A Comparison of Conventional Empirical Formula and MCNPX Code in the Estimations of Photon and Neutron Skyshine Rates for an 18MV Radiotherapy Bunker
Abstract
Purpose: A physical phenomenon, scattering the radiation by the atmosphere above the room to the points at ground level around the linac treatment room is known as skyshine radiation. This study aimed to estimate photon and neutron skyshine from a linac in a high-energy radiation therapy facility.
Materials and Methods: The empirical method of NCRP report 151 and MC simulations were employed to estimate skyshine radiation dose from the 18MV linac photon beam. A linac and its bunker were modeled and skyshine dose equivalent from photons and secondary neutrons were derived and compared in the control room, corridor, sidewalk and, parking.
Results: The photon skyshine dose rates calculations by the MC method varied from 0.43 µSv/h at the sidewalk to 6.2 µSv/h at the control room. The ratios of NCRP to MCNP calculations varied from 3.58 for the corridor to 16.14 for the control room. For the neutron skyshine dose rate at distances shorter than 20m, it was found to be 10.4 nSv/h and the ratios of the NCRP to MCNP were 1.26 at the control room and 3.34 at the sidewalk.
Conclusion: It was concluded that the empirical method overestimates photon and neutron skyshine dose rates in comparison to the MCNPX code. The refinement of the proposed empirical method of NCRP 151 and application of MC methods are strongly suggested for more reliable calculations of skyshine radiations.
1- NCRP. "Structual Shielding Design for Medical X-Ray Imaging Facilities." National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, 2005.
2- International Atomic Energy Agency. "Radiation Protection in the Design of Radiotherapy Facilities." No. 47, Vienna, 2005.
3- National Council on Radiation Protection and measurements. "Structural Shielding Design and Evaluation for Megavoltage X- and Gamma-Ray Radiotherapy Facilities." No. 151, 2005.
4- W.M.Abou-Taleb, M.H.Hassan, M.El, and S.M.Kotb. "MCNP5 evaluation of photoneutron production from the Alexandria University 15GǻMV Elekta Precise medical LINAC." Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 135, 184-91, 2018.
5- R.Barquero, T.M.Edwards, M.P.I+¦iguez, and H.R.Vega-Carrillo. "Monte Carlo simulation estimates of neutron doses to critical organs of a patient undergoing x-ray LINAC-based radiotherapy." Medical Physics, 32, no. 12(December 2005):3579-88.
6- A.Ghasemi-Jangjoo and H.Ghiasi. "MC safe bunker designing for an 18MV linac with nanoparticles included primary barriers and effect of the nanoparticles on the shielding aspects." Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy, 24, no. 4(2019):363-68.
7- A.Ghasemi-Jangjoo and H.Ghiasi. "Application of the phase-space distribution approach of Monte Carlo for radiation contamination dose estimation from the (n,+¦), (+¦,n) nuclear reactions and linac leakage photons in the megavoltage radiotherapy facility." Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy, 25, no. 2, 233-40, 2020.
8- A.Ghasemi-Jangjoo and H.Ghiasi. "Monte Carlo study on the secondary cancer risk estimations for patients undergoing prostate radiotherapy: A humanoid phantom study." Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy, 25, no. 2, 187-92, 2020.
9- H.Ghiasi and A.Mesbahi. "Monte Carlo characterization of photoneutrons in the radiation therapy with high energy photons: a Comparison between simplified and full Monte Carlo models." Int-J-Radiat-Res, 8, no. 3, 187-93, 2010.
10- H.Ghiasi. "Monte Carlo characterizations mapping of the (+¦,n) and (n,+¦) photonuclear reactions in the high energy X-ray radiation therapy." Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy, 19, no. 1, 30-36, 2014.
11- C.R.Vandevoorde, P.Beukes, X.Miles, E.de Kock, J.Symons, J.Nieto-Camero, L.Tran, L.Chartier, E.Debrot, D.Propokovic, S.Chiriotti, A.Parisi, M.De Saint-Hubert, F.Vanhavere, A.Rozenfeld, and J.P.Slabbert. "P11. - Assessment of out-of-field DNA damage and the impact of neutron RBE on secondary cancer risk in paediatric proton therapy." Physica Medica, 41, S15, 2017.
12- F.Biltekin, G.Ozyigit, M.Yeginer, M.Cengiz, D.Celik, F.Yildiz, F.Akyol, F.Zorlu, and M.Gurkaynak. "EP-1374 THE SECONDARY MALIGNANCY RISK ESTIMATION DUE TO THE NEUTRON CONTAMINATION IN 3D-CRT AND IMRT TREATMENT TECHNIQUES." Radiotherapy and Oncology, 103, S521-S522, 2012.
13- P.J.Taddei, D.Mirkovic, A.Mahajan, D.Kornguth, A.Giebeler, R.Zhang, M.C.Harvey, S.Woo, and W.D.Newhauser. "Risk Estimate of Second Malignant Neoplasm Incidence and Mortality from Secondary Neutrons for Two Children Who Received Proton Craniospinal Irradiation." International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 75, no. 3, Supplement, S699, 2009.
14- M.A.Chaudhri. "SECONDARY NEUTRON PRODUCTION FROM PATIENTS DURING THERAPY WITH HADRONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING RADIATIONS DOSES: ARE THERE POTENTIAL RISKS?" Radiotherapy and Oncology, 92, S110, 2009.
15- M.A.Chaudhri. "103 Production of secondary neutrons from patients during therapy with carbon-ions: their dose contributions and potential risks." Radiotherapy and Oncology, 76, S55-S56, 2005.
16- E.de Paiva and L.A.R.da Rosa. "Skyshine photon doses from 6 and 10 MV medical linear accelerators." Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 13, no. 1, 3671, 2012.
17- de Piva Elderado. “A Comment On The Photon Skyshine Radiation In The Vicinities Of Radiotherapy Facilities Rooms.” International Journal of Engineering Inventions 7[4], 28-13, 2018.
18- M.S.Gossman, P.H.McGinley, M.B.Rising, and A.J.Pahikkala. "Radiation skyshine from a 6 MeV medical accelerator." Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 11, no. 3,259-64, 2010.
19- M.S.Gossman, A.J.Pahikkala, M.B.Rising, and P.H.McGinley. "Providing solid angle formalism for skyshine calculations." Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 11, no. 4, 278-82, 2010.
20- R.Hayes. "Generalised photon skyshine calculations." Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 111, no. 3, 251-56, 2004.
21- D.Kotnik, B.Kos, D.-îali-ì, and L.Snoj. "Use of ADVANTG to analyse skyshine +¦-dose rates around a silo type LILW repository." Annals of Nuclear Energy, 145, 107585, 2020.
22- P.N.McDermott. "Photon skyshine from medical linear accelerators." Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, no. 3, 108-14, 2020.
23- McGinley PH. "Special Topics." pp. 1-182, 2002.
24- R.D.Sheu, C.S.Chui, and S.H.Jiang. "The integral first collision kernel method for gamma-ray skyshine analysis." Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 68, no. 5, 727-44, 2003.
25- I.R.Terry. "The Skyshine Benchmark Experiment Revisited." Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 116, no. 1-4, 538-41, 2005.
26- V.Vylet. "Shielding for the upgraded duke free electron laser laboratory." Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 115, no. 1-4, 2005, 207-11.
27- S.F.Zavgorodni. "A method for calculating the dose to a multi-storey building due to radiation scattered from the roof of an adjacent radiotherapy facility." Medical Physics, 28, no. 9,1926-30, 2001.
28- Los Alamos National Library. A general Monte Carlo N-Particle all purpose radiation transport dose. X[2.6.0]. 2007.
29- C.Kong, Q.Li, H.Chen, T.Du, C.Cheng, C.Tang, L.Zhu, H.Zhang, Z.Pei, and S.Ming. "Monte Carlo method for calculating the radiation skyshine produced by electron accelerators." Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 234, no. 3,269-74, 2005.
30- M.Uematsu and M.Kurosawa. "Skyshine analysis using energy and angular dependent dose-contribution fluxes obtained from air-over-ground adjoint calculation." Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 116, no. 1-4, 534-37, 2005.
31- S.Yoshida, T.Nishitani, K.Ochiai, J.Kaneko, J.Hori, S.Sato, M.Yamauchi, R.Tanaka, M.Nakao, M.Wada, M.Wakisaka, I.Murata, C.Kutsukake, S.Tanaka, T.Sawamura, and A.Takahashi. "Measurement of radiation skyshine with DGÇôT neutron source." Fusion Engineering and Design, 69, no. 1,637-41, 2003.
32- McDorrmot. Photon skyshine from medical linear accelerators. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 21[3], 108-114, 2020.
33- N.Rostampour, S.Jafari, M.Saeb, M.Keshtkar, P.Shokrani, and T.Almasi. "Assessment of skyshine photon dose rates from 9 and 18 MV medical linear accelerators." Int-J-Radiat-Res, 16, no. 4, 499-503, 2018.
34- Rostampour N, Jafari S, Saeb M, Keshtkar M, Shokrani P, and Almasi T. “Assessment of skyshine photon dose rates from 9 and 18 MV medical linear accelerators.” International Journal of Radiation Research, 16, 499-503, 2018.
35- M.Ladu, M.Pelliccioni, P.Picchi, and G.Verri. "A contribution to the skyshine study." Nuclear Instruments and Methods, 62, no. 1,51-56, 1968.
36- Kase RK, Mao XS, Nelson WR, and Liu JC. “Neutron Fluence and Energy Spectra Around the Varian Clinac 2100C/2300C Medical Accelerator.” Health Physics, 201-213, 1996.
37- Varian Ray system. Varian Medical System Inc, 2010.
38- H.Ghiasi and A.Mesbahi. "Monte Carlo characterization of photoneutrons in the radiation therapy with high energy photons: a Comparison between simplified and full Monte Carlo models." Int-J-Radiat-Res, 8, no. 3,187-93, 2010.
39- International Commission on Radiological Protection. "Conversion Coefficients for use in Radiological Protection against External Radiation." No. 74, ICRP, 1996.
40- Nuclear safety reports. "ANSI/ANS-3.1-1993;R1999, Selection, Qualification, and Training of Personnel for Nuclear Power Plants." No. 3.3-1993, 1993.
41- Kong C, Quanfeng L, Huaibi C, and et al. “Monte Carlo method for calculating the radiation skyshine produced by electron accelerators.” NuclInstr Methods Phys Res, B. 234, 269-274, 2005.
42- M.S.Gossman, A.J.Pahikkala, M.B.Rising, and P.H.McGinley. "Letter to the Editor." Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 12, no. 1, 242-43, 2011.
43- A.Naseri and A.Mesbahi. "A review on photoneutrons characteristics in radiation therapy with high-energy photon beams." Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy, 15, no. 5,138-44, 2010.
2- International Atomic Energy Agency. "Radiation Protection in the Design of Radiotherapy Facilities." No. 47, Vienna, 2005.
3- National Council on Radiation Protection and measurements. "Structural Shielding Design and Evaluation for Megavoltage X- and Gamma-Ray Radiotherapy Facilities." No. 151, 2005.
4- W.M.Abou-Taleb, M.H.Hassan, M.El, and S.M.Kotb. "MCNP5 evaluation of photoneutron production from the Alexandria University 15GǻMV Elekta Precise medical LINAC." Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 135, 184-91, 2018.
5- R.Barquero, T.M.Edwards, M.P.I+¦iguez, and H.R.Vega-Carrillo. "Monte Carlo simulation estimates of neutron doses to critical organs of a patient undergoing x-ray LINAC-based radiotherapy." Medical Physics, 32, no. 12(December 2005):3579-88.
6- A.Ghasemi-Jangjoo and H.Ghiasi. "MC safe bunker designing for an 18MV linac with nanoparticles included primary barriers and effect of the nanoparticles on the shielding aspects." Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy, 24, no. 4(2019):363-68.
7- A.Ghasemi-Jangjoo and H.Ghiasi. "Application of the phase-space distribution approach of Monte Carlo for radiation contamination dose estimation from the (n,+¦), (+¦,n) nuclear reactions and linac leakage photons in the megavoltage radiotherapy facility." Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy, 25, no. 2, 233-40, 2020.
8- A.Ghasemi-Jangjoo and H.Ghiasi. "Monte Carlo study on the secondary cancer risk estimations for patients undergoing prostate radiotherapy: A humanoid phantom study." Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy, 25, no. 2, 187-92, 2020.
9- H.Ghiasi and A.Mesbahi. "Monte Carlo characterization of photoneutrons in the radiation therapy with high energy photons: a Comparison between simplified and full Monte Carlo models." Int-J-Radiat-Res, 8, no. 3, 187-93, 2010.
10- H.Ghiasi. "Monte Carlo characterizations mapping of the (+¦,n) and (n,+¦) photonuclear reactions in the high energy X-ray radiation therapy." Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy, 19, no. 1, 30-36, 2014.
11- C.R.Vandevoorde, P.Beukes, X.Miles, E.de Kock, J.Symons, J.Nieto-Camero, L.Tran, L.Chartier, E.Debrot, D.Propokovic, S.Chiriotti, A.Parisi, M.De Saint-Hubert, F.Vanhavere, A.Rozenfeld, and J.P.Slabbert. "P11. - Assessment of out-of-field DNA damage and the impact of neutron RBE on secondary cancer risk in paediatric proton therapy." Physica Medica, 41, S15, 2017.
12- F.Biltekin, G.Ozyigit, M.Yeginer, M.Cengiz, D.Celik, F.Yildiz, F.Akyol, F.Zorlu, and M.Gurkaynak. "EP-1374 THE SECONDARY MALIGNANCY RISK ESTIMATION DUE TO THE NEUTRON CONTAMINATION IN 3D-CRT AND IMRT TREATMENT TECHNIQUES." Radiotherapy and Oncology, 103, S521-S522, 2012.
13- P.J.Taddei, D.Mirkovic, A.Mahajan, D.Kornguth, A.Giebeler, R.Zhang, M.C.Harvey, S.Woo, and W.D.Newhauser. "Risk Estimate of Second Malignant Neoplasm Incidence and Mortality from Secondary Neutrons for Two Children Who Received Proton Craniospinal Irradiation." International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 75, no. 3, Supplement, S699, 2009.
14- M.A.Chaudhri. "SECONDARY NEUTRON PRODUCTION FROM PATIENTS DURING THERAPY WITH HADRONS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING RADIATIONS DOSES: ARE THERE POTENTIAL RISKS?" Radiotherapy and Oncology, 92, S110, 2009.
15- M.A.Chaudhri. "103 Production of secondary neutrons from patients during therapy with carbon-ions: their dose contributions and potential risks." Radiotherapy and Oncology, 76, S55-S56, 2005.
16- E.de Paiva and L.A.R.da Rosa. "Skyshine photon doses from 6 and 10 MV medical linear accelerators." Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 13, no. 1, 3671, 2012.
17- de Piva Elderado. “A Comment On The Photon Skyshine Radiation In The Vicinities Of Radiotherapy Facilities Rooms.” International Journal of Engineering Inventions 7[4], 28-13, 2018.
18- M.S.Gossman, P.H.McGinley, M.B.Rising, and A.J.Pahikkala. "Radiation skyshine from a 6 MeV medical accelerator." Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 11, no. 3,259-64, 2010.
19- M.S.Gossman, A.J.Pahikkala, M.B.Rising, and P.H.McGinley. "Providing solid angle formalism for skyshine calculations." Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 11, no. 4, 278-82, 2010.
20- R.Hayes. "Generalised photon skyshine calculations." Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 111, no. 3, 251-56, 2004.
21- D.Kotnik, B.Kos, D.-îali-ì, and L.Snoj. "Use of ADVANTG to analyse skyshine +¦-dose rates around a silo type LILW repository." Annals of Nuclear Energy, 145, 107585, 2020.
22- P.N.McDermott. "Photon skyshine from medical linear accelerators." Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, no. 3, 108-14, 2020.
23- McGinley PH. "Special Topics." pp. 1-182, 2002.
24- R.D.Sheu, C.S.Chui, and S.H.Jiang. "The integral first collision kernel method for gamma-ray skyshine analysis." Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 68, no. 5, 727-44, 2003.
25- I.R.Terry. "The Skyshine Benchmark Experiment Revisited." Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 116, no. 1-4, 538-41, 2005.
26- V.Vylet. "Shielding for the upgraded duke free electron laser laboratory." Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 115, no. 1-4, 2005, 207-11.
27- S.F.Zavgorodni. "A method for calculating the dose to a multi-storey building due to radiation scattered from the roof of an adjacent radiotherapy facility." Medical Physics, 28, no. 9,1926-30, 2001.
28- Los Alamos National Library. A general Monte Carlo N-Particle all purpose radiation transport dose. X[2.6.0]. 2007.
29- C.Kong, Q.Li, H.Chen, T.Du, C.Cheng, C.Tang, L.Zhu, H.Zhang, Z.Pei, and S.Ming. "Monte Carlo method for calculating the radiation skyshine produced by electron accelerators." Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 234, no. 3,269-74, 2005.
30- M.Uematsu and M.Kurosawa. "Skyshine analysis using energy and angular dependent dose-contribution fluxes obtained from air-over-ground adjoint calculation." Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 116, no. 1-4, 534-37, 2005.
31- S.Yoshida, T.Nishitani, K.Ochiai, J.Kaneko, J.Hori, S.Sato, M.Yamauchi, R.Tanaka, M.Nakao, M.Wada, M.Wakisaka, I.Murata, C.Kutsukake, S.Tanaka, T.Sawamura, and A.Takahashi. "Measurement of radiation skyshine with DGÇôT neutron source." Fusion Engineering and Design, 69, no. 1,637-41, 2003.
32- McDorrmot. Photon skyshine from medical linear accelerators. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 21[3], 108-114, 2020.
33- N.Rostampour, S.Jafari, M.Saeb, M.Keshtkar, P.Shokrani, and T.Almasi. "Assessment of skyshine photon dose rates from 9 and 18 MV medical linear accelerators." Int-J-Radiat-Res, 16, no. 4, 499-503, 2018.
34- Rostampour N, Jafari S, Saeb M, Keshtkar M, Shokrani P, and Almasi T. “Assessment of skyshine photon dose rates from 9 and 18 MV medical linear accelerators.” International Journal of Radiation Research, 16, 499-503, 2018.
35- M.Ladu, M.Pelliccioni, P.Picchi, and G.Verri. "A contribution to the skyshine study." Nuclear Instruments and Methods, 62, no. 1,51-56, 1968.
36- Kase RK, Mao XS, Nelson WR, and Liu JC. “Neutron Fluence and Energy Spectra Around the Varian Clinac 2100C/2300C Medical Accelerator.” Health Physics, 201-213, 1996.
37- Varian Ray system. Varian Medical System Inc, 2010.
38- H.Ghiasi and A.Mesbahi. "Monte Carlo characterization of photoneutrons in the radiation therapy with high energy photons: a Comparison between simplified and full Monte Carlo models." Int-J-Radiat-Res, 8, no. 3,187-93, 2010.
39- International Commission on Radiological Protection. "Conversion Coefficients for use in Radiological Protection against External Radiation." No. 74, ICRP, 1996.
40- Nuclear safety reports. "ANSI/ANS-3.1-1993;R1999, Selection, Qualification, and Training of Personnel for Nuclear Power Plants." No. 3.3-1993, 1993.
41- Kong C, Quanfeng L, Huaibi C, and et al. “Monte Carlo method for calculating the radiation skyshine produced by electron accelerators.” NuclInstr Methods Phys Res, B. 234, 269-274, 2005.
42- M.S.Gossman, A.J.Pahikkala, M.B.Rising, and P.H.McGinley. "Letter to the Editor." Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 12, no. 1, 242-43, 2011.
43- A.Naseri and A.Mesbahi. "A review on photoneutrons characteristics in radiation therapy with high-energy photon beams." Reports of Practical Oncology & Radiotherapy, 15, no. 5,138-44, 2010.
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| Issue | Vol 8 No 4 (2021) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/fbt.v8i4.7751 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Skyshine Monte Carlo Photon Neutron | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Eghdam-Zamiri R, Ghiasi H. A Comparison of Conventional Empirical Formula and MCNPX Code in the Estimations of Photon and Neutron Skyshine Rates for an 18MV Radiotherapy Bunker. Frontiers Biomed Technol. 2021;8(4):239-245.
