title: BOMAB phantom variability: do small dimensional changes matter?
abstract: The Human Monitoring Laboratory (HML) has had a number of BOMAB phantoms built over the years. Upon characterization, it has been found that the dimensions of the phantoms are always slightly different. This study has looked at the effect of these small variances in dimensions of the phantoms and compared the results to what is required in the industry standard using Monte Carlo simulations for three counting geometries: the HML's scanning detector whole body counter, the StandFast whole body counter, and the W-chair whole body counter. It has been found that the effect of these small variations on the performance of these phantoms is very minor (<5%). It is reassuring to find that small variations in manufacturing, even if individual sections are non-compliant, have such a minor effect on performance as to be considered a negligible effect for any counting system's geometry.
authors.affiliation: Human Monitoring Laboratory, Radiation Surveillance and Health Assessment Division, Radiation Protection Bureau, Ottawa, ON, Canada. gary_h_kramer@hc-sc.gc.ca
authors.forename: Gary H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Barry M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hauck
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Capello
mesh_terms: D049628:Body Size; D001835:Body Weight; D054042:Bombs; D006801:Humans; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D014915:Whole-Body Counting / Q000379:methods