[ RadSafe ] New diagnostic imaging techniques deemed safe in simulations

[ROY HERREN]

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-06/dumc-ndi060414.php
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 4-Jun-2014
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://scitation.aip.org/content/aapm/journal/medphys/41/6/10.1118/1.4873684

Assessment of individual organ doses in a realistic human phantom from 
neutron and gamma stimulated spectroscopy of the breast and liver  


Conclusions:  
Neutron and gamma irradiation of a primary target organ was found to impart the majority of the total dose to the primary target organ (and other large organs) within the beam plane and considerably lower dose to proximal organs outside of the beam. These results also indicate 
that despite the use of a highly scattering particle such as a neutron, the dose from neutron stimulated emission computed tomography scans is on par with other clinical imaging techniques such as x-ray computed tomography (x-ray CT). Given the high nonuniformity in the dose across an organ during the neutron scan, care must be taken when computing average doses from neutron irradiations. The effective doses from neutron scanning were found to be comparable to x-ray CT. Further technique modifications are needed to reduce the effective dose levels from the gamma scans.

 
 
Roy Herren