Neutron and gamma doses from medical in vivo prompt gamma-ray activation using a mobile nuclear reactor

Conference · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA)

OSTI ID:5261257

Chung, Chien; Yang, Yi-Ching

Medical diagnosis of toxic contaminants in body organs using in vivo neutron capture prompt gamma-ray activation technique has been investigated by several research groups. By using a high-resolution germanium detector coupled with fast electronics, characteristic prompt gamma rays emitted from neutron capture reactions with toxic cadmium, mercury, and silicon inside the human body are recorded in partial-body in vivo prompt gamma-ray activation analysis (PBIVPGAA) diagnosis. Although the radiation doses to the skin were reported in each and every previous PBIVPGAA work, organs and tissues sensitive to radiation, such as gonads, red bone marrow, bone surface, thyroid, breast, and lung are either the irradiated organ itself or are not far from the neutron beam. Both neutrons and gamma rays can scatter into the sensitive organ or tissue and interact with nuclei to cause radiation damage. The radiation safety and protection in PBIVPGAA diagnosis should focus on the radiation dose to sensitive organs and tissues, not to the skin. In this work the neutron facility identical to that used in previous works, the 0.1-W Tsing-Hua Mobile Educational Reactor (THMER) is used for PBIVPGAA diagnosis. A Lucite phantom was irradiated to simulate the investigation of toxic mercury and cadmium in kidneys and liver. The radiation risks of hereditary and somatic effects to irradiated patients were evaluated. Features of radiation doses and associated risks re discussed in this paper and compared to other medical diagnostic methods using nuclear techniques.

• OSTI ID: 5261257
• Report Number(s): CONF-890604-; CODEN: TANSA; TRN: 90-002547
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA), Vol. 59; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Nuclear Society, Atlanta, GA (USA), 4-8 Jun 1989; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
MOBILE REACTORS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
TOXIC MATERIALS
DETECTION
BONE MARROW
CADMIUM
CAPTURE
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
GONADS
HEART
ICRP
IN VIVO
INTESTINES
IRRADIATION
KIDNEYS
LIVER
LUNGS
MAMMARY GLANDS
MAN
MERCURY
PHANTOMS
PROBABILITY
PROMPT GAMMA RADIATION
RADIATION DOSES
RISK ASSESSMENT
SENSITIVITY
SILICON
STOMACH
THYROID
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DOSES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
GAMMA RADIATION
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
GLANDS
HEMATOPOIETIC SYSTEM
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
METALS
MOCKUP
PRIMATES
RADIATIONS
REACTORS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SEMIMETALS
STRUCTURAL MODELS
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES
550602* - Medicine- External Radiation in Diagnostics- (1980-)