title: Feasibility study on using imaging plates to estimate thermal neutron fluence in neutron-gamma mixed fields.
abstract: In current radiotherapy, neutrons are produced in a photonuclear reaction when incident photon energy is higher than the threshold. In the present study, a method of discriminating the neutron component was investigated using an imaging plate (IP) in the neutron-gamma-ray mixed field. Two types of IP were used: a conventional IP for beta- and gamma rays, and an IP doped with Gd for detecting neutrons. IPs were irradiated in the mixed field, and the photo-stimulated luminescence (PSL) intensity of the thermal neutron component was discriminated using an expression proposed herein. The PSL intensity of the thermal neutron component was proportional to thermal neutron fluence. When additional irradiation of photons was added to constant neutron irradiation, the PSL intensity of the thermal neutron component was not affected. The uncertainty of PSL intensities was approximately 11.4 %. This method provides a simple and effective means of discriminating the neutron component in a mixed field.
authors.affiliation: Graduated School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. fujibuchi@ipu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Toshioh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujibuchi
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Takeji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakae
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terunuma
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Isobe
authors.forename: Hiraku
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasuoka
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harano
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nohtomi
mesh_terms: D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005720:Gamma Rays; D049449:Luminescence; D009502:Neutrons; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D017785:Photons; D011868:Radioisotopes; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes