Dosimetry for Study of Hematologic Effects on Primates of Pulsed Versus Continuous Radiation

摘要

Exposure configurations were developed in support of a study to determine the hematologic effects of pulsed versus continuous radiation on Macaca mulatta primates. The ultimate objective of the study was to determine the possible hematologic effects of whole-body exposure to continuous proton fields by comparison of pulsed (less than 5-minute) exposures to x-rays and protons with continuous (22-hour) exposures to 60Co gamma rays. The criteria to be met in the selection of exposures were: (1) to deliver the required doses over the appropriate time spans, and (2) to deposit the radiation energy in a comparable manner throughout the animal in order to eliminate geometric and depth-dose factors. Descriptions are given of physical technics used to deliver and measure the necessary spatial and depth-dose distributions and the required radiation dosages. Comparative data are presented for each configuration. The depth-dose and spatial-radiation distributions are shown to be comparable for all three configurations. Monitoring with ionization devices and thermoluminescent dosimeters indicated that all of the animals used in the study received radiation exposures to within plus or minus 10% of the programmed values. (Author)