title: Detection of bremsstrahlung radiation of 90Sr-90Y for emergency lung counting.
abstract: This study explores the possibility of developing a field-deployable (90)Sr detector for rapid lung counting in emergency situations. The detection of beta-emitters (90)Sr and its daughter (90)Y inside the human lung via bremsstrahlung radiation was performed using a 3″ × 3″ NaI(Tl) crystal detector and a polyethylene-encapsulated source to emulate human lung tissue. The simulation results show that this method is a viable technique for detecting (90)Sr with a minimum detectable activity (MDA) of 1.07 × 10(4) Bq, using a realistic dual-shielded detector system in a 0.25-µGy h(-1) background field for a 100-s scan. The MDA is sufficiently sensitive to meet the requirement for emergency lung counting of Type S (90)Sr intake. The experimental data were verified using Monte Carlo calculations, including an estimate for internal bremsstrahlung, and an optimisation of the detector geometry was performed. Optimisations in background reduction techniques and in the electronic acquisition systems are suggested.
authors.affiliation: AECL Chalk River Nuclear Laboratory, Chalk River, ON,  Canada K0J 1J0.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hakmana Witharana
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jonkmans
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Surette
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dubeau
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D060733:Electromagnetic Radiation; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes
chemical_list: D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes