Neutron distribution and induced activity inside a Linac treatment room

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2015:2015:6896-9. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2015.7319978.

Abstract

Induced radioactivity and photoneutron contamination inside a radiation therapy bunker of a medical linear accelerator (Linac) is investigated in this work. The Linac studied is an Elekta Precise electron accelerator which maximum treatment photon energy is 15 MeV. This energy exceeds the photonuclear reaction threshold (around 7 MeV for high atomic number metals). The Monte Carlo code MCNP6 has been used for quantifying the neutron contamination inside the treatment room for different gantry rotation configuration. Walls activation processes have also been simulated. The approach described in this paper is useful to prevent the overexposure of patients and medical staff.

MeSH terms

  • Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
  • Humans
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Neutrons*
  • Particle Accelerators*