Scintillators for Mixed Beam Dosimetry

Two scintillators, a Li-6 loaded ZnS(Ag) inorganic
scintillator and a
natural boron loaded (10 % concentration by weight)
plastic
scintillator, were evaluated for dose measurements in
accelerator-
based boron neutron capture therapy (ABNCT) using
various
monoenergetic neutrons generated via the
Li-7(p,n)Be-7 reaction.
Protons to initiate the reaction were obtained from
the Van de
Graaff accelerator at the University of Massachusetts
Lowell.

While the inorganic scintillator has pronounced
response to thermal
neutrons, the boron loaded plastic scintillator is
quite sufficient for
detecting signals due to both fast and thermal
neutrons, as well as
gamma rays. The plastic scintillator can be used in
mixed beam
dosimetry for fast neutrons, thermal neutrons, and
photons using
pulse height analysis. Its fast response is suitable
for making real
time dose measurements as well.

Autorentext
Since Don-Soo Kim, Ph.D. completed his doctorate at the
University of
Massachusetts Lowell in 2004, he has been working as a medical
physicist at
Children s Hospital Boston, MA. Dr. Kim is involved in various
imaging quality control
programs in the Radiology Department as well as research related
to imaging with
various sources of radiation.

Klappentext
Two scintillators, a Li-6 loaded ZnS(Ag) inorganic scintillator and a natural boron loaded (10 % concentration by weight) plastic scintillator, were evaluated for dose measurements in accelerator- based boron neutron capture therapy (ABNCT) using various monoenergetic neutrons generated via the Li-7(p,n)Be-7 reaction. Protons to initiate the reaction were obtained from the Van de Graaff accelerator at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. While the inorganic scintillator has pronounced response to thermal neutrons, the boron loaded plastic scintillator is quite sufficient for detecting signals due to both fast and thermal neutrons, as well as gamma rays. The plastic scintillator can be used in mixed beam dosimetry for fast neutrons, thermal neutrons, and photons using pulse height analysis. Its fast response is suitable for making real time dose measurements as well.