A novel technique to optimise the length of a linear accelerator treatment room maze without compromising radiation protection

Simulations with the FLUktuierende KAskade (FLUKA) Monte Carlo code were used to establish the
possibility of introducing lead to cover the existing concrete walls of a linear accelerator
treatment room maze, in order to reduce the dose of the scattered photons at the maze entrance. In
the present work, a pilot study performed at Singleton Hospital in Swansea was used to pioneer the
use of lead sheets of various thicknesses to absorb scattered low energy photons in the maze. The
dose reduction was considered to be due to the strong effect of the photoelectric interaction in
lead resulting in attenuation of the back-scattered photons. Calculations using FLUKA with
mono-energetic photons were used to represent the main components of the x-ray spectrum up to 10 MV.
Mono-energetic photons were used to enable the study of the behaviour of each energy component from
the associated interaction processes. The results showed that adding lead of 1 to 4 mm thickness to
the walls and floor ...

Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - December 6, 2017 Category: Physics Authors: I A M Al-Affan, S C Evans, M Qutub and R P Hugtenburg Source Type: research