Determination of the doses in pediatric patients submitted to computed tomography exams and radiotherapy treatments

• Grant number: 13/21741-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: March 01, 2014
• End date: October 05, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Nuclear Engineering - Applications of Radioisotopes
• Principal Investigator: Linda Viola Ehlin Caldas
• Grantee: Ana Paula Perini
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 10/16437-0 - Characterization and applications of dosimetric materials using optically stimulated luminescence and complementary techniques, AP.TEM

Abstract

The risk of cancer in pediatric patients due to exposure to radiation is approximately two to three times higher than in adults. This occurs mainly because children possess a large life expectancy, and their organs are more radiosensitive to radiation induced damage. Currently, the number of computed tomography exams (CT) and radiotherapy treatments involving pediatric patients have increased considerably, causing great concern with the doses released to these patients. Nowadays, there are few studies reporting the doses associated with CT scans and radiotherapy treatments for pediatric patients. The few existing studies are still very limited, and make use of very simplified virtual phantoms, based on mathematical models. In this project, the use of two methodologies are proposed: experiments with the use of solid state dosimeters and Monte Carlo simulation, to determine the dose in pediatric patients. The experimental part consists in developing new dosimeters based on nanocrystalline structures with a higher sensitivity and lower energy dependence in the energy range of interest, as well as the use of a tissue equivalent phantom. The simulation studies will involve the use of the Monte Carlo code MCNP5 and also virtual pediatric phantoms, based on voxel structures, developed by a research group at the UFPE. Through the validation of virtual phantoms, carried out with the experimental data, the doses in different organs and tissues will be determined using a careful and reliable method.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

NEVES, LUCIO P.; VIVOLO, VITOR; PERINI, ANA P.; CALDAS, LINDA V. E.. Response and Monte Carlo evaluation of a reference ionization chamber for radioprotection level at calibration laboratories. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, v. 112, p. 158-162, JUL 2015. (13/15669-3, 13/21741-9)

SANTOS, WILLIAM S.; NEVES, LUCIO P.; PERINI, ANA P.; CALDAS, LINDA V. E.; MAIA, ANA F.. Evaluation of the medical and occupational shielding in cerebral angiography using Monte Carlo simulations and virtual anthropomorphic phantoms. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, v. 117, p. 83-87, DEC 2015. (13/15669-3, 13/21741-9)