In-Body Stray Neutrons Produced in Carbon and Proton Radiation Therapy

Abstract

It has been revealed that a significant amount of secondary neutrons are produced during carbon and proton radiation therapy. Thus, the study of secondary neutrons due to their high linear energy transfer can be considered as of vital importance. Therefore, the objective was to study the secondary neutrons production just from the patients (water phantoms) for 12C and proton beams. Furthermore, the study ventures to discover the manner in which the stray neutron equivalent dose per therapeutic dose (H/D) vary with distance for different energies for 12C and the possibility of identifying a simple relationship to calculate H/D at different distances for different energies. Although there is no simple dependence of H/D Vs Depth inside the body, a higher H/D from 12C beams compared to Proton beams was discovered. This particular study was conducted utilizing FLUKA Monte Carlo simulation package.