Neutron contamination from medical electron accelerators

Book · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5598581

This report addresses a problem encountered with the use of electron accelerators in radiation therapy. The potential exists for the production of neutrons, in several different ways, when equipment used to generate electrons operates at energies above 10 MeV. The sources of these neutrons and their relative contributions are described. A further section is devoted to the potential hazard from the neutrons which are produced and which represent a contribution to the total radiation dose to the patient. This contribution is not normally included in the calculation of dose delivered to the treatment volume, as performed by the therapist and the medical physicist. The question of whether or not this additional dose constitutes an unacceptable risk to the patient is discussed. The report addresses the hazard to operating personnel from neutrons produced outside the patient's treatment volume. Neutron measurement methods are also addressed. The report concludes with a survey of the published literature relevant to the subject.

• OSTI ID: 5598581
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
655001* -- Medical Physics-- Radiation Protection Standards
ACCELERATORS
BARYONS
BETATRONS
CYCLIC ACCELERATORS
CYCLOTRONS
DETECTION
DOSE EQUIVALENTS
DOSES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
LINEAR ACCELERATORS
MEASURING METHODS
MEDICAL PERSONNEL
MEDICINE
MICROTRONS
NEUTRAL-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
NEUTRON TRANSPORT
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEONS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PATIENTS
PERSONNEL
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RADIOLOGICAL PERSONNEL
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
RECOMMENDATIONS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SHIELDING
THERAPY