Prediction of background in low-energy spectrum of Phoswich detector

In vivo monitoring of actinides in occupational workers is done using Phoswich detector by measuring the low-energy X ray and gamma rays. Quantification of actinides like plutonium and americium in the lungs is extremely difficult due to higher background in the low-energy regions, which is from ambient background as well as from the subject. In the latter case, it is mainly due to the Compton scattering of body potassium, which varies person-to-person. Hence, an accurate prediction of subject-specific background counts in the lower-energy regions is an essential element in the in vivo measurement of plutonium and americium. Empirical equations are established for the prediction of background count rate in (239)Pu and (241)Am lower-energy regions, called 'target regions', as a function of count rate in the monitoring region (97-130 keV)/(40)K region in the high-energy spectrum, weight-to-height ratio of the subject (scattering parameter) and the gender.