Measurement of fast neutron contamination caused by the presence of wedge and block using CR-39 detector

Abstract

Objective: Undesired neutron contamination imposed to patients during treatment is among the main factors increasing the risk of secondary cancer in radiotherapy. This additional undesirable dose is due to neutron contamination production in high-energy accelerators. In this study, neutron contamination is investigated in the presence of wedge and block in 15 MV photon fields of Siemens Primus linear accelerator. Materials and Methods: Neutron production by 30°, 45°, and 60° wedges and cerrobend block was investigated. Measurements were conducted in a 10 cm × 10 cm field at the source to -surface distance of 100 cm at 0.5, 2, 3, and 4 cm depths of a 30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm Perspex phantom using the CR-39 passive film detectors. Chemical etching was performed using sodium hydroxide solution with 6.25 M concentration as the etchant at 85°C for 3 h. Results: The neutron dosimetry results reveal that the presence of wedge and block increases the neutron contamination. However, the 45° wedge is most effective in producing neutron contamination. The results also show that the fast neutron contamination is lower in the steeper depths. Conclusion: The presence of a wedge in a therapeutic high-energy photon field is a source of neutron contamination and may be of concern regarding clinical aspects. The results of this study show that superficial tissues such as skin will incur higher fast neutron contamination than the deep tissues.