title: Development of modified voxel phantoms for the numerical dosimetric reconstruction of radiological accidents involving external sources: implementation in SESAME tool.
abstract: Estimating the dose distribution in a victim's body is a relevant indicator in assessing biological damage from exposure in the event of a radiological accident caused by an external source. When the dose distribution is evaluated with a numerical anthropomorphic model, the posture and morphology of the victim have to be reproduced as realistically as possible. Several years ago, IRSN developed a specific software application, called the simulation of external source accident with medical images (SESAME), for the dosimetric reconstruction of radiological accidents by numerical simulation. This tool combines voxel geometry and the MCNP(X) Monte Carlo computer code for radiation-material interaction. This note presents a new functionality in this software that enables the modelling of a victim's posture and morphology based on non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) surfaces. The procedure for constructing the modified voxel phantoms is described, along with a numerical validation of this new functionality using a voxel phantom of the RANDO tissue-equivalent physical model.
authors.affiliation: External Dosimetry Department, Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Radiological Protection and Human Health Division, Ionizing Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory, IRSN/DRPH/SDE, BP 17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex, France. estelle.courageot@irsn.fr
authors.forename: Estelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Courageot
authors.forename: Rima
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sayah
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huet
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface