Enhancement of radiation exposure risk from β-emitter radionuclides due to Internal Bremsstrahlung effect: A Monte Carlo study of 90Y case. (August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Italiano, Antonio; Auditore, Lucrezia; Amato, Ernesto
• Is Part Of: Physica medica. Volume 76(2020)
• Page Start: 159
• Page End: 165
• Publication Date: 2020-08
• Subjects: Internal bremsstrahlung -- Dose -- External exposure -- Monte Carlo -- GAMOS; Medical physics -- Periodicals; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Imagerie médicale -- Périodiques; Radiothérapie -- Périodiques; Rayons X -- Sécurité -- Mesures -- Périodiques; Physique -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Périodiques; 610.153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2020.06.018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1120-1797

Abstract

Highlights: Relevance of Internal Bremsstrahlung (IB) was studied for 90 Y. IB contribution to total absorbed dose was evaluated by means of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Dependence on the adopted model of IB spectrum was pointed out. IB contribution resulted not negligible for different irradiation geometries. Abstract: Employment of β-decaying radionuclides, used in many fields (industrial, clinical, research) requires a correct assessment of the operators' radiological exposure. Usually, in the dosimetric evaluation, the contribution coming from Internal Bremsstrahlung (IB) accompanying the β-decay is not kept into account; nevertheless, this negligibility does not always appear justified, at least for high-energy β-emitters. By means of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, we showed how the contribution from IB photons is noteworthy for the evaluation of the overall radiation absorbed dose in the case of 90 Y source. We evaluated an increase of the absorbed doses, respectively for a point source and the considered receptacles, up to + 34% and + 60% or + 15% and + 28%, depending on the adopted model of IB spectrum. These results demonstrate the relevance of IB phenomenon in radiation protection estimations and suggest extending future theoretical and experimental studies to other β-decaying radionuclides.