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Biomedical subjects

A B Rosenfeld

Publications and source records attributed to A B Rosenfeld.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Evolution of radiation induced defects and the type inversion in high resistivity silicon under neutron irradiation.

A model which describes the type conductivity inversion and the Fermi level stabilisation in high purity n-silicon under last neutron irradiation has been considered. This model takes into account shallow impurities, oxygen, A- and E-centres and deep amphoteric centres (the vacancy complexes). The role of divacancies is dominant in the Fermi level stabilisation effect. The neutron fluence when the type inversion is observed has been calculated for various initial n-silicon. The results obtained describe peculiarities of the behaviour of neutron integral dosemeters. Characteristics of p-i-n diodes used as fast neutron sensors over a wide dose range and the influence of both the carrier life time and the silicon resistivity changes on the sensor sensitivity are discussed. Using long base diodes fabricated from high resistivity silicon (>10 kohm x cm) allows the sensitivity to reach 5 V x Gy(-1) (tissue).

Kinetics↗

MOSFET dosimetry on modern radiation oncology modalities.

The development of MOSFET dosimetry is presented with an emphasis on the development of a scanning MOSFET dosimetry system for modern radiation oncology modalities. Fundamental aspects of MOSFETs in relation to their use as dosemeters are briefly discussed. The performance of MOSFET dosemeters in conformal radiotherapy, hadron therapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy and microbeam radiation therapy is compared with other dosimetric techniques. In particular the application of MOSFET dosemeters in the characterisation and quality assurance of the steep dose gradients associated with the penumbra of some modern radiation oncology modalities is investigated. A new in vivo, on-line, scanning MOSFET readout system is also presented. The system has the ability to read out multiple MOSFET dosemeters with excellent spatial resolution and temperature stability and minimal slow border trapping effects.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy↗

Solid state microdosimetry in hadron therapy.

A report of recent developments in silicon microdosimetry is presented. SOI based microdosemeters have shown promise as a viable alternative to traditional tissue-equivalent proportional counters. The application of these silicon microdosemeters to such radiation therapy modalities as boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), boron neutron capture synovectomy (BNCS), proton therapy (PT), and fast neutron therapy (FNT) has been performed. Several shortcomings of the current silicon microdosemeter were identified and will be taken into account in the design of a second-generation device.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy↗

Solid state microdosimetry.

A review of solid state microdosimetry is presented with an emphasis on silicon-based devices. The historical foundations and basics of microdosimetry are briefly provided. Various methods of experimental regional microdosimetry are discussed to facilitate a comparison with the more recent development of silicon microdosimetry. In particular, the performance characteristics of a proportional gas counter and a silicon microdosimeter are compared. Recent improvements in silicon microdosimetry address the issues of requirement specification, non-spherical shape, tissue equivalence, sensitive volume definition (charge collection complexity) and low noise requirements which have previously impeded the implementation of silicon-based microdosimetry. A prototype based on silicon-on-insulator technology is described along with some example results from clinical high LET radiotherapy facilities. A brief summary of the applications of microdosimetry is included.

Equipment Design↗

Monte Carlo simulation of dose distributions from a synchrotron-produced microplanar beam array using the EGS4 code system.

Microbeam therapy is established as a general concept for brain tumour treatment. A synchrotron based x-ray source was chosen for experimental research into microbeam therapy, and therefore new simulations were essential for investigating the therapy parameters with a proper description of the synchrotron radiation characteristics. To design therapy parameters for tumour treatments, the newly upgraded LSCAT (Low energy SCATtering) package of the EGS4 Monte Carlo simulation code was adapted to develop an accurate self-written user code for calculating microbeam radiation dose profiles with a precision of 1 microm. LSCAT is highly suited to this purpose due to its ability to simulate low-energy x-ray transport with detailed photon interactions (including bound electron incoherent scattering functions, and linear polarized coherent scattering). The properties of the synchrotron x-ray microbeam, including its polarization, source spectrum and beam penumbra, were simulated by the new user codes. Two concentric spheres, an inner sphere, defined as a brain, and a surrounding sphere, defined as a skull, represented the phantom. The microbeam simulation was tested using a 3 x 3 cm array beam for small treatment areas and a 6 x 6 cm array for larger ones, with different therapy parameters, such as beam width and spacing. The results showed that the microbeam array retained an adequate peak-to-valley ratio, of five times at least, at tissue depths suitable for radiation therapy. Dose measurements taken at 1 microm resolution with an 'edge-on' MOSFET validated the basics of the user code for microplanar radiation therapy.

Brain Neoplasms↗

Improved spatial resolution by MOSFET dosimetry of an x-ray microbeam.

Measurement of the lateral profile of the dose distribution across a narrow x-ray microbeam requires a dosimeter with a micron resolution. We investigated the use of a MOSFET dosimeter in an "edge-on" orientation with the gate insulating oxide layer parallel to the direction of the beam. We compared results using this technique to Gafchromic film measurements of a 200 micrometer wide planar x-ray microbeam. The microbeam was obtained by using a vernier micrometer-driven miniature collimator attached to a Therapax DXT300 x-ray machine operated at 100 kVp. The "edge-on" application allows utilization of the ultra thin sensitive volume of the MOSFET detector. Spatial resolution of both the MOSFET and Gafchromic film dosimeters appeared to be of about 1 micrometer. The MOSFET dosimeter appeared to provide more uniform dose profiles with the advantage of on-line measurements.

Biophysical Phenomena↗

Measurement of radiotherapy x-ray skin dose on a chest wall phantom.

Sufficient skin dose needs to be delivered by a radiotherapy chest wall treatment regimen to ensure the probability of a near surface tumor recurrence is minimized. To simulate a chest wall treatment a hemicylindrical solid water phantom of 7.5 cm radius was irradiated with 6 MV x-rays using 20x20 cm2 and 10x20 cm2 fields at 100 cm source surface distance (SSD) to the base of the phantom. A surface dose profile was obtained from 0 to 180 degrees, in 10 degrees increments around the circumference of the phantom. Dosimetry results obtained from radiochromic film (effective depth of 0.17 mm) were used in the investigation, the superficial doses were found to be 28% (of Dmax) at the 0 degrees beam entry position and 58% at the 90 degrees oblique beam position. Superficial dose results were also obtained using extra thin thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) (effective depth 0.14 mm) of 30% at 0 degrees, 57% at 90 degrees, and a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) detector (effective depth 0.5 mm) of 43% at 0 degrees, 62% at 90 degrees. Because the differences in measured superficial doses were significant and beyond those related to experimental error, these differences are assumed to be mostly attributable to the effective depth of measurement of each detector. We numerically simulated a bolus on/bolus off technique and found we could increase the coverage to the skin. Using an alternate "bolus on," "bolus off" regimen, the skin would receive 36.8 Gy at 0 degrees incidence and 46.4 Gy at 90 degrees incidence for a prescribed midpoint dose of 50 Gy. From this work it is evident that, as the circumference of the phantom is traversed the SSD increases and hence there is an inverse square fluence fall-off, this is more than offset by the increase in skin dose due to surface curvature to a plateau at about 90 degrees. Beyond this angle it is assumed that beam attenuation through the phantom and inverse square fall-off is causing the surface dose to reduce.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Fission converter and metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor study of thermal neutron flux distribution in an epithermal neutron therapy beam.

The depth distribution of the thermal neutron flux is a major factor in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) in determining the efficiency of cell sterilization. In this paper the fission detector method is developed and applied to measure the in-phantom thermal neutron flux depth distribution. Advantages of the fission detector include small size, direct measurement of thermal neutron flux in a mixed radiation field of BNCT beam, self-calibration, and the possibility of on-line measurement. The measurements were performed at epithermal a BNCT facility. The experimental results were compared with the thermal neutron flux calculated by the Monte Carlo method and found to be in good agreement.

Biophysical Phenomena↗

Performance of silicon microdosimetry detectors in boron neutron capture therapy.

Reverse-biased silicon p-n junction arrays using Silicon-On-Insulator technology have been proposed as microdosimeters. The performance of such detectors in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is discussed. This work provides the first reported measurements using boron-coated silicon diode arrays as microdosimeters in BNCT. Results are in good agreement with measurements with gas proportional counters. Various boron-coating options are investigated along with device orientation effects. Finally, a 235U coating is tested to simulate the behavior of the device in a heavy-ion therapy beam.

Boron↗

Charge collection and radiation hardness of a SOI microdosimeter for medical and space applications.

The first results obtained using a SOI device for microdosimetry applications are presented. Microbeam and broadbeam spectroscopy methods are used for determining minority carrier lifetime and radiation damage constants. A spectroscopy model is presented which includes the majority of effects that impact spectral resolution. Charge collection statistics were found to substantially affect spectral resolution. Lateral diffusion effects significantly complicate charge collection.

Alpha Particles↗

Tissue equivalence correction for silicon microdosimetry detectors in boron neutron capture therapy.

Reverse-biased silicon p-n junction arrays have been proposed as microdosimetry detectors. The tissue equivalence of such detectors in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is discussed. A comparison of the range-energy relationships of H, He, C, and Li ions in tissue (ICRU-muscle) and silicon is given. A simple geometrical scaling (approximately 0.63) of linear dimensions is required to convert microdosimetric energy deposition measurements performed in silicon to equivalent deposition in tissue. The Monte Carlo technique is used to examine energy deposition for two simple geometrical cases applicable to BNCT.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy↗