The use of DOSXYZnrc to simulate a voxel phantom in radiation protection

Abstract

Very significant advancements were presented during the years with computational phantom, passing from stylized analytical human models to realistic voxel models based on computed tomography scans or MRI scans ,and finally to advanced surface-geometry models. This paper presents an investigation on the description of phantom based on the DOSXYZnrc code using ICRP reference voxel models. Several modifications have been made in the DOSXYZnrc source code and macro parameters. Irradiations from broad parallel beams in antero-posterior, postero-anterior directions and eight energies both of male and female have been performed numerically by the Monte Carlo transport code EGSnrc. Comparison was also done between the result of this method and ICRP 74 report. While the effective dose conversion coefficients calculated were little discrepancy with ICRP 74, generally speaking, we believe this edited version of dosxyznrc code together with computational phantoms is a suitable method to determine organ and tissue doses from various radiation exposures. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.