Studies on neutron and photon kerma parameters for human body organs

• Main Authors: Singh Vishvanath P., Badiger Nagappa M., Vega-Carrillo Rene Hector
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: VINCA Institute of Nuclear Sciences 2016-01-01
• Series: Nuclear Technology and Radiation Protection
• Subjects: human organ; kerma; photon; neutron; water
• Online Access: http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/1451-3994/2016/1451-39941602128S.pdf

A study on neutron kerma factors and photon air-kerma for human organs is presented for neutron energy range 2.53×10-8 MeV to 29 MeV and photon energy range 1 keV to 20 MeV. The human organs water equivalence for photon and neutron, is also presented. The ratio of the mass-energy absorption coefficients of human organs to water was found constant and unity above 100 keV, whereas there was a large difference for energies below 100 keV. The neutron kerma factors of human organs and water are found of same order of magnitude whereas differs for air. The neutron kerma factors of human organs and tissue substitutes were found to be equal to water for neutron energies between 63 eV and 200 keV. The skeleton-cortical bone was found to be away from water equivalence for low-energy photons and high-energy neutrons.