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Determination of the neutron and photon spectra of a clinical fast neutron beam
Author(s) -
Moyers M. F.,
Horton J. L.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.596492
Subject(s) - neutron , dosimetry , physics , photon , attenuation , beam (structure) , spectral line , neutron radiation , computational physics , optics , nuclear physics , nuclear medicine , medicine , quantum mechanics
A simple technique to determine the neutron and photon spectra of a clinical fast neutron beam is described. This technique involves making narrow beam attenuation measurements with a pair of ionization chambers and an iterative fitting program to analyze the data. A method is also described for determining the first‐guess neutron spectrum for input into the iterative program. The results of the analysis yield spectra suitable for use in dose calculation algorithms and dosimetry protocols. Presented here is the first‐known published photon spectrum from a clinical machine.