title: Estimated fluence-to-absorbed dose conversion coefficients for use in radiological protection of embryo and foetus against external exposure to photons from 50 keV to 10 GeV.
abstract: In the literature, no conversion coefficients are available for use in radiological protection of the embryo and foetus against external exposure to photons. This study used the Monte-Carlo code MCNPX to determine mean absorbed doses to the embryo and foetus when the mother is exposed to external photon fields. Monoenergetic photons ranging from 50 keV to 10 GeV were considered. The irradiation geometries included antero-posterior (AP), postero-anterior (PA), lateral (LAT), rotational (ROT), and isotropic (ISO). At each of these standard irradiation geometries, absorbed doses to the foetal brain and body were calculated for the embryo of 8 weeks and the foetus of 3, 6 or 9 months. Photon fluence-to-absorbed-dose conversion coefficients were estimated for the four prenatal ages.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa K1A 1C1, Canada. jing_chen@he-sc.gc.ca
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001822:Body Burden; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D017785:Photons; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000196:embryology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D012062:Relative Biological Effectiveness; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation