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A Monte Carlo Computer Code to Calculate Radiation Dose from Syringes Containing Radioactive Substances

Howard University, Washington, DC

Correspondence: For reprints contact: S. Sherbini, Nuclear Engineering Program, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059.

ABSTRACT

The absorbed dose to tissue surrounding a syringe containing technetium-99m is evaluated with a computer code using Monte Carlo photon-transport techniques. The syringe geometry is represented as a right circular cylinder. The cylindrical symmetry of the absorbed-dose distribution is assumed by calculating the absorbed dose in a volume region shaped like a circular annulus with a square cross section. The deposition of electron energy is assumed to take place at the point where the photon interacts. For a 5-ml syringe containing 3 ml of liquid, the absorbed dose at the midpoint of the liquid region and 0.5 mm from the outer syringe surface was 16.4 mrads per millicurie-minute. This is in good agreement with calculations and measurements reported in the literature. The accuracy of the program was tested by reproducing M. Berger's values of the specific absorbed fractions for point-isotropic sources in water. The code has been written in a flexible format. Any photon energy or mixture of photon energies, in any proportion, can be used as input to the program. The syringe dimensions and the volume of the liquid (source) region are variable input parameters. This code is intended to be used to produce absorbed-dose results a) for monoenergetic photons, b) for a variety of syringe sizes or source volumes, and c) to evaluate or optimize nonhomogeneous shielding materials such as lead, tungsten, uranium, and combinations of various materials.