Impact of photon cross section uncertainties on Monte Carlo-determined depth-dose distributions

Autor(es)

Aguirre, E. ; David, M. ; deAlmeida, C. E. ; Bernal, M. A.

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: PHYSICA MEDICA-EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL PHYSICS; v. 32, n. 9, p. 1065-1071, SEP 2016.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

This work studies the impact of systematic uncertainties associated to interaction cross sections on depth dose curves determined by Monte Carlo simulations. The corresponding sensitivity factors are quantified by changing cross sections by a given amount and determining the variation in the dose. The influence of total and partial photon cross sections is addressed. Partial cross sections for Compton and Rayleigh scattering, photo-electric effect, and pair production have been accounted for. The PENELOPE code was used in all simulations. It was found that photon cross section sensitivity factors depend on depth. In addition, they are positive and negative for depths below and above an equilibrium depth, respectively. At this depth, sensitivity factors are null. The equilibrium depths found in this work agree very well with the mean free path of the corresponding incident photon energy. Using the sensitivity factors reported here, it is possible to estimate the impact of photon cross section uncertainties on the uncertainty of Monte Carlo-determined depth dose curves. (C) 2016 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/51594-2 - Desenvolvimento de um sistema computacional para a simulação da interação da radiação ionizante com o material genético humano
• Beneficiário: Mario Antonio Bernal Rodriguez
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores