Heavy-ions shielding data for hadrontherapy application with Monte Carlo methods.

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Oncology
• Particle Accelerator Technology

Background:

• Hadrontherapy utilizes ion beams for cancer treatment, generating secondary radiation from beam interactions.
• Accurate shielding design is crucial in hadrontherapy centers to mitigate radiation exposure.
• Monte Carlo simulations are a primary tool for assessing neutron yields and dose equivalents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate ambient dose equivalent (H*(10)) at different concrete depths using Monte Carlo simulations.
• To analyze secondary radiation shielding requirements for various primary ion beams (He, Li, C, O, Fe).
• To introduce an equivalent carbon ratio for estimating ion currents in existing carbon ion facilities.

Main Methods:

• Monte Carlo simulations were employed to model secondary radiation generation and transport.
• Simulations considered primary beams of helium, lithium, carbon, oxygen, and iron.
• Ambient dose equivalent (H*(10)) was calculated as a function of concrete shielding thickness.

Main Results:

• Ambient dose equivalent (H*(10)) values were determined at various concrete depths for different ion beams.
• The study provides data for optimizing concrete shielding dimensions in hadrontherapy facilities.
• An equivalent carbon ratio was developed to standardize dose estimations for carbon ion beams.

Conclusions:

• Monte Carlo simulations effectively predict ambient dose equivalent (H*(10)) for secondary radiation shielding.
• The findings support the design and safety assessment of hadrontherapy facilities.
• The equivalent carbon ratio offers a practical tool for dose estimation in existing carbon ion therapy centers.