Dosimetry for total body irradiation of rhesus monkeys with 300 kV X-rays.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain more accurate information on the dose distribution in rhesus monkeys for total body irradiation with orthovoltage X-rays.


METHODS
Dose measurements were performed with an ionization chamber inside homogeneous cylindrical and rectangular phantoms of various dimensions and in phantoms containing lung-equivalent material. The irradiations were carried out with reference to a monitor ionization chamber placed alongside the phantom or the irradiation cage.


RESULTS
Correction factors for mass and lung dose relative to the average dose in a homogeneous reference phantom, showed linear relationships with the effective diameter of the monkey. The lung dose correction factor relative to the homogeneous phantom was about 1.12 for a 3.5 kg monkey. The stated values for the average absorbed dose in the animal of standard weight should be multiplied by a factor of 0.93 for experiments performed before 1983. All publications on total body irradiations of monkeys at TNO after 1983 contain the corrected dose values.


CONCLUSIONS
Dose distributions are reported for phantoms of different diameters and of cylindrical or rectangular shape. The new dosimetry has also resulted in a revised statement of the LD50 for the occurrence of bone marrow syndrome after X-irradiation; 4.9 Gy instead of 5.3 Gy.
TNO Centre for Radiological Protection and Dosimetry, Rijswijk, The Netherlands.
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J
Zoetelief
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G
Wagemaker
J J
JJ
Broerse
D000818:Animals; D001824:Body Constitution; D001835:Body Weight; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000528:radiation effects; D005720:Gamma Rays; D008168:Lung / Q000528:radiation effects; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000528:radiation effects; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation; D014965:X-Rays
D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate