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D'Oca MC, Collura G, Gagliardo C, Bartolotta A, Romeo M, d'Errico F, Marrale M. Improvement of neutron sensitivity for lithium formate EPR dosemeters: a Monte Carlo analysis. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2023; 199:1591-1599. [PMID: 37721086 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncac268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
This work presents the computational analysis of the sensitivity improvements that could be achieved in lithium formate monohydrate (LFM) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dosemeters exposed to neutron beams. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were performed on LFM pellets exposed to neutron beams with different energy spectra at various depths inside a water phantom. Various computations were carried out by considering different enrichments of 6Li inside the LFM matrix as well as addition of different amounts of gadolinium oxide inside the pellet blend. The energy released per unit mass was calculated with the aim of predicting the increase in dose achievable by the addition of sensitizers inside the pellets. As expected, a larger amount of 6Li induces an increase of energy released because of the charged secondary particles (i.e. 3H ions and α-particles) produced after neutron capture. For small depths in water phantom and low-energy neutron spectra the dose increase due to 6Li enrichment is high (more than three orders of magnitude with respect to the case of with 7Li). In case of epithermal neutron beams the energy released in 6Li-enriched LFM compound is smaller but larger than in the case of fast neutron beams. On the other hand, the computational analysis evidenced that gadolinium is less effective than 6Li in improving neutron sensitivity of the LFM pellets. Discussion based on the features of MC transport code is provided. This result suggests that 6Li enrichment of LFM dosemeters would be more effective for neutron sensitivity improvement and these EPR dosemeters could be tested for dosimetric applications in Neutron Capture Therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina D'Oca
- Department of Physics and Chemistry 'Emilio Segrè', University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed.18, I-90128 Palermo, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Catania Division, Via Santa Sofia, 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giorgio Collura
- Department of Physics and Chemistry 'Emilio Segrè', University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed.18, I-90128 Palermo, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Catania Division, Via Santa Sofia, 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Cesare Gagliardo
- Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonio Bartolotta
- Department of Physics and Chemistry 'Emilio Segrè', University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed.18, I-90128 Palermo, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Catania Division, Via Santa Sofia, 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Mattia Romeo
- Department of Physics and Chemistry 'Emilio Segrè', University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed.18, I-90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco d'Errico
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Industriale, Università di Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino, 2 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center, School of Medicine of Yale, 300 Cedar Street, PO Box 208043, New Haven, CT 06520-8043, USA
| | - Maurizio Marrale
- Department of Physics and Chemistry 'Emilio Segrè', University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed.18, I-90128 Palermo, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Catania Division, Via Santa Sofia, 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
- ATeN Center, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 18, 90128 Palermo, Italy
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Ainsbury EA, Samaga D, Della Monaca S, Marrale M, Bassinet C, Burbidge CI, Correcher V, Discher M, Eakins J, Fattibene P, Güçlü I, Higueras M, Lund E, Maltar-Strmecki N, McKeever S, Rääf CL, Sholom S, Veronese I, Wieser A, Woda C, Trompier F. UNCERTAINTY ON RADIATION DOSES ESTIMATED BY BIOLOGICAL AND RETROSPECTIVE PHYSICAL METHODS. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2018; 178:382-404. [PMID: 28981844 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncx125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Biological and physical retrospective dosimetry are recognised as key techniques to provide individual estimates of dose following unplanned exposures to ionising radiation. Whilst there has been a relatively large amount of recent development in the biological and physical procedures, development of statistical analysis techniques has failed to keep pace. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of the art in uncertainty analysis techniques across the 'EURADOS Working Group 10-Retrospective dosimetry' members, to give concrete examples of implementation of the techniques recommended in the international standards, and to further promote the use of Monte Carlo techniques to support characterisation of uncertainties. It is concluded that sufficient techniques are available and in use by most laboratories for acute, whole body exposures to highly penetrating radiation, but further work will be required to ensure that statistical analysis is always wholly sufficient for the more complex exposure scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Ainsbury
- Public Health England, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, Oxford OX11 ORQ, UK
| | - Daniel Samaga
- Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, Ingolstaedter Landstr. 1, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Sara Della Monaca
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Marrale
- Department of Physics and Chemistry and Advanced Technologies Network Center, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Edificio 18, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Celine Bassinet
- Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire, BP 17 - 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex 31, Avenue de la Division Leclerc 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, Paris, France
| | - Christopher I Burbidge
- Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiological Protection, 3 Clonskeagh Square, Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14, Ireland
| | - Virgilio Correcher
- Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Centro de la Moncloa, Complutense, 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Michael Discher
- University of Salzburg, Department of Geography and Geology, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Jon Eakins
- Public Health England, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, Oxford OX11 ORQ, UK
| | - Paola Fattibene
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Inci Güçlü
- Turkish Atomic Energy Authority, Mustafa Kemal Mahallesi, Dumlupinar Bulvari, No: 192, 06510, Çankaya - Ankara, Turkey
| | - Manuel Higueras
- Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, Alameda de Mazarredo 14, E-48009 Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain
| | - Eva Lund
- Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Nadica Maltar-Strmecki
- Ruder Boškovic Institute, Division of Physical Chemistry, Laboratory for Magnetic Resonances, Bijenicka cesta 54,10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Stephen McKeever
- Oklahoma State University, 145 Physical Sciences, Campus, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Christopher L Rääf
- Medicinsk strålningsfysik, Institutionen för Translationell Medicin, Lunds universitet, Skånes universitetssjukhus SUS, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden
| | - Sergey Sholom
- Oklahoma State University, 145 Physical Sciences, Campus, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Ivan Veronese
- Università degli Studi di Milano, Department of Physics and National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Section of Milan, Via Celoria 16, 20133 - Milano, Italy
| | - Albrecht Wieser
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Institute of Radiation Protection, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Clemens Woda
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Institute of Radiation Protection, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Francois Trompier
- Institut de radioprotection et de sûreté nucléaire, BP 17 - 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex 31, Avenue de la Division Leclerc 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, Paris, France
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