In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Investigation on the Effect of Chamber Wall Aluminum Alloy on the Response of Free-Air Well-Type Ionization Chamber for 137CS, 57Co and 241Am Gamma Rays

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Abstract
Free-air well-type ionization chambers are used in brachytherapy medical centers for measurement of brachytherapy source strengths. In this investigation, the HDR-33004 free-air well-type ionization chamber has been simulated using MCNP-4C computer code for several aluminum alloys as chamber wall material. The relative response (electric current) behavior of the simulated chamber for various source positions along the chamber central axis has been calculated and shows good agreement with measured values. We have also observed that the calculated and measured reference points are situated at the same positions. The results showed that the calculated electric current for unit source strength of 137Cs does not depend on the chamber wall aluminum alloy type, but for 57Co and 241Am sources, a strong dependency on the type of aluminum alloy as chamber wall material is observed. The presence of high atomic number elements such as zinc in some aluminum alloys resulted in higher response of the chamber. It is also found that for similar Al-7091 alloys the calculated and measured responses for 137Cs, 57Co and 241Am sources are in good agreement, showing that the alloy type of the chamber wall material would likely be an alloy similar to Al-7091. The results of this investigation can be applied for design of free-air well-type ionization chambers for low energy gamma sources.

Highlights

  1. 1.    International Atomic Energy Agency “Calibration of Photon and Beta Source Used in Brachytherapy,” IAEA– TECDOC– 1274, March (2002).

 

  1. 2.    F.M. Khan, “The Physics of Radiation Therapy,” 3rd edition, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (2003).

 

  1. 3.    Glenn F. Knoll, “Radiation Detection and Measurement,” 3rd edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc (1999).

 

  1. 4.    N. Ahmad, Nasir M. Mirza, Sikander M. Mirza, T. Rashid, M. Tufail, Liaquate A. Khan, “Design and study of the characteristics of a three electrode experimental ionization chamber for gamma ray dosimetry of spent fuel,” Nuclear Instrument and Methods in Physics Research A321403-409 (1992).

 

  1. 5.    Sujatha Pai and Lawerence E. Reinstein, “Evaluation of a new seald reentrant well chamber for HDR and LDR brachytherapy calibration”, Med. Phys. 25, No. 5 (1998).

 

  1. 6.    Anthon. K. Ho, Ph. D., Claudio H, Sibata, Ph. D., Cleber N. Desouza, M. Sc. Robert Castighone, B. Sc. and KYU. H. Shin, M. D., “Evalution of a well-type  ionization chamber for calibration of HDR and LDR brachytherapy sources,” Medical Dosimetry, 20, No. 1, pp 31-34 (1995).                                    
  2. 7.     IR J Meiler, C H Sibata, A K Ho, C De Souza and KH Shin, “A well-type ionization chamber geometric correction factor,” Phys. Med. Biol, 41, pp 1141-1148 (1996).

 

  1. 8.    L. Buerman, H. -M. Kramer, H. Schrader, H. -J. Selbach, “Activity determination of 192Ir solid sources by ionization chamber measurement using calculated corrections for self-absorption,” Nuclear Instruments and Method in Physics Research A, 339, pp 369-376 (1994).

 

  1. 9.    Briesmeister, J. F. Editor, “MCNP-4C, A General Monte Carlo N Particle Transport Code System Version 4C,” Los Alamos National Laboratory LA-13709-M (2000).

 

  1. 10.                                   Instruction Manual, HDR Chamber Type 33004, [d432.131.0/1].

 

11.Austrian Research Center Seibersdorf, “Secondary Standard Ionization Chamber Type LS-01,” November(1984).

 

  

 

   
   

Cs137 

   
   

 

12.ع. سلیمانیان، آ. عالیپور، م. غفوری، ”سنجه‌‌بندی استاندارد چشمه‌های      مورد استفاده در براکی‌تراپی، مجله علوم و فنون هسته‌ای،“ شماره 34، صفحات 56-53 (1384).                                    

 

 

 

 

 

13.Mark J. Revard, Bert M. Coursey, Larry A. Dewerds Willian F. Hanson, M. Saiful Huq, Geoffrey S. Ibbott, Michael G. Mitch, Ravinder Nath, Jeffrey F. Williamson, “Update of AAPM Task Group No. 43 Report: A Revised AAPM Protocol for Brachytherapy Dose Calculations,” Med. Phys. 31(3), March (2004).

 

 

 

14.Stephen M. Seltzer, Paul J. Lamperti, Robert Loevinger, Michael G. Mitch, James T. Weaver, and Bert M. Coursey, “New national air-kerma- strength standards for 125I and 103Pd brachytherapy seeds,” J. Res. Inst. Stand. Technol. 108. pp 337-358 (2003).

 

 

 

15.James E. Martin, “Physics for Radiation Protection,” John Wiley&Sons, Inc., New   York (2000).

 

 

 

16.Michael G. Mitch. Brian E. Zimmerman, Paul J. Lamperti, Stephen M. Seltzer, and Bert M. Coursey, “Well-ionization chamber response relative to NIST air kerma strength standard for prostate brachytherapy seeds,” Med. Phys, 27(10), October (2000).

 

 

 

17. Arthur B. Chilton, J. Kenneth Shultis, Richard E. Faw, “Principles of Radiation Shielding,” Prentice- Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 (1984).

 

 

 

18.John P. Frick, Ph. D. (Editor), “Woldmans Enginering Alloys,” 8th edition, ASM International, second printing, USA, Feb (1996).

 

Keywords


  1. 1.    International Atomic Energy Agency “Calibration of Photon and Beta Source Used in Brachytherapy,” IAEA– TECDOC– 1274, March (2002).

 

  1. 2.    F.M. Khan, “The Physics of Radiation Therapy,” 3rd edition, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (2003).

 

  1. 3.    Glenn F. Knoll, “Radiation Detection and Measurement,” 3rd edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc (1999).

 

  1. 4.    N. Ahmad, Nasir M. Mirza, Sikander M. Mirza, T. Rashid, M. Tufail, Liaquate A. Khan, “Design and study of the characteristics of a three electrode experimental ionization chamber for gamma ray dosimetry of spent fuel,” Nuclear Instrument and Methods in Physics Research A321403-409 (1992).

 

  1. 5.    Sujatha Pai and Lawerence E. Reinstein, “Evaluation of a new seald reentrant well chamber for HDR and LDR brachytherapy calibration”, Med. Phys. 25, No. 5 (1998).

 

  1. 6.    Anthon. K. Ho, Ph. D., Claudio H, Sibata, Ph. D., Cleber N. Desouza, M. Sc. Robert Castighone, B. Sc. and KYU. H. Shin, M. D., “Evalution of a well-type  ionization chamber for calibration of HDR and LDR brachytherapy sources,” Medical Dosimetry, 20, No. 1, pp 31-34 (1995).                                    
  2. 7.     IR J Meiler, C H Sibata, A K Ho, C De Souza and KH Shin, “A well-type ionization chamber geometric correction factor,” Phys. Med. Biol, 41, pp 1141-1148 (1996).

 

  1. 8.    L. Buerman, H. -M. Kramer, H. Schrader, H. -J. Selbach, “Activity determination of 192Ir solid sources by ionization chamber measurement using calculated corrections for self-absorption,” Nuclear Instruments and Method in Physics Research A, 339, pp 369-376 (1994).

 

  1. 9.    Briesmeister, J. F. Editor, “MCNP-4C, A General Monte Carlo N Particle Transport Code System Version 4C,” Los Alamos National Laboratory LA-13709-M (2000).

 

  1. 10.                                   Instruction Manual, HDR Chamber Type 33004, [d432.131.0/1].

 

11.Austrian Research Center Seibersdorf, “Secondary Standard Ionization Chamber Type LS-01,” November(1984).

 

  

 

   

   

Cs137 

   

   

 

12.ع. سلیمانیان، آ. عالیپور، م. غفوری، ”سنجه‌‌بندی استاندارد چشمه‌های      مورد استفاده در براکی‌تراپی، مجله علوم و فنون هسته‌ای،“ شماره 34، صفحات 56-53 (1384).                                    

 

 

 

 

 

13.Mark J. Revard, Bert M. Coursey, Larry A. Dewerds Willian F. Hanson, M. Saiful Huq, Geoffrey S. Ibbott, Michael G. Mitch, Ravinder Nath, Jeffrey F. Williamson, “Update of AAPM Task Group No. 43 Report: A Revised AAPM Protocol for Brachytherapy Dose Calculations,” Med. Phys. 31(3), March (2004).

 

 

 

14.Stephen M. Seltzer, Paul J. Lamperti, Robert Loevinger, Michael G. Mitch, James T. Weaver, and Bert M. Coursey, “New national air-kerma- strength standards for 125I and 103Pd brachytherapy seeds,” J. Res. Inst. Stand. Technol. 108. pp 337-358 (2003).

 

 

 

15.James E. Martin, “Physics for Radiation Protection,” John Wiley&Sons, Inc., New   York (2000).

 

 

 

16.Michael G. Mitch. Brian E. Zimmerman, Paul J. Lamperti, Stephen M. Seltzer, and Bert M. Coursey, “Well-ionization chamber response relative to NIST air kerma strength standard for prostate brachytherapy seeds,” Med. Phys, 27(10), October (2000).

 

 

 

17. Arthur B. Chilton, J. Kenneth Shultis, Richard E. Faw, “Principles of Radiation Shielding,” Prentice- Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 (1984).

 

 

 

18.John P. Frick, Ph. D. (Editor), “Woldmans Enginering Alloys,” 8th edition, ASM International, second printing, USA, Feb (1996).