AN EVALUATION OF RADIATION DOSES RESULTING FROM THE MEDICAL USE OF HIGH-ENERGY BETA-RAY SOURCES

Calculational models to evaluate radiation doses resulting from the medical use of high energy beta-ray sources are presented. The radioactive sources considered are Sr-90/Y-90 used as ophthalmic applicator, Re-188 used for treating restenosis of coronary artery, and Ho-166 used for treating hepatic tumors. Typical therapeutic situations which might induce relatively high radiation doses the medical person involved were considered to compute by using MCNP-4C Monte Carlo code the radiation doses. The calculation results suggest that for all of the cases considered, the evaluated radiation doses are negligible compared to the dose limits. It is also found that the effect of Bremsstrahlung radiations on the total dose is insignificant, and hence the conventional lead gown is also effective in shielding beta-rays.