeutic procedures of interventional radiology are carried out. Since the procedures can last from some minutes to several hours, the absorbed dose for the patient could increase dangerously. An investigation had begun in order to determine the entrance surface dose (ESD) using 25 thermoluminiscent dosimeters TLD-100 and 8 strips of 15 ×1 cm2 of Gafchromic XR-QA2 film bound in a holder of 15×15 cm2 in the posteroanterior (PA) and lateral (LAT) positions during all the procedure. The results show that maximum ESD could be from 0.9 to 2.9 Gy for the PA position and between 1.6 and 2.5 Gy for the lateral position. The average ESD was between 0.7 and 1.3 Gy for the PA position, and from 0.44 to 1.1 Gy for the lateral position in a therapeutic procedure.

  10. A comparison of simple and realistic eye models for calculation of fluence to dose conversion coefficients in a broad parallel beam incident of protons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakhaee, Mahmoud; Vejdani-Noghreiyan, Alireza; Ebrahimi-Khankook, Atiyeh

    2015-01-01

    Radiation induced cataract has been demonstrated among people who are exposed to ionizing radiation. To evaluate the deterministic effects of ionizing radiation on the eye lens, several papers dealing with the eye lens dose have been published. ICRP Publication 103 states that the lens of the eye may be more radiosensitive than previously considered. Detailed investigation of the response of the lens showed that there are strong differences in sensitivity to ionizing radiation exposure with respect to cataract induction among the tissues of the lens of the eye. This motivated several groups to look deeper into issue of the dose to a sensitive cell population within the lens, especially for radiations with low energy penetrability that have steep dose gradients inside the lens. Two sophisticated mathematical models of the eye including the inner structure have been designed for the accurate dose estimation in recent years. This study focuses on the calculations of the absorbed doses of different parts of the eye using the stylized models located in UF-ORNL phantom and comparison with the data calculated with the reference computational phantom in a broad parallel beam incident of protons with energies between 20 MeV and 10 GeV. The obtained results indicate that the total lens absorbed doses of reference phantom has good compliance with those of the more sensitive regions of stylized models. However, total eye absorbed dose of these models greatly differ with each other for lower energies.

  11. Dose equivalent near the bone-soft tissue interface from nuclear fragments produced by high-energy protons

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shavers, M. R.; Poston, J. W.; Cucinotta, F. A.; Wilson, J. W.

    1996-01-01

    During manned space missions, high-energy nucleons of cosmic and solar origin collide with atomic nuclei of the human body and produce a broad linear energy transfer spectrum of secondary particles, called target fragments. These nuclear fragments are often more biologically harmful than the direct ionization of the incident nucleon. That these secondary particles increase tissue absorbed dose in regions adjacent to the bone-soft tissue interface was demonstrated in a previous publication. To assess radiological risks to tissue near the bone-soft tissue interface, a computer transport model for nuclear fragments produced by high energy nucleons was used in this study to calculate integral linear energy transfer spectra and dose equivalents resulting from nuclear collisions of 1-GeV protons transversing bone and red bone marrow. In terms of dose equivalent averaged over trabecular bone marrow, target fragments emitted from interactions in both tissues are predicted to be at least as important as the direct ionization of the primary protons-twice as important, if recently recommended radiation weighting factors and "worst-case" geometry are used. The use of conventional dosimetry (absorbed dose weighted by aa linear energy transfer-dependent quality factor) as an appropriate framework for predicting risk from low fluences of high-linear energy transfer target fragments is discussed.

  12. A general model for stray dose calculation of static and intensity-modulated photon radiation.

    PubMed

    Hauri, Pascal; Hälg, Roger A; Besserer, Jürgen; Schneider, Uwe

    2016-04-01

    There is an increasing number of cancer survivors who are at risk of developing late effects caused by ionizing radiation such as induction of second tumors. Hence, the determination of out-of-field dose for a particular treatment plan in the patient's anatomy is of great importance. The purpose of this study was to analytically model the stray dose according to its three major components. For patient scatter, a mechanistic model was developed. For collimator scatter and head leakage, an empirical approach was used. The models utilize a nominal beam energy of 6 MeV to describe two linear accelerator types of a single vendor. The parameters of the models were adjusted using ionization chamber measurements registering total absorbed dose in simple geometries. Whole-body dose measurements using thermoluminescent dosimeters in an anthropomorphic phantom for static and intensity-modulated treatment plans were compared to the 3D out-of-field dose distributions calculated by a combined model. The absolute mean difference between the whole-body predicted and the measured out-of-field dose of four different plans was 11% with a maximum difference below 44%. Computation time of 36 000 dose points for one field was around 30 s. By combining the model-calculated stray dose with the treatment planning system dose, the whole-body dose distribution can be viewed in the treatment planning system. The results suggest that the model is accurate, fast and can be used for a wide range of treatment modalities to calculate the whole-body dose distribution for clinical analysis. For similar energy spectra, the mechanistic patient scatter model can be used independently of treatment machine or beam orientation.

  13. Bayesian dose-response analysis for epidemiological studies with complex uncertainty in dose estimation.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Deukwoo; Hoffman, F Owen; Moroz, Brian E; Simon, Steven L

    2016-02-10

    Most conventional risk analysis methods rely on a single best estimate of exposure per person, which does not allow for adjustment for exposure-related uncertainty. Here, we propose a Bayesian model averaging method to properly quantify the relationship between radiation dose and disease outcomes by accounting for shared and unshared uncertainty in estimated dose. Our Bayesian risk analysis method utilizes multiple realizations of sets (vectors) of doses generated by a two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation method that properly separates shared and unshared errors in dose estimation. The exposure model used in this work is taken from a study of the risk of thyroid nodules among a cohort of 2376 subjects who were exposed to fallout from nuclear testing in Kazakhstan. We assessed the performance of our method through an extensive series of simulations and comparisons against conventional regression risk analysis methods. When the estimated doses contain relatively small amounts of uncertainty, the Bayesian method using multiple a priori plausible draws of dose vectors gave similar results to the conventional regression-based methods of dose-response analysis. However, when large and complex mixtures of shared and unshared uncertainties are present, the Bayesian method using multiple dose vectors had significantly lower relative bias than conventional regression-based risk analysis methods and better coverage, that is, a markedly increased capability to include the true risk coefficient within the 95% credible interval of the Bayesian-based risk estimate. An evaluation of the dose-response using our method is presented for an epidemiological study of thyroid disease following radiation exposure. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Feasibility study on inverse four-dimensional dose reconstruction using the continuous dose-image of EPID

    PubMed Central

    Yeo, Inhwan Jason; Jung, Jae Won; Yi, Byong Yong; Kim, Jong Oh

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: When an intensity-modulated radiation beam is delivered to a moving target, the interplay effect between dynamic beam delivery and the target motion due to miss-synchronization can cause unpredictable dose delivery. The portal dose image in electronic portal imaging device (EPID) represents radiation attenuated and scattered through target media. Thus, it may possess information about delivered radiation to the target. Using a continuous scan (cine) mode of EPID, which provides temporal dose images related to target and beam movements, the authors’ goal is to perform four-dimensional (4D) dose reconstruction. Methods: To evaluate this hypothesis, first, the authors have derived and subsequently validated a fast method of dose reconstruction based on virtual beamlet calculations of dose responses using a test intensity-modulated beam. This method was necessary for processing a large number of EPID images pertinent for four-dimensional reconstruction. Second, cine mode acquisition after summation over all images was validated through comparison with integration mode acquisition on EPID (IAS3 and aS1000) for the test beam. This was to confirm the agreement of the cine mode with the integrated mode, specifically for the test beam, which is an accepted mode of image acquisition for dosimetry with EPID. Third, in-phantom film and exit EPID dosimetry was performed on a moving platform using the same beam. Heterogeneous as well as homogeneous phantoms were used. The cine images were temporally sorted at 10% interval. The authors have performed dose reconstruction to the in-phantom plane from the sorted cine images using the above validated method of dose reconstruction. The reconstructed dose from each cine image was summed to compose a total reconstructed dose from the test beam delivery, and was compared with film measurements. Results: The new method of dose reconstruction was validated showing greater than 95.3% pass rates of the gamma test with the criteria

  15. Determination of gonad doses during robotic stereotactic radiosurgery for various tumor sites

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zorlu, Faruk; Dugel, Gozde; Ozyigit, Gokhan

    Purpose: The authors evaluated the absorbed dose received by the gonads during robotic stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for the treatment of different tumor localizations. Methods: The authors measured the gonad doses during the treatment of head and neck, thoracic, abdominal, or pelvic tumors in both RANDO phantom and actual patients. The computerized tomography images were transferred to the treatment planning system. The contours of tumor and critical organs were delineated on each slice, and treatment plans were generated. Measurements for gonad doses were taken from the geometric projection of the ovary onto the skin for female patients, and from the scrotalmore » skin for male patients by attaching films and Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). SRS was delivered with CyberKnife (Accuray Inc., Sunnyvale, CA). Results: The median gonadal doses with TLD and film dosimeter in actual patients were 0.19 Gy (range, 0.035-2.71 Gy) and 0.34 Gy (range, 0.066-3.18 Gy), respectively. In the RANDO phantom, the median ovarian doses with TLD and film dosimeter were 0.08 Gy (range, 0.03-0.159 Gy) and 0.05 Gy (range, 0.015-0.13 Gy), respectively. In the RANDO phantom, the median testicular doses with TLD and film dosimeter were 0.134 Gy (range 0.056-1.97 Gy) and 0.306 Gy (range, 0.065-2.25 Gy). Conclusions: Gonad doses are below sterility threshold in robotic SRS for different tumor localizations. However, particular attention should be given to gonads during robotic SRS for pelvic tumors.« less

  16. Lateral topography for reducing effective dose in low-dose chest CT.

    PubMed

    Bang, Dong-Ho; Lim, Daekeon; Hwang, Wi-Sub; Park, Seong-Hoon; Jeong, Ok-man; Kang, Kyung Wook; Kang, Hohyung

    2013-06-01

    The purposes of this study were to assess radiation exposure during low-dose chest CT by using lateral topography and to compare the lateral topographic findings with findings obtained with anteroposterior topography alone and anteroposterior and lateral topography combined. From November 2011 to February 2012, 210 male subjects were enrolled in the study. Age, weight, and height of the men were recorded. All subjects were placed into one of three subgroups based on the type of topographic image obtained: anteroposterior topography, lateral topography, and both anteroposterior and lateral topography. Imaging was performed with a 128-MDCT scanner. CT, except for topography, was the same for all subjects. A radiologist analyzed each image, recorded scan length, checked for any insufficiencies in the FOV, and calculated the effective radiation dose. One-way analysis of variance and multiple comparisons were used to compare the effective radiation exposure and scan length between groups. The mean scan length in the anteroposterior topography group was significantly greater than that of the lateral topography group and the combined anteroposterior and lateral topography group (p < 0.001). The mean effective radiation dose for the lateral topography group (0.735 ± 0.033 mSv) was significantly lower than that for the anteroposterior topography group (0.763 ± 0.038 mSv) and the combined anteroposterior and lateral topography group (0.773 ± 0.038) (p < 0.001). Lateral topographic low-dose CT was associated with a lower effective radiation dose and scan length than either anteroposterior topographic low-dose chest CT or low-dose chest CT with both anteroposterior and lateral topograms.

  17. Reference dosimetry of proton pencil beams based on dose-area product: a proof of concept.

    PubMed

    Gomà, Carles; Safai, Sairos; Vörös, Sándor

    2017-06-21

    This paper describes a novel approach to the reference dosimetry of proton pencil beams based on dose-area product ([Formula: see text]). It depicts the calibration of a large-diameter plane-parallel ionization chamber in terms of dose-area product in a 60 Co beam, the Monte Carlo calculation of beam quality correction factors-in terms of dose-area product-in proton beams, the Monte Carlo calculation of nuclear halo correction factors, and the experimental determination of [Formula: see text] of a single proton pencil beam. This new approach to reference dosimetry proves to be feasible, as it yields [Formula: see text] values in agreement with the standard and well-established approach of determining the absorbed dose to water at the centre of a broad homogeneous field generated by the superposition of regularly-spaced proton pencil beams.

  18. Dose-response relationships between internally-deposited uranium and select health outcomes in gaseous diffusion plant workers, 1948-2011.

    PubMed

    Yiin, James H; Anderson, Jeri L; Bertke, Stephen J; Tollerud, David J

    2018-05-09

    To examine dose-response relationships between internal uranium exposures and select outcomes among a cohort of uranium enrichment workers. Cox regression was conducted to examine associations between selected health outcomes and cumulative internal uranium with consideration for external ionizing radiation, work-related medical X-rays and contaminant radionuclides technetium ( 99 Tc) and plutonium ( 239 Pu) as potential confounders. Elevated and monotonically increasing mortality risks were observed for kidney cancer, chronic renal diseases, and multiple myeloma, and the association with internal uranium absorbed organ dose was statistically significant for multiple myeloma. Adjustment for potential confounders had minimal impact on the risk estimates. Kidney cancer, chronic renal disease, and multiple myeloma mortality risks were elevated with increasing internal uranium absorbed organ dose. The findings add to evidence of an association between internal exposure to uranium and cancer. Future investigation includes a study of cancer incidence in this cohort. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Estimated background doses of [67Ga]-DTPA-USPIO in normal Balb/c mice as a potential therapeutic agent for liver and spleen cancers.

    PubMed

    Shanehsazzadeh, Saeed; Oghabian, Mohammad A; Lahooti, Afsaneh; Abdollahi, Mohammad; Abolghasem Haeri, Seyed; Amanlou, Massoud; Daha, Fariba J; Allen, Barry J

    2013-09-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the biodistribution of dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles labeled with gallium-67 (Ga) in various organs by intravenous injection in Balb/c mice. Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) was successively labeled with Ga-chloride after chelation with freshly prepared cyclic DTPA-dianhydride. The labeling efficiency of USPIOs labeled with Ga is above 98%. Sixty-five mice were killed at 13 different time points. The percentage of injected dose per gram of each organ was measured by direct counting for 19 harvested organs of the mice. The medical internal radiation dose formula was applied to extrapolate data from mouse to human and to predict the absorbed radiation dose for various organs in the human body. The biodistribution of Ga-USPIO in Balb/c mice showed that 75% of the injected dose accumulated in the spleen and liver 15 min after injection. These nanoparticles remained in the liver for more than 7 days after injection, whereas their clearance was very fast from other organs. Extrapolating these data to the intravenous injection of Ga-USPIO in humans gave an estimated absorbed dose of 36.38 mSv/MBq for the total body, and the highest effective absorbed dose was seen in the liver (32.9 mSv/MBq). High uptakes of USPIO nanoparticles in the liver and spleen and their fast clearance from other tissues suggest that these nanoparticles labeled with a β-emitter radioisotope could be suitable as treatment agents for spleen and liver malignancies only if the organ tolerance dose is not exceeded.

  20. Failure-probability driven dose painting

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vogelius, Ivan R.; Håkansson, Katrin; Due, Anne K.

    Purpose: To demonstrate a data-driven dose-painting strategy based on the spatial distribution of recurrences in previously treated patients. The result is a quantitative way to define a dose prescription function, optimizing the predicted local control at constant treatment intensity. A dose planning study using the optimized dose prescription in 20 patients is performed.Methods: Patients treated at our center have five tumor subvolumes from the center of the tumor (PET positive volume) and out delineated. The spatial distribution of 48 failures in patients with complete clinical response after (chemo)radiation is used to derive a model for tumor control probability (TCP). Themore » total TCP is fixed to the clinically observed 70% actuarial TCP at five years. Additionally, the authors match the distribution of failures between the five subvolumes to the observed distribution. The steepness of the dose–response is extracted from the literature and the authors assume 30% and 20% risk of subclinical involvement in the elective volumes. The result is a five-compartment dose response model matching the observed distribution of failures. The model is used to optimize the distribution of dose in individual patients, while keeping the treatment intensity constant and the maximum prescribed dose below 85 Gy.Results: The vast majority of failures occur centrally despite the small volumes of the central regions. Thus, optimizing the dose prescription yields higher doses to the central target volumes and lower doses to the elective volumes. The dose planning study shows that the modified prescription is clinically feasible. The optimized TCP is 89% (range: 82%–91%) as compared to the observed TCP of 70%.Conclusions: The observed distribution of locoregional failures was used to derive an objective, data-driven dose prescription function. The optimized dose is predicted to result in a substantial increase in local control without increasing the predicted risk of

  1. [131I]FIAU labeling of genetically transduced, tumor-reactive lymphocytes: cell-level dosimetry and dose-dependent toxicity.

    PubMed

    Zanzonico, Pat; Koehne, Guenther; Gallardo, Humilidad F; Doubrovin, Mikhail; Doubrovina, Ekaterina; Finn, Ronald; Blasberg, Ronald G; Riviere, Isabelle; O'Reilly, Richard J; Sadelain, Michel; Larson, Steven M

    2006-09-01

    Donor T cells have been shown to be reactive against and effective in adoptive immunotherapy of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) lymphomas which develop in some leukemia patients post marrow transplantation. These T cells may be genetically modified by incorporation of a replication-incompetent viral vector (NIT) encoding both an inactive mutant nerve growth factor receptor (LNGFR), as an immunoselectable surface marker, and a herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK), rendering the cells sensitive to ganciclovir. The current studies are based on the selective HSV-TK-catalyzed trapping (phosphorylation) of the thymidine analog [(131)I]-2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1-beta-D-arabinofuransyl-5-iodo-uracil (FIAU) as a means of stably labeling such T cells for in vivo trafficking (including tumor targeting) studies. Because of the radiosensitivity of lymphocytes and the potentially high absorbed dose to the nucleus from intracellular (131)I (even at tracer levels), the nucleus absorbed dose (D ( n )) and dose-dependent immune functionality were evaluated for NIT(+) T cells labeled ex vivo in [(131)I]FIAU-containing medium. Based on in vitro kinetic studies of [(131)I]FIAU uptake by NIT(+) T cells, D ( n ) was calculated using an adaptation of the MIRD formalism and the recently published MIRD cellular S factors. Immune cytotoxicity of [(131)I]FIAU-labeled cells was assayed against (51)Cr-labeled target cells [B-lymphoblastoid cells (BLCLs)] in a standard 4-h release assay. At median nuclear absorbed doses up to 830 cGy, a (51)Cr-release assay against BLCLs showed no loss of immune cytotoxicity, thus demonstrating the functional integrity of genetically transduced, tumor-reactive T cells labeled at this dose level for in vivo cell trafficking and tumor targeting studies.

  2. Determination of the spatial resolution required for the HEDR dose code. Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project: Dose code recovery activities, Calculation 007

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Napier, B.A.; Simpson, J.C.

    1992-12-01

    A series of scoping calculations has been undertaken to evaluate the doses that may have been received by individuals living in the vicinity of the Hanford site. This scoping calculation (Calculation 007) examined the spatial distribution of potential doses resulting from releases in the year 1945. This study builds on the work initiated in the first scoping calculation, of iodine in cow`s milk; the third scoping calculation, which added additional pathways; the fifth calculation, which addressed the uncertainty of the dose estimates at a point; and the sixth calculation, which extrapolated the doses throughout the atmospheric transport domain. A projectionmore » of dose to representative individuals throughout the proposed HEDR atmospheric transport domain was prepared on the basis of the HEDR source term. Addressed in this calculation were the contributions to iodine-131 thyroid dose of infants from (1) air submersion and groundshine external dose, (2) inhalation, (3) ingestion of soil by humans, (4) ingestion of leafy vegetables, (5) ingestion of other vegetables and fruits, (6) ingestion of meat, (7) ingestion of eggs, and (8) ingestion of cows` milk from-Feeding Regime 1 as described in scoping calculation 001.« less

  3. Update on pediatric resuscitation drugs: high dose, low dose, or no dose at all.

    PubMed

    Sorrentino, Annalise

    2005-04-01

    Pediatric resuscitation has been a topic of discussion for years. It is difficult to keep abreast of changing recommendations, especially for busy pediatricians who do not regularly use these skills. This review will focus on the most recent guidelines for resuscitation drugs. Three specific questions will be discussed: standard dose versus high-dose epinephrine, amiodarone use, and the future of vasopressin in pediatric resuscitation. The issue of using high-dose epinephrine for cardiopulmonary resuscitation refractory to standard dose epinephrine has been a topic of debate for many years. Recently, a prospective, double-blinded study was performed to help settle the debate. These results will be reviewed and compared with previous studies. Amiodarone is a medication that was added to the pediatric resuscitation algorithms with the most recent recommendations from the American Heart Association in 2000. Its use and safety will also be discussed. Another topic that is resurfacing in resuscitation is the use of vasopressin. Its mechanism and comparisons to other agents will be highlighted, although its use in the pediatric patient has not been thoroughly studied. Pediatric resuscitation is a constantly evolving subject that is on the mind of anyone taking care of sick children. Clinicians are continually searching for the most effective methods to resuscitate children in terms of short- and long-term outcomes. It is important to be familiar with not only the agents being used but also the optimal way to use them.

  4. A new label dosimetry system based on pentacosa-diynoic acid monomer for low dose applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abdel-Fattah, A. A.; Abdel-Rehim, F.; Soliman, Y. S.

    2012-01-01

    The dosimetric characteristics of γ-radiation sensitive labels based on polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and a conjugated diacetylene monomer, 10,12-pentacosa-diynoic acid (PCDA) have been investigated using reflectance colorimeter. Two types of labels (colourless and yellow) based on PCDA monomer were prepared using an Automatic Film Applicator System. Upon γ-ray exposure, the colourless label turns progressively blue, while the yellow colour label turns to green then to dark blue. The colour intensity of the labels is proportional to the radiation absorbed dose. The useful dose range was 15 Gy-2 kGy depending on PCDA monomer concentration. The expanded uncertainty of dose measurement of the colourless label was 6.06 (2 σ).

  5. Dose rate mapping of VMAT treatments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Podesta, Mark; Antoniu Popescu, I.; Verhaegen, Frank

    2016-06-01

    Human tissues exhibit a varying response to radiation dose depending on the dose rate and fractionation scheme used. Dose rate effects have been reported for different radiations, and tissue types. The literature indicates that there is not a significant difference in response for low-LET radiation when using dose rates between 1 Gy min-1 and 12 Gy min-1 but lower dose rates have an observable sparing effect on tissues and a differential effect between tissues. In intensity-modulated radiotherapy such as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) the dose can be delivered with a wide range of dose rates. In this work we developed a method based on time-resolved Monte Carlo simulations to quantify the dose rate frequency distribution for clinical VMAT treatments for three cancer sites, head and neck, lung, and pelvis within both planning target volumes (PTV) and normal tissues. The results show a wide range of dose rates are used to deliver dose in VMAT and up to 75% of the PTV can have its dose delivered with dose rates  <1 Gy min-1. Pelvic plans on average have a lower mean dose rate within the PTV than lung or head and neck plans but a comparable mean dose rate within the organs at risk. Two VMAT plans that fulfil the same dose objectives and constraints may be delivered with different dose rate distributions, particularly when comparing single arcs to multiple arc plans. It is concluded that for dynamic plans, the dose rate range used varies to a larger degree than previously assumed. The effect of the dose rate range in VMAT on clinical outcome is unknown.

  6. Quantification of residual dose estimation error on log file-based patient dose calculation.

    PubMed

    Katsuta, Yoshiyuki; Kadoya, Noriyuki; Fujita, Yukio; Shimizu, Eiji; Matsunaga, Kenichi; Matsushita, Haruo; Majima, Kazuhiro; Jingu, Keiichi

    2016-05-01

    The log file-based patient dose estimation includes a residual dose estimation error caused by leaf miscalibration, which cannot be reflected on the estimated dose. The purpose of this study is to determine this residual dose estimation error. Modified log files for seven head-and-neck and prostate volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans simulating leaf miscalibration were generated by shifting both leaf banks (systematic leaf gap errors: ±2.0, ±1.0, and ±0.5mm in opposite directions and systematic leaf shifts: ±1.0mm in the same direction) using MATLAB-based (MathWorks, Natick, MA) in-house software. The generated modified and non-modified log files were imported back into the treatment planning system and recalculated. Subsequently, the generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD) was quantified for the definition of the planning target volume (PTV) and organs at risks. For MLC leaves calibrated within ±0.5mm, the quantified residual dose estimation errors that obtained from the slope of the linear regression of gEUD changes between non- and modified log file doses per leaf gap are in head-and-neck plans 1.32±0.27% and 0.82±0.17Gy for PTV and spinal cord, respectively, and in prostate plans 1.22±0.36%, 0.95±0.14Gy, and 0.45±0.08Gy for PTV, rectum, and bladder, respectively. In this work, we determine the residual dose estimation errors for VMAT delivery using the log file-based patient dose calculation according to the MLC calibration accuracy. Copyright © 2016 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Radiation damage in single-particle cryo-electron microscopy: effects of dose and dose rate.

    PubMed

    Karuppasamy, Manikandan; Karimi Nejadasl, Fatemeh; Vulovic, Milos; Koster, Abraham J; Ravelli, Raimond B G

    2011-05-01

    Radiation damage is an important resolution limiting factor both in macromolecular X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. Systematic studies in macromolecular X-ray crystallography greatly benefited from the use of dose, expressed as energy deposited per mass unit, which is derived from parameters including incident flux, beam energy, beam size, sample composition and sample size. In here, the use of dose is reintroduced for electron microscopy, accounting for the electron energy, incident flux and measured sample thickness and composition. Knowledge of the amount of energy deposited allowed us to compare doses with experimental limits in macromolecular X-ray crystallography, to obtain an upper estimate of radical concentrations that build up in the vitreous sample, and to translate heat-transfer simulations carried out for macromolecular X-ray crystallography to cryo-electron microscopy. Stroboscopic exposure series of 50-250 images were collected for different incident flux densities and integration times from Lumbricus terrestris extracellular hemoglobin. The images within each series were computationally aligned and analyzed with similarity metrics such as Fourier ring correlation, Fourier ring phase residual and figure of merit. Prior to gas bubble formation, the images become linearly brighter with dose, at a rate of approximately 0.1% per 10 MGy. The gradual decomposition of a vitrified hemoglobin sample could be visualized at a series of doses up to 5500 MGy, by which dose the sample was sublimed. Comparison of equal-dose series collected with different incident flux densities showed a dose-rate effect favoring lower flux densities. Heat simulations predict that sample heating will only become an issue for very large dose rates (50 e(-)Å(-2) s(-1) or higher) combined with poor thermal contact between the grid and cryo-holder. Secondary radiolytic effects are likely to play a role in dose-rate effects. Stroboscopic data collection combined with

  8. Radiation damage in single-particle cryo-electron microscopy: effects of dose and dose rate

    PubMed Central

    Karuppasamy, Manikandan; Karimi Nejadasl, Fatemeh; Vulovic, Milos; Koster, Abraham J.; Ravelli, Raimond B. G.

    2011-01-01

    Radiation damage is an important resolution limiting factor both in macromolecular X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. Systematic studies in macromolecular X-ray crystallography greatly benefited from the use of dose, expressed as energy deposited per mass unit, which is derived from parameters including incident flux, beam energy, beam size, sample composition and sample size. In here, the use of dose is reintroduced for electron microscopy, accounting for the electron energy, incident flux and measured sample thickness and composition. Knowledge of the amount of energy deposited allowed us to compare doses with experimental limits in macromolecular X-ray crystallography, to obtain an upper estimate of radical concentrations that build up in the vitreous sample, and to translate heat-transfer simulations carried out for macromolecular X-ray crystallography to cryo-electron microscopy. Stroboscopic exposure series of 50–250 images were collected for different incident flux densities and integration times from Lumbricus terrestris extracellular hemoglobin. The images within each series were computationally aligned and analyzed with similarity metrics such as Fourier ring correlation, Fourier ring phase residual and figure of merit. Prior to gas bubble formation, the images become linearly brighter with dose, at a rate of approximately 0.1% per 10 MGy. The gradual decomposition of a vitrified hemoglobin sample could be visualized at a series of doses up to 5500 MGy, by which dose the sample was sublimed. Comparison of equal-dose series collected with different incident flux densities showed a dose-rate effect favoring lower flux densities. Heat simulations predict that sample heating will only become an issue for very large dose rates (50 e−Å−2 s−1 or higher) combined with poor thermal contact between the grid and cryo-holder. Secondary radiolytic effects are likely to play a role in dose-rate effects. Stroboscopic data collection

  9. Radiation dose to technologists per nuclear medicine examination and estimation of annual dose.

    PubMed

    Bayram, Tuncay; Yilmaz, A Hakan; Demir, Mustafa; Sonmez, Bircan

    2011-03-01

    Conventional diagnostic nuclear medicine applications have been continuously increasing in most nuclear medicine departments in Turkey, but to our knowledge no one has studied the doses to technologists who perform nuclear medicine procedures. Most nuclear medicine laboratories do not have separate control rooms for technologists, who are quite close to the patient during data acquisition. Technologists must therefore stay behind lead shields while performing their task if they are to reduce the radiation dose received. The aim of this study was to determine external radiation doses to technologists during nuclear medicine procedures with and without a lead shield. Another aim was to investigate the occupational annual external radiation doses to Turkish technologists. This study used a Geiger-Müller detector to measure dose rates to technologists at various distances from patients (0.25, 0.50, 1, and 2 m and behind a lead shield) and determined the average time spent by technologists at these distances. Deep-dose equivalents to technologists were obtained. The following conventional nuclear medicine procedures were considered: thyroid scintigraphy performed using (99m)Tc pertechnetate, whole-body bone scanning performed using (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate, myocardial perfusion scanning performed using (99m)Tc-methoxyisobutyl isonitrile, and (201)Tl (thallous chloride) and renal scanning performed using (99m)Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid. The measured deep-dose equivalent to technologists per procedure was within the range of 0.13 ± 0.05 to 0.43 ± 0.17 μSv using a lead shield and 0.21 ± 0.07 to 1.01 ± 0.46 μSv without a lead shield. Also, the annual individual dose to a technologist performing only a particular scintigraphic procedure throughout a year was estimated. For a total of 95 clinical cases (71 patients), effective external radiation doses to technologists were found to be within the permissible levels. This study showed that a 2-mm lead shield

  10. Fewer Doses of HPV Vaccine Result in Immune Response Similar to Three-Dose Regimen

    MedlinePlus

    ... Releases NCI News Note Fewer doses of HPV vaccine result in immune response similar to three-dose ... that two doses of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, trademarked as Cervarix, resulted in similar serum antibody ...

  11. Dose-Dependent Suppression of Gonadotropins and Ovarian Hormones by Elagolix in Healthy Premenopausal Women.

    PubMed

    Ng, Juki; Chwalisz, Kristof; Carter, David C; Klein, Cheri E

    2017-05-01

    Elagolix is a nonpeptide, oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist being developed for sex-hormone-dependent diseases in women. We evaluated the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of elagolix. This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-ascending dose study in 45 healthy premenopausal women at a research unit. Elagolix [150 mg once daily or 100, 200, 300, or 400 mg twice daily (BID)] or placebo was administered for 21 days. Main outcome measures were elagolix pharmacokinetics, suppression of gonadotropics [follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH)] and ovarian hormones [estradiol (E2), progesterone (P)], and adverse events. Elagolix was rapidly absorbed after oral dosing, reaching maximum concentrations at 1.0 to 1.5 hours, with a half-life of 4 to 6 hours. FSH, LH, and E2 were suppressed within hours of elagolix administration on day 1. Dose-dependent suppression of E2 was observed, with maximum suppression achieved with elagolix 200 mg BID. Dose-dependent suppression of FSH and LH was also observed, with maximal or near-maximal suppression achieved at 300 mg BID and 200 mg BID, respectively. At elagolix doses ≥100 mg BID, P concentrations remained at anovulatory levels throughout 21 days of dosing. The most frequently reported adverse events were headache and hot flush. Elagolix administration allows for modulation of gonadotropin and ovarian hormone concentrations, from partial suppression at lower doses to nearly full suppression at higher doses. The results of this study provide a rationale for elagolix dose selection for treatment of sex hormone-dependent diseases in women. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

  12. Dose and dose rate effects of whole-body gamma-irradiation: II. Hematological variables and cytokines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gridley, D. S.; Pecaut, M. J.; Miller, G. M.; Moyers, M. F.; Nelson, G. A.

    2001-01-01

    The goal of part II of this study was to evaluate the effects of gamma-radiation on circulating blood cells, functional characteristics of splenocytes, and cytokine expression after whole-body irradiation at varying total doses and at low- and high-dose-rates (LDR, HDR). Young adult C57BL/6 mice (n = 75) were irradiated with either 1 cGy/min or 80 cGy/min photons from a 60Co source to cumulative doses of 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 Gy. The animals were euthanized at 4 days post-exposure for in vitro assays. Significant dose- (but not dose-rate-) dependent decreases were observed in erythrocyte and blood leukocyte counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced 3H-thymidine incorporation, and interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion by activated spleen cells when compared to sham-irradiated controls (p < 0.05). Basal proliferation of leukocytes in the blood and spleen increased significantly with increasing dose (p < 0.05). Significant dose rate effects were observed only in thrombocyte counts. Plasma levels of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) and splenocyte secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were not affected by either the dose or dose rate of radiation. The data demonstrate that the responses of blood and spleen were largely dependent upon the total dose of radiation employed and that an 80-fold difference in the dose rate was not a significant factor in the great majority of measurements.

  13. Determination of dose distributions and parameter sensitivity. Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project; dose code recovery activities; Calculation 005

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Napier, B.A.; Farris, W.T.; Simpson, J.C.

    1992-12-01

    A series of scoping calculations has been undertaken to evaluate the absolute and relative contribution of different radionuclides and exposure pathways to doses that may have been received by individuals living in the vicinity of the Hanford site. This scoping calculation (Calculation 005) examined the contributions of numerous parameters to the uncertainty distribution of doses calculated for environmental exposures and accumulation in foods. This study builds on the work initiated in the first scoping study of iodine in cow`s milk and the third scoping study, which added additional pathways. Addressed in this calculation were the contributions to thyroid dose ofmore » infants from (1) air submersion and groundshine external dose, (2) inhalation, (3) ingestion of soil by humans, (4) ingestion of leafy vegetables, (5) ingestion of other vegetables and fruits, (6) ingestion of meat, (7) ingestion of eggs, and (8) ingestion of cows` milk from Feeding Regime 1 as described in Calculation 001.« less

  14. Low Dose MDCT with Tube Current Modulation: Role in Detection of Urolithiasis and Patient Effective Dose Reduction

    PubMed Central

    Kakkar, Chandan; Sripathi, Smiti; Parakh, Anushri; Shrivastav, Rajendra

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Urolithiasis is one of the major, recurring problem in young individuals and CT being the commonest diagnostic modality used. In order to reduce the radiation dose to the patient who are young and as stone formation is a recurring process; one of the simplest way would be, low dose CT along with tube current modulation. Aim Aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of low dose (70mAs) with standard dose (250mAs) protocol in detecting urolithiasis and to define the tube current and mean effective patient dose by these protocols. Materials and Methods A prospective study was conducted in 200 patients over a period of 2 years with acute flank pain presentation. CT was performed in 100 cases with standard dose and another 100 with low dose protocol using tube current modulation. Sensitivity and specificity for calculus detection, percentage reduction of dose and tube current with low dose protocol was calculated. Results Urolithiasis was detected in 138 patients, 67 were examined by high dose and 71 were by low dose protocol. Sensitivity and Specificity of low dose protocol was 97.1% and 96.4% with similar results found in high BMI patients. Tube current modulation resulted in reduction of effective tube current by 12.17%. The mean effective patient dose for standard dose was 10.33 mSv whereas 2.92 mSv for low dose with 51.13–53.8% reduction in low dose protocol. Conclusion The study has reinforced that low-dose CT with tube current modulation is appropriate for diagnosis of urolithiasis with significant reduction in tube current and patient effective dose. PMID:27437322

  15. Low Dose MDCT with Tube Current Modulation: Role in Detection of Urolithiasis and Patient Effective Dose Reduction.

    PubMed

    Koteshwar, Prakashini; Kakkar, Chandan; Sripathi, Smiti; Parakh, Anushri; Shrivastav, Rajendra

    2016-05-01

    Urolithiasis is one of the major, recurring problem in young individuals and CT being the commonest diagnostic modality used. In order to reduce the radiation dose to the patient who are young and as stone formation is a recurring process; one of the simplest way would be, low dose CT along with tube current modulation. Aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of low dose (70mAs) with standard dose (250mAs) protocol in detecting urolithiasis and to define the tube current and mean effective patient dose by these protocols. A prospective study was conducted in 200 patients over a period of 2 years with acute flank pain presentation. CT was performed in 100 cases with standard dose and another 100 with low dose protocol using tube current modulation. Sensitivity and specificity for calculus detection, percentage reduction of dose and tube current with low dose protocol was calculated. Urolithiasis was detected in 138 patients, 67 were examined by high dose and 71 were by low dose protocol. Sensitivity and Specificity of low dose protocol was 97.1% and 96.4% with similar results found in high BMI patients. Tube current modulation resulted in reduction of effective tube current by 12.17%. The mean effective patient dose for standard dose was 10.33 mSv whereas 2.92 mSv for low dose with 51.13-53.8% reduction in low dose protocol. The study has reinforced that low-dose CT with tube current modulation is appropriate for diagnosis of urolithiasis with significant reduction in tube current and patient effective dose.

  16. On the Use of Optically Stimulated Luminescent Dosimeter for Surface Dose Measurement during Radiotherapy

    PubMed Central

    Yusof, Fasihah Hanum; Ung, Ngie Min; Wong, Jeannie Hsiu Ding; Jong, Wei Loong; Ath, Vannyat; Phua, Vincent Chee Ee; Heng, Siew Ping; Ng, Kwan Hoong

    2015-01-01

    This study was carried out to investigate the suitability of using the optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter (OSLD) in measuring surface dose during radiotherapy. The water equivalent depth (WED) of the OSLD was first determined by comparing the surface dose measured using the OSLD with the percentage depth dose at the buildup region measured using a Markus ionization chamber. Surface doses were measured on a solid water phantom using the OSLD and compared against the Markus ionization chamber and Gafchromic EBT3 film measurements. The effect of incident beam angles on surface dose was also studied. The OSLD was subsequently used to measure surface dose during tangential breast radiotherapy treatments in a phantom study and in the clinical measurement of 10 patients. Surface dose to the treated breast or chest wall, and on the contralateral breast were measured. The WED of the OSLD was found to be at 0.4 mm. For surface dose measurement on a solid water phantom, the Markus ionization chamber measured 15.95% for 6 MV photon beam and 12.64% for 10 MV photon beam followed by EBT3 film (23.79% and 17.14%) and OSLD (37.77% and 25.38%). Surface dose increased with the increase of the incident beam angle. For phantom and patient breast surface dose measurement, the response of the OSLD was higher than EBT3 film. The in-vivo measurements were also compared with the treatment planning system predicted dose. The OSLD measured higher dose values compared to dose at the surface (Hp(0.0)) by a factor of 2.37 for 6 MV and 2.01 for 10 MV photon beams, respectively. The measurement of absorbed dose at the skin depth of 0.4 mm by the OSLD can still be a useful tool to assess radiation effects on the skin dermis layer. This knowledge can be used to prevent and manage potential acute skin reaction and late skin toxicity from radiotherapy treatments. PMID:26052690

  17. Absolute dose determination in high-energy electron beams: Comparison of IAEA dosimetry protocols

    PubMed Central

    Sathiyan, S.; Ravikumar, M.

    2008-01-01

    In this study, absorbed doses were measured and compared for high-energy electrons (6, 9, 12, 16, and 20 MeV) using International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Technical Reports Series No. 277 (TRS), TRS 381, and TRS 398 dosimetry protocols. Absolute dose measurements were carried out using FC65-G Farmer chamber and Nordic Association of Clinical Physicists (NACP) parallel plate chamber with DOSE1 electrometer in WP1-D water phantom for reference field size of 15 × 15 cm2 at 100 cm source-to-surface distance. The results show that the difference between TRS 398 and TRS 381 was about 0.24% to 1.3% depending upon the energy, and the maximum difference between TRS 398 and TRS 277 was 1.5%. The use of cylindrical chamber in electron beam gives the maximum dose difference between the TRS 398 and TRS 277 in the order of 1.4% for energies above 10 MeV (R50 > 4 g/cm2). It was observed that the accuracy of dose estimation was better with the protocols based on the water calibration procedures, as no conversion quantities are involved for conversion of dose from air to water. The cross-calibration procedure of parallel plate chamber with high-energy electron beams is recommended as it avoids pwall correction factor entering into the determination of kQ,Qo. PMID:19893700

  18. Radiation dose evaluation of dental cone beam computed tomography using an anthropomorphic adult head phantom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Jay; Shih, Cheng-Ting; Ho, Chang-hung; Liu, Yan-Lin; Chang, Yuan-Jen; Min Chao, Max; Hsu, Jui-Ting

    2014-11-01

    Dental cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) provides high-resolution tomographic images and has been gradually used in clinical practice. Thus, it is important to examine the amount of radiation dose resulting from dental CBCT examinations. In this study, we developed an in-house anthropomorphic adult head phantom to evaluate the level of effective dose. The anthropomorphic phantom was made of acrylic and filled with plaster to replace the bony tissue. The contour of the head was extracted from a set of adult computed tomography (CT) images. Different combinations of the scanning parameters of CBCT were applied. Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were used to measure the absorbed doses at 19 locations in the head and neck regions. The effective doses measured using the proposed phantom at 65, 75, and 85 kVp in the D-mode were 72.23, 100.31, and 134.29 μSv, respectively. In the I-mode, the effective doses were 108.24, 190.99, and 246.48 μSv, respectively. The maximum percent error between the doses measured by the proposed phantom and the Rando phantom was l4.90%. Therefore, the proposed anthropomorphic adult head phantom is applicable for assessing the radiation dose resulting from clinical dental CBCT.

  19. Assessment of dose and DNA damages in individuals exposed to low dose and low dose rate ionizing radiations during computed tomography imaging.

    PubMed

    Kanagaraj, Karthik; Abdul Syed Basheerudeen, Safa; Tamizh Selvan, G; Jose, M T; Ozhimuthu, Annalakshmi; Panneer Selvam, S; Pattan, Sudha; Perumal, Venkatachalam

    2015-08-01

    Computed tomography (CT) is a frequently used imaging modality that contributes to a tenfold increase in radiation exposure to the public when compared to other medical imaging modalities. The use of radiation for therapeutic need is always rationalized on the basis of risk versus benefit thereby increasing concerns on the dose received by patients undergoing CT imaging. Therefore, it was of interest to us to investigate the effects of low dose and low dose-rate X-irradiation in patients who underwent CT imaging by recording the doses received by the eye, forehead and thyroid, and to study the levels of damages in the lymphocytes in vivo. Lithium manganese borate doped with terbium (LMB:Tb) thermo luminescence dosimeters (TLD) were used to record the doses in the patient's (n = 27) eye, forehead, and thyroid and compared with the dose length product (DLP) values. The in vivo DNA damages measured were compared before and after CT imaging using chromosomal aberration (CA) and micronucleus (MN) assays. The overall measured organ dose ranged between 2 ± 0.29 and 520 ± 41.63 mGy for the eye, 0.84 ± 0.29 and 210 ± 20.50 mGy for the forehead, and 1.79 ± 0.43 and 185 ± 0.70 mGy for the thyroid. The in vivo damages measured from the blood lymphocytes of the subjects showed an extremely significant (p < 0.0001) increase in CA frequency and significant (p < 0.001) increase in MN frequency after exposure, compared to before exposure. The results suggest that CT imaging delivers a considerable amount of radiation dose to the eye, forehead, and thyroid, and the observed increase in the CA and MN frequencies show low dose radiation effects calling for protective regulatory measures to increase patient's safety. This study is the first attempt to indicate the trend of doses received by the patient's eye, forehead and thyroid and measured directly in contrast to earlier values obtained by extrapolation from phantoms, and to assess the in vivo low dose effects in an Indian

  20. Cell engineering: nanometric grafting of poly-N-isopropylacrylamide onto polystyrene film by different doses of gamma radiation

    PubMed Central

    Biazar, Esmaeil; Zeinali, Reza; Montazeri, Naser; Pourshamsian, Khalil; Behrouz, Mahmoud Jabarvand; Asefnejad, Azadeh; Khoshzaban, Ahad; Shahhosseini, Gholamreza; Najafabadi, Mostafa Soleimannejad; Abyani, Reza; Jamalzadeh, Hamidreza; Fouladi, Mahdi; Hagh, Sasan Rahbar F; Khamaneh, Aylar Shams; Kabiri, Soudabeh; Keshel, Saeed Heidari; Mansourkiaei, Ana

    2010-01-01

    Poly-N-isopropylacrylamide was successfully grafted onto a polystyrene cell culture dish and γ-preirradiated in air. In this study, the effect of a γ-pre-irradiation dose of radiation (radiation absorbed dosages of 10, 20, 30, 40 KGy) under appropriate temperature and grafting conditions was investigated. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed the existence of the graft poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAAm) on the substrate. The optimal value of the dose for grafting was 40 KGy at 50°C. The scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images clearly showed that increasing the absorbed dose of radiation would increase the amount of grafting. Surface topography and graft thickness in AFM images of the radiated samples showed that the PNIPAAm at the absorbed dose of radiation was properly grafted. The thickness of these grafts was about 50–100 nm. The drop water contact angles of the best grafted sample at 37°C and 10°C were 55.3 ± 1.2° and 61.2 ± 0.9° respectively, which showed the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the grafted surfaces. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis also revealed the low critical solution temperature of the grafted sample to be 32°C. Thermoresponsive polymers were grafted to dishes covalently which allowed fibroblast cells to attach and proliferate at 37°C; the cells also detached spontaneously without using enzymes when the temperature dropped below 32°C. This characteristic proves that this type of grafted material has potential as a biomaterial for cell sheet engineering. PMID:20957116