title: Measurement of activity distribution using photostimulable phosphor imaging plates in decommissioned 10 MV medical linear accelerator.
abstract: Photonuclear reactions generate neutrons in the head of the linear accelerator. Therefore, some parts of the linear accelerator can become activated. Such activated materials must be handled as radioactive waste. The authors attempted to investigate the distribution of induced radioactivity using photostimulable phosphor imaging plates. Autoradiographs were produced from some parts of the linear accelerator (the target, upper jaw, multileaf collimator and shielding). The levels of induced radioactivity were confirmed to be non-uniform within each part from the autoradiographs. The method was a simple and highly sensitive approach to evaluating the relative degree of activation of the linear accelerators, so that appropriate materials management procedures can be carried out.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan; †National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan; ‡Nuclear Safety Technology Center, 5-1-3-101 Hakusan Bunkyo-ku Tokyo, Japan; §University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan; **Yokohama Rousai Hospital, 3211 Kodzukue-cho, Kohuku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 222-0036, Japan; ††National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku Tokyo, 104-0045 Japan.
authors.forename: Toshioh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujibuchi
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yonai
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Takeji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakae
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Itami
mesh_terms: D049449:Luminescence; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D012542:Scattering, Radiation