Modelling in Radiation Dosimetry

D Shipley, M Bailey, S Galer, H Palmans and R Nutbrown

The practical realisation of dosimetry standards at NPL is supported by theoretical and computational modelling. We use a variety of techniques to simulate the irradiation facilities and radiation detectors used at NPL, as part of a programme to establish improved dosimetry standards.
The clinical 60MeV ocular proton beam line at the CCC: protons (blue), electrons (red), neutral particles (green) modelled using GEANT4. Inset: modulator wheel used to control the dose distribution in the patient.

The NPL clinical linear accelerator (left) and secondary standard ionisation chamber in water (above) modelled using EGSnrc: X-rays (yellow) and electrons (green).

Modelling based on the Monte Carlo method is one of the most important techniques that we use in radiation dosimetry. In radiation transport applications, this is a realistic simulation of the physical scattering and absorption processes undergone by ionising radiation - photons, electrons, neutrons, light ions - as it passes through a set of predened materials and geometries. We use a wide variety of radiation transport codes, including EGS (and egspp), GEANT4, FLUKA, MCNPX and PTRAN, to model a whole range of applications across all dosimetry technical areas including:

Driven by a continuing demand for increased accuracy in the standards that we provide, NPL actively contributes to the development of improved transport algorithms and interaction data used in these codes. Many of the simulations make heavy use of onsite clusters and the NPL distributed computing grid that utilises the spare computing capacity of hundreds of desktop computers across the site.

Electric eld strength calculation (top) in the new 5cc primary standard cavity chamber (above).

 Accelerator beam lines and radiation sources

Extensive simulations of the clinical linear accelerators, X-ray and gamma-ray facilities at NPL have been carried out. In addition, modelling of the ocular proton beam line at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre (CCC) and commercial electron beam and more complex gamma-ray irradiation facilities have been performed. A variety of LDR and HDR brachytherapy sources have also been modelled and characterised.
A radiation bunker design simulated using FLUKA showing the doseequivalent rate distribution in the room, maze and walls for a high energy x-ray beam striking a tungsten slab.

 Radiation detectors
 any types of radiation detector M used at NPL for the measurement and characterisation of ionising radiation, such as ionisation and well chambers, graphite calorimeters, Germanium detectors have been modelled as well as investigations for the design of new detectors and standards.

A well ionisation chamber with an inserted 192Ir HDR brachytherapy source. Right: Close up of two source types.

Analytical and numerical modelling also plays an essential role in radiation dosimetry. Finite Element analysis techniques are used extensively for modelling heat ow in a range of water and graphite calorimeters that are used for the realisation of absorbed dose.

Heatow in a small graphite calorimeter 0.5, 12 and 120 seconds after irradiation in a 60 MeV proton beam. A commercial gamma-ray irradiation facility simulated using egspp for the comparison of doserate calculations against the NPL real-time dosimeter. Above: Close-up of source rack showing active (green) pencil loaded with cobalt, and dummy (blue) source pencils.

NPL is committed to the dissemination of knowledge and technical information in this research eld. NPL has hosted many successful UK Monte Carlo User Group (MCNEG) meetings and international workshops on Monte Carlo codes and training courses on the EGS system. We have also carried out successful consultancies and collaborations with industry, academic and other government departments in computational modelling.

National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, UK, TW11 0LW Contact: david.shipley@npl.co.uk