title: Determination of whole-body nitrogen and radiation assessment using in vivo prompt gamma activation technique.
abstract: Body nitrogen content in the phantom is measured by semiconducting and scintillation spectrometers using in vivo prompt gamma-ray activation analysis technique. The effective dose rate equivalents for sensitive organs and tissues inside the phantom are assessed by dosimetric measurement and neutron transport calculation. The bismuth germanate scintillator is found superior to the germanium semiconducting detector to quantitatively measure the photopeak of the 10.829 MeV prompt gamma-ray emitted from the 14N(n, gamma) reaction. Recommended scanning period for current setup using the BGO detector is 1 h on the modified mobile nuclear reactor. The effective dose equivalents from both neutrons and gamma-rays are estimated around 63 microSv per scan in the phantom test, making it a safe and reliable nuclear analytical method for in vivo body nitrogen measurement.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000201:Activation Analysis; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008961:Models, Structural; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D011829:Radiation Dosage
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen