title: Monte Carlo tools to supplement experimental microdosimetric spectra.
abstract: Tissue-equivalent proportional counters (TEPCs) are widely used in experimental microdosimetry for characterising the radiation quality in radiation protection and radiation therapy environments. Generally, TEPCs are filled with tissue-equivalent gas mixtures, at low gas pressure, to simulate tissue site sizes similar to the cell nucleus (1 or 2 µm). The TEPC response using Monte Carlo (MC) codes can be applied to supplement experimental measurements. Most of general-purpose MC codes currently available recourse to the condensed-history approach to model the electron transport and do not transport low-energy electrons (<1 keV), which can lead to systematic errors, especially in thin layers and in gas-condensed medium interfaces. In this work, a comparison between experimental microdosimetric spectra of (60)Co and (137)Cs radiation at different simulated sizes (from 1.0 to 3.0 μm) in pure propane versus simulated spectra obtained with two general-purpose codes FLUKA and PENELOPE, which include a detailed simulation of electron-photon transport in arbitrary materials, including gases, is presented.
authors.affiliation: Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK•CEN, Mol, Belgium Center of Molecular Imaging, Radiotherapy and Oncology, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Brussels, Belgium Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, INFN-LNL, Legnaro, Italy scalvare@sckcen.be.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chiriotti
authors.affiliation: Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, INFN-LNL, Legnaro, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.affiliation: Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, INFN-LNL, Legnaro, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.affiliation: Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, INFN-LNL, Legnaro, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Colautti
authors.affiliation: Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK•CEN, Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.affiliation: Center of Molecular Imaging, Radiotherapy and Oncology, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sterpin
authors.affiliation: Center of Molecular Imaging, Radiotherapy and Oncology, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Brussels, Belgium Cliniques universitaires St-Luc, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vynckier
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004583:Electrons; D005740:Gases; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000737:chemistry; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011407:Propane; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D005740:Gases; D008738:Methyl Ethers; C033413:dimethyl ether; D011407:Propane