MEASUREMENT OF SECONDARY NEUTRONS GENERATED DURING PROTON THERAPY

Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2016 Dec;172(4):341-345. doi: 10.1093/rpd/ncv504. Epub 2015 Dec 8.

Abstract

Measurements described in this article were carried out with the aim of evaluating risks of the patient exposure to secondary neutrons during treatment at the Proton Therapy Centre Prague. The neutron spectral fluence was measured by means of the extended Bonner sphere spectrometer (EBS). The article presents secondary neutron spectral fluences obtained by the EBS with passive thermoluminescent detectors, i.e. pairs of 6LiF and 7LiF chips. Measurements were performed in two positions: the first one behind the Nylon 6 phantom, and the second one close to the range shifter to evaluate their contribution to the generation of neutrons. Both the Nylon 6 phantom and the range shifter were irradiated with a pencil beam of protons 4 mm in diameter and the energy of 200 MeV. The results are supplemented with the values of effective dose derived from neutron spectral fluences.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Neutrons*
  • Phantoms, Imaging*
  • Proton Therapy / adverse effects*
  • Proton Therapy / instrumentation
  • Proton Therapy / methods
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Radiometry / instrumentation*
  • Radiometry / methods