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Fluence-to-absorbed dose conversion coefficients for use in radiological protection of embryo and foetus against external exposure to protons from 100 MeV to 100 GeV.

Chen J

Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, 775 Brookfield Road, Ottawa, Canada K1A 1C1. jing_chen@hc-sc.gc.ca

In the literature, no conversion coefficients are available for use in radiological protection of embryo and foetus against external exposure to protons. This study used the Monte Carlo code MCNPX to determine mean absorbed doses to the embryo and foetus when the mother is exposed to proton fields. Monoenergetic protons ranging from 100 MeV to 100 GeV were considered. The irradiation geometries include antero-posterior (AP), postero-anterior (PA), lateral (LAT), rotational (ROT) and isotropic (ISO). At each of these standard irradiation geometries, absorbed doses to the foetal brain and body were calculated for the embryo of 8 weeks and the foetus of 3, 6 or 9 months. Proton fluence-to-absorbed dose conversion coefficients were derived for the four prenatal ages.

Published 11 July 2006 in Radiat Prot Dosimetry, 118(4): 378-83.
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