In situ biological dose mapping estimates the radiation burden delivered to 'spared' tissue between synchrotron X-ray microbeam radiotherapy tracks

Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) using high doses of synchrotron X-rays can destroy tumours in animal models whilst causing little damage to normal tissues. Determining the spatial distribution of radiation doses delivered during MRT at a microscopic scale is a major challenge. Film and semiconductor dosimetry as well as Monte Carlo methods struggle to provide accurate estimates of dose profiles and peak-to-valley dose ratios at the position of the targeted and traversed tissues whose biological responses determine treatment outcome. The purpose of this study was to utilise γ-H2AX immunostaining as a biodosimetric tool that enables in situ biological dose mapping within an irradiated tissue to provide direct biological evidence for the scale of the radiation burden to 'spared' tissue regions between MRT tracks. Γ-H2AX analysis allowed microbeams to be traced and DNA damage foci to be quantified in valleys between beams following MRT treatment of fibroblast cultures and murine skin where foci yields per unit dose were approximately five-fold lower than in fibroblast cultures. Foci levels in cells located in valleys were compared with calibration curves using known broadbeam synchrotron X-ray doses to generate spatial dose profiles and calculate peak-to-valley dose ratios of 30-40 for cell cultures and approximately 60 for murine skin, consistent with the range obtained with conventional dosimetry methods. This biological dose mapping approach could find several applications both in optimising MRT or other radiotherapeutic treatments and in estimating localised doses following accidental radiation exposure using skin punch biopsies.     

Response of rat skin to high-dose unidirectional x-ray microbeams: a histological study

There is growing interest in evaluating microbeam radiation therapy as a potential clinical modality. Microbeam radiation therapy uses arrays of parallel, microscopically thin (<100 microm) planes of synchrotron-generated X rays (microplanar beams, or microbeams). Due to the relatively low beam energies involved in microbeam radiation therapy (a median beam energy of 120 keV was used in the present study), the dose penetration of microbeams in tissue is lower than that used in conventional radiotherapy. This lower energy necessitates using a significantly elevated dose to the skin's surface during clinical microbeam therapy to ensure an adequate dose distribution in the target tumor. The findings of the present study, using a rat skin model, indicated that the skin had an extremely high tolerance to microbeam radiation at doses considerably in excess of those that were therapeutically effective in preclinical studies. A histological study was undertaken to evaluate the biological mechanisms underlying this high tolerance. The irradiation configuration employed single-exposure, unidirectional microbeams 90 microm wide, with 300 microm beam spacing on-center. The in-beam skin-surface absorbed doses were in the range 835-1335 Gy. Monte Carlo simulations of the dose distribution indicated that the "valley" dose, i.e. the radiation leakage between adjacent microbeams, was about 2.5% of the in-beam dose. The high tolerance of the rats' skin to microbeams and the rapid regeneration of the damaged segments of skin were attributed to the surviving clonogenic cells situated between the adjacent microplanar beams. In the epidermis, clonogenic cells in the hair follicular epithelium appeared to play a key role in the regeneration process.     

Cellular kinetics, dosimetry, and radiobiology of alpha-particle radioimmunotherapy: induction of apoptosis.

Though clinical results for radioimmunoconjugate therapy of most common epithelial tumors have been disappointing, dramatic responses have been observed repeatedly in the treatment of high- and low-grade malignant lymphomas. This high clinical responsiveness after radioimmunoconjugate therapy sometimes appears to be out of proportion to the calculated radiation dose absorbed by the lymphoma tissue. Here we describe some key aspects of the kinetics, dosimetry, and cellular radiobiology of murine lymphoma cells exposed to 212Bi-radiolabeled alpha-particle-emitting immunoconjugates specific for the differentiation antigen Thy 1.2. Approximately 25 cell-bound alpha-particle-emitting immunoconjugates per target cell were required to reduce clonogenic survival by 90% (the radiobiological D10). Serial kinetic analyses of the antibody and radioisotope components of the immunoconjugates revealed significant levels of dechelation and up to 7.5% cellular internalization of the isotope. Cellular radiation dosimetry performed by Monte Carlo computer simulation of alpha-particle energy deposition patterns based on the observed radiopharmacokinetics showed that the D10 resulted from approximately four alpha-particle traversals through the nucleus, corresponding to an absorbed radiation dose of approximately 0.95 Gy to the cell nucleus. Electron micrographs and DNA gel studies of murine lymphoma cells undergoing radioimmunoconjugate therapy in vivo and in vitro demonstrated bizarre blebbing patterns, condensation of chromosomal material, and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation patterns characteristic of programmed cell death (apoptosis). We conjecture that the efficacy of radioimmunoconjugates against responsive cell types may be the result of passive DNA damage by ionizing radiation and the initiation of apoptosis in response to radioimmunotherapy.     

Using matrix summation method for three dimensional dose calculation in brachytherapy

AimThe purpose of this study is to calculate radiation dose around a brachytherapy source in a water phantom for different seed locations or rotation the sources by the matrix summation method.BackgroundMonte Carlo based codes like MCNP are widely used for performing radiation transport calculations and dose evaluation in brachytherapy. But for complicated situations, like using more than one source, moving or rotating the source, the routine Monte Carlo method for dose calculation needs a long time running.Materials and methodsThe MCNPX code has been used to calculate radiation dose around a ¹⁹²Ir brachytherapy source and saved in a 3D matrix. Then, we used this matrix to evaluate the absorbed dose in any point due to some sources or a source which shifted or rotated in some places by the matrix summation method.ResultsThree dimensional (3D) dose results and isodose curves were presented for ¹⁹²Ir source in a water cube phantom shifted for 10 steps and rotated for 45 and 90° based on the matrix summation method. Also, we applied this method for some arrays of sources.ConclusionThe matrix summation method can be used for 3D dose calculations for any brachytherapy source which has moved or rotated. This simple method is very fast compared to routine Monte Carlo based methods. In addition, it can be applied for dose optimization study.     

Calculation of dose components in head phantom for boron neutron capture therapy.

Application of neutrons to cancer treatment has been a subject of considerable clinical and research interest since the discovery of the neutron by Chadwick in 1932 (3). Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a technique of radiation oncology which is used in treating brain cancer (glioblastoma multiform) or melanoma and that consists of preferentially loading a compound containing 10B into the tumor location, followed by the irradiation of the patient with a beam of neutron. Dose distribution for BNCT is mainly based on Monte Carlo simulations. In this work, the absorbed dose spatial distribution resultant from an idealized neutron beam incident upon ahead phantom is investigated using the Monte Carlo N-particles code, MCNP 4B. The phantom model used is based on the geometry of a circular cylinder on which sits an elliptical cylinder capped by half an ellipsoid representing the neck and head, both filled with tissue-equivalent material. The neutron flux and the contribution of individual absorbed dose components, as a function of depths and of radial distance from the beam axis (dose profiles) in phantom model, is presented and discussed. For the studied beam the maximum thermal neutron flux is at a depth of 2 cm and the maximum gamma dose at a depth of 4 cm.     

Radiation dose around a PET scanner installation: Comparison of Monte Carlo simulations,analytical calculations and experimental results

PurposeMonte Carlo study of radiation transmission around areas surrounding a PET room.MethodsAn extended population of patients administered with ¹⁸F-FDG for PET-CT investigations was studied, collecting air kerma rate and gamma ray spectra measurements at a reference distance. An MC model of the diagnostic room was developed, including the scanner and walls with variable material and thickness. MC simulations were carried out with the widely used code GEANT4.ResultsThe model was validated by comparing simulated radiation dose values and gamma ray spectra produced by a volumetric source with experimental measurements; ambient doses in the surrounding areas were assessed for different combinations of wall materials and shielding and compared with analytical calculations, based on the AAPM Report 108.In the range 1.5–3.0 times of the product between the linear attenuation coefficient and thickness of an absorber (μ x), it was observed that the effectiveness of different combinations of shielding is roughly equivalent. An extensive tabulation of results is given in the text.ConclusionsThe validation tests performed showed a satisfactory agreement between the simulated and expected results. The simulated dose rates incident on, and transmitted by the walls in our model of PET scanner room, are generally in good agreement with analytical estimates performed using the AAPM Publication No. 108 method. This provides an independent confirmation of AAPM's approach. Even in this specific field of application, GEANT4 proved to be a relevant and accurate tool for dosimetry estimates, shielding evaluation and for general radiation protection use.     

Influence of a shape of gold nanoparticles on the dose enhancement in the wide range of gold mass concentration for high-energy X-ray beams from a medical linac

AimThis work is focused on the Monte Carlo microdosimetric calculations taking into account the influence of the AuNPs’ shape, size and mass concentration on the radiation dose enhancement for the high-energy 6 MV and 18 MV X-ray therapeutic beams from a medical linac.BackgroundDue to a high atomic number and the photoelectric effect, gold nanoparticles can significantly enhance doses of ionizing radiation. However, this enhancement depends upon several parameters, such as, inter alia, nanoparticles’ shape etc.MethodThe simulated system was composed of the therapeutic beam, a water phantom with the target volume (with and without AuNPs) located at the depth of the maximum dose, i.e. at 1.5 cm for the 6 MV beam and at 3.5 cm for the 18 MV one. In the study the GEANT4 code was used because it makes it possible to get a very short step of simulation which is required in case of simulating the radiation interactions with nanostructures.ResultsThe dependence between the dose increase and the mass concentration of gold was determined and described by a simple mathematical formula for three different shapes of gold nanoparticles — two nanorods of different sizes and a flat 2D structure. The dose increase with the saturation occurring with the increasing mass concentration of gold was observed.ConclusionsIt was found that relatively large cylindrical gold nanoparticles can limit the increase of the dose absorbed in the target volume much more than the large 2D gold nanostructure.     

High-Precision Radiosurgical Dose Delivery by Interlaced Microbeam Arrays of High-Flux Low-Energy Synchrotron X-Rays

Microbeam Radiation Therapy (MRT) is a preclinical form of radiosurgery dedicated to brain tumor treatment. It uses micrometer-wide synchrotron-generated X-ray beams on the basis of spatial beam fractionation. Due to the radioresistance of normal brain vasculature to MRT, a continuous blood supply can be maintained which would in part explain the surprising tolerance of normal tissues to very high radiation doses (hundreds of Gy). Based on this well described normal tissue sparing effect of microplanar beams, we developed a new irradiation geometry which allows the delivery of a high uniform dose deposition at a given brain target whereas surrounding normal tissues are irradiated by well tolerated parallel microbeams only. Normal rat brains were exposed to 4 focally interlaced arrays of 10 microplanar beams (52 µm wide, spaced 200 µm on-center, 50 to 350 keV in energy range), targeted from 4 different ports, with a peak entrance dose of 200Gy each, to deliver an homogenous dose to a target volume of 7 mm³ in the caudate nucleus. Magnetic resonance imaging follow-up of rats showed a highly localized increase in blood vessel permeability, starting 1 week after irradiation. Contrast agent diffusion was confined to the target volume and was still observed 1 month after irradiation, along with histopathological changes, including damaged blood vessels. No changes in vessel permeability were detected in the normal brain tissue surrounding the target. The interlacing radiation-induced reduction of spontaneous seizures of epileptic rats illustrated the potential pre-clinical applications of this new irradiation geometry. Finally, Monte Carlo simulations performed on a human-sized head phantom suggested that synchrotron photons can be used for human radiosurgical applications. Our data show that interlaced microbeam irradiation allows a high homogeneous dose deposition in a brain target and leads to a confined tissue necrosis while sparing surrounding tissues. The use of synchrotron-generated X-rays enables delivery of high doses for destruction of small focal regions in human brains, with sharper dose fall-offs than those described in any other conventional radiation therapy.     

When X-rays modify the protein structure: radiation damage at work

The majority of 3D structures of macromolecules are currently determined by macromolecular crystallography, which employs the diffraction of X-rays on single crystals. However, during diffraction experiments, the X-rays can damage the protein crystals by ionization processes, especially when powerful X-ray sources at synchrotron facilities are used. This process of radiation damage generates photo-electrons that can get trapped in protein moieties. The 3D structure derived from such experiments can differ remarkably from the structure of the native molecule. Recently, the crystal structures of different oxidation states of horseradish peroxidase and nickel-containing superoxide dismutase were determined using crystallographic redox titration performed during the exposure of the crystals to the incident X-ray beam. Previous crystallographic analyses have not shown the distinct structures of the active sites associated with the redox state of the structural features of these enzymes. These new studies show that, for protein moieties that are susceptible to radiation damage and prone to reduction by photo-electrons, care is required in both the design of the diffraction experiment and the analysis and interpretation.     

Validation of the MC-GPU Monte Carlo code against the PENELOPE/penEasy code system and benchmarking against experimental conditions for typical radiation qualities and setups in interventional radiology and cardiology

IntroductionInterventional procedures are associated with potentially high radiation doses to the skin. The 2013/59/EURATOM Directive establishes that the equipment used for interventional radiology must have a device or a feature informing the practitioner of relevant parameters for assessing patient dose at the end of the procedure. Monte Carlo codes of radiation transport are considered to be one of the most reliable tools available to assess doses. However, they are usually too time consuming for use in clinical practice. This work presents the validation of the fast Monte Carlo code MC-GPU for application in interventional radiology.MethodologiesMC-GPU calculations were compared against the well-validated Monte Carlo simulation code PENELOPE/penEasy by simulating the organ dose distribution in a voxelized anthropomorphic phantom. In a second phase, the code was compared against thermoluminescent measurements performed on slab phantoms, both in a calibration laboratory and at a hospital.ResultsThe results obtained from the two simulation codes show very good agreement, differences in the output were within 1%, whereas the calculation time on the MC-GPU was 2500 times shorter. Comparison with measurements is of the order of 10%, within the associated uncertainty.ConclusionsIt has been verified that MC-GPU provides good estimates of the dose when compared to PENELOPE program. It is also shown that it presents very good performance when assessing organ doses in very short times, less than one minute, in real clinical set-ups. Future steps would be to simulate complex procedures with several projections.     

The effect of the β-emitting yttrium-90 citrate on the dose–response of dicentric chromosomes in human lymphocytes: a basis for biological dosimetry after radiosynoviorthesis

The production of dicentric chromosomes in human lymphocytes by β-particles of yttrium-90 (Y-90) was studied in vitro to provide a basis of biological dosimetry after radiosynoviorthesis (RSO) of persistent synovitis by intra-articular administration of yttrium-90 citrate colloid. Since the injected colloid may leak into the lymphatic drainage exposing other parts of the body to radiation, the measurement of biological damage induced by β-particles of Y-90 is important for the assessment of radiation risk to the patients. A linear dose–response relationship (α = 0.0229 ± 0.0028 dicentric chromosomes per cell per gray) was found over the dose range of 0.2176–2.176 Gy. The absorbed doses were calculated for exposure of blood samples to Y-90 activities from 40 to 400 kBq using both Monte Carlo simulation and an analytical model. The maximum low-dose RBE, the RBE_M which is equivalent to the ratio of the α coefficients of the dose–response curves, is well in line with published results obtained earlier for irradiation of blood of the same donor with heavily filtered 220 kV X-rays (3.35 mm copper), but half of the RBE_M relative to weakly filtered 220 kV X-rays. Therefore, it can be concluded that for estimating an absorbed dose during RSO by the technique of biological dosimetry, in vitro and in vivo data for the same radiation quality are necessary.     

The effects of simulating a realistic eye model on the eye dose of an adult male undergoing head computed tomography

In head computed tomography, radiation upon the eye lens (as an organ with high radiosensitivity) may cause lenticular opacity and cataracts. Therefore, quantitative dose assessment due to exposure of the eye lens and surrounding tissue is a matter of concern. For this purpose, an accurate eye model with realistic geometry and shape, in which different eye substructures are considered, is needed. To calculate the absorbed radiation dose of visual organs during head computed tomography scans, in this study, an existing sophisticated eye model was inserted at the related location in the head of the reference adult male phantom recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). Then absorbed doses and distributions of energy deposition in different parts of this eye model were calculated and compared with those based on a previous simple eye model. All calculations were done using the Monte Carlo code MCNP4C for tube voltages of 80, 100, 120 and 140 kVp. In spite of the similarity of total dose to the eye lens for both eye models, the dose delivered to the sensitive zone, which plays an important role in the induction of cataracts, was on average 3% higher for the sophisticated model as compared to the simple model. By increasing the tube voltage, differences between the total dose to the eye lens between the two phantoms decrease to 1%. Due to this level of agreement, use of the sophisticated eye model for patient dosimetry is not necessary. However, it still helps for an estimation of doses received by different eye substructures separately.     

Radiation protection of operators and patients in a hybrid Angio-MR suite

This work investigates the patient eye lens dose and x-ray scatter to the operator expected for a proposed hybrid Angio-MR concept. Two geometries were simulated for comparative assessment: a standard C-arm device for neuro-angiography applications and an innovative hybrid Angio-MR system concept, proposed by Siemens Healthineers. The latter concept is based on an over-couch x-ray tube and a detector inside an MRI system, with the aim of allowing combined, simultaneous MRI and x-ray imaging for procedures such as neurovascular interventions (including x-ray fluoroscopy and angiography imaging, 3D imaging, diffusion, and perfusion). To calculate the scattered radiation dose to the physician, Monte Carlo simulations were performed. Dose estimates of simplified models of the brain and eyes of both the patient and the physician and of the physician’s torso and legs have been calculated. A number of parameters were varied in the simulation including x-ray spectrum, field of view (FOV), x-ray tube angulation, presence of shielding material and position of the physician. Additionally, 3D dose distributions were calculated in the vertical and horizontal planes in both setups. The patient eye lens dose was also calculated using a detailed voxel phantom and measured by means of thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) to obtain a more accurate estimate. Assuming the same number of x-rays and the same size of the irradiated area on the patient’s head, the results show a significant decrease in the scattered radiation to the physician for the Angio-MR system, while large increases, depending on setup, are expected to patient eye lens dose.     

Dosimetric characterization of an 192Ir brachytherapy source with the Monte Carlo code PENELOPE

Monte Carlo calculations are highly spread and settled practice to calculate brachytherapy sources dosimetric parameters. In this study, recommendations of the AAPM TG-43U1 report have been followed to characterize the Varisource VS2000 ¹⁹²Ir high dose rate source, provided by Varian Oncology Systems.In order to obtain dosimetric parameters for this source, Monte Carlo calculations with PENELOPE code have been carried out. TG-43 formalism parameters have been presented, i.e., air kerma strength, dose rate constant, radial dose function and anisotropy function. Besides, a 2D Cartesian coordinates dose rate in water table has been calculated. These quantities are compared to this source reference data, finding results in good agreement with them.The data in the present study complement published data in the next aspects: (i) TG-43U1 recommendations are followed regarding to phantom ambient conditions and to uncertainty analysis, including statistical (type A) and systematic (type B) contributions; (ii) PENELOPE code is benchmarked for this source; (iii) Monte Carlo calculation methodology differs from that usually published in the way to estimate absorbed dose, leaving out the track-length estimator; (iv) the results of the present work comply with the most recent AAPM and ESTRO physics committee recommendations about Monte Carlo techniques, in regards to dose rate uncertainty values and established differences between our results and reference data.The results stated in this paper provide a complete parameter collection, which can be used for dosimetric calculations as well as a means of comparison with other datasets from this source.     

Toward structure determination using membrane-protein nanocrystals and microcrystals

Membrane proteins are very important for all living cells, being involved in respiration, photosynthesis, cellular uptake and signal transduction, amongst other vital functions. However, less than 300 unique membrane protein structures have been determined to date, often due to difficulties associated with the growth of sufficiently large and well-ordered crystals. This work has been focused on showing the first proof of concept for using membrane protein nanocrystals and microcrystals for high-resolution structure determination. Upon determining that crystals of the membrane protein Photosystem I, which is the largest and most complex membrane protein crystallized to date, exist with only 100 unit cells with sizes of less than 200 nm on an edge, work was done to develop a technique that could exploit the growth of the Photosystem I nanocrystals and microcrystals. Femtosecond X-ray protein nanocrystallography was developed for use at the first high-energy X-ray free electron laser, the LCLS at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, in which a liquid jet brought fully-hydrated Photosystem I nanocrystals into the interaction region of the pulsed X-ray source. Diffraction patterns were recorded from millions of individual PSI nanocrystals and data from thousands of different, randomly oriented crystallites were integrated using Monte Carlo integration of the peak intensities. The short pulses (～70fs) provided by the LCLS allowed the possibility to collect the diffraction data before the onset of radiation damage, exploiting the diffract-before-destroy principle. During the initial experiments at the AMO beamline using 6.9-? wavelength, Bragg peaks were recorded to 8.5-? resolution, and an electron-density map was determined that did not show any effects of X-ray-induced radiation damage [94]. Many additional techniques still need to be developed to explore the femtosecond nanocrystallography technique for experimental phasing and time-resolved X-ray crystallography experiments. The first proof-of-principle results for the femtosecond nanocrystallography technique indicate the incredible potential of the technique to offer a new route to the structure determination of membrane proteins.     

Observation of decreased radiation damage at higher dose rates in room temperature protein crystallography

Radiation damage can be a problem when utilizing ionizing X-radiation in macromolecular crystallography. The dose dependence of radiation damage to eight lysozyme crystals at room temperature (292 K) was investigated in order to provide an accurate comparison with cryotemperature (100 K) results and to allow researchers to calculate expected maximum room-temperature-crystal lifetimes prior to data collection. Results of intensity-loss analysis unexpectedly showed that the dose tolerated by a crystal is dependent on the dose rate according to a positive linear relationship (99% correlation coefficient); a 60% increase in dose rate gave a 4-fold increase in crystal lifetime over the range studied. Alternative metrics of damage were also assessed from room temperature data. In the dose-rate range tested (6 Gy s(-1) to 10 Gy s(-1)), data collection at 100 K appears to offer a 26-113 times increase in the lifetime of the crystal.     

Specific radiation damage can be used to solve macromolecular crystal structures

The use of third generation synchrotron sources has led to renewed concern about the effect of ionizing radiation on crystalline biological samples. In general, the problem is seen as one to be avoided. However, in this paper, it is shown that, far from being a hindrance to successful structure determination, radiation damage provides an opportunity for phasing macromolecular structures. This is successfully demonstrated for both a protein and an oligonucleotide, by way of which complete models were built automatically. The possibility that, through the exploitation of radiation damage, the phase problem could become less of a barrier to macromolecular crystal structure determination is discussed.     

Variation in lunar neutron dose estimates

The radiation environment on the Moon includes albedo neutrons produced by primary particles interacting with the lunar surface. In this work, HZETRN2010 is used to calculate the albedo neutron contribution to effective dose as a function of shielding thickness for four different space radiation environments and to determine to what extent various factors affect such estimates. First, albedo neutron spectra computed with HZETRN2010 are compared to Monte Carlo results in various radiation environments. Next, the impact of lunar regolith composition on the albedo neutron spectrum is examined, and the variation on effective dose caused by neutron fluence-to-effective dose conversion coefficients is studied. A methodology for computing effective dose in detailed human phantoms using HZETRN2010 is also discussed and compared. Finally, the combined variation caused by environmental models, shielding materials, shielding thickness, regolith composition and conversion coefficients on the albedo neutron contribution to effective dose is determined. It is shown that a single percentage number for characterizing the albedo neutron contribution to effective dose can be misleading. In general, the albedo neutron contribution to effective dose is found to vary between 1-32%, with the environmental model, shielding material and shielding thickness being the driving factors that determine the exact contribution. It is also shown that polyethylene or other hydrogen-rich materials may be used to mitigate the albedo neutron exposure.     

Monte carlo simulation of base and nucleotide excision repair of clustered DNA damage sites. II. Comparisons of model predictions to measured data

Clustered damage sites other than double-strand breaks (DSBs) have the potential to contribute to deleterious effects of ionizing radiation, such as cell killing and mutagenesis. In the companion article (Semenenko et al., Radiat. Res. 164, 180-193, 2005), a general Monte Carlo framework to simulate key steps in the base and nucleotide excision repair of DNA damage other than DSBs is proposed. In this article, model predictions are compared to measured data for selected low-and high-LET radiations. The Monte Carlo model reproduces experimental observations for the formation of enzymatic DSBs in Escherichia coli and cells of two Chinese hamster cell lines (V79 and xrs5). Comparisons of model predictions with experimental values for low-LET radiation suggest that an inhibition of DNA backbone incision at the sites of base damage by opposing strand breaks is active over longer distances between the damaged base and the strand break in hamster cells (8 bp) compared to E. coli (3 bp). Model estimates for the induction of point mutations in the human hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) gene by ionizing radiation are of the same order of magnitude as the measured mutation frequencies. Trends in the mutation frequency for low- and high-LET radiation are predicted correctly by the model. The agreement between selected experimental data sets and simulation results provides some confidence in postulated mechanisms for excision repair of DNA damage other than DSBs and suggests that the proposed Monte Carlo scheme is useful for predicting repair outcomes.     

Voxel model of a rabbit: assessment of absorbed doses in organs after CT examination performed by two different protocols

The objective of this work was to assess absorbed doses in organs and tissues of a rabbit, following computed tomography (CT) examinations, using a dedicated 3D voxel model. Absorbed doses in relevant organs were calculated using the MCNP5 Monte Carlo software. Calculations were perfomed for two standard CT protocols, using tube voltages of 110 kVp and 130 kVp. Absorbed doses were calculated in 11 organs and tissues, i.e., skin, bones, brain, muscles, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidney, testicles, and fat tissue. The doses ranged from 15.3 to 28.3 mGy, and from 40.2 to 74.3 mGy, in the two investigated protocols. The organs that received the highest dose were bones and kidneys. In contrast, brain and spleen were organs that received the smallest doses. Doses in organs which are stretched along the body did not change significantly with distance. On the other hand, doses in organs which are localized in the body showed maximums and minimums. Using the voxel model, it is possible to calculate the dose distribution in the rabbit’s body after CT scans, and study the potential biological effects of CT doses in certain organs. The voxel model presented in this work can be used to calculated doses in all radiation experiments in which rabbits are used as experimental animals.