A comparison between GATE4 results and MCNP4B published data for internal radiation dosimetry

Summary

Aim: GATE, has been designed as upper layer of the GEANT4 toolkit for nuclear medicine application including internal dosimetry. However, its results have not been fully compared to the well-developed codes and anthropomorphic voxel phantoms have never been used with GATE/GEANT for internal dosimetry. The aim of present study was to compare the internal dose calculated by GATE/GEANT with the MCNP4B published data. Methods: The Zubal phantom was used to model a typical adult male. Activity was assumed uniformly distributed in liver, kidneys, lungs, spleen, pancreas and adrenals. GATE/ GEANT Monte Carlo package was used for estimation of doses in the phantom. Simulations were performed for photon energy of 0.01–1 MeV and mono-energetic electrons of 935 keV. Specific absorbed fractions for photons and S-factors for electrons were calculated. Results: On average, GATE/GEANT produces higher photon SAF (Specific Absorbed Fraction) values (+2.7%) for self-absorption and lower values (-2.9%) for cross-absorption. The difference was higher for paired organs particularly lungs. Moreover the photon SAF values for lungs as source organ at the energy of 200 and 500 keV was considerably higher with MCNP4B compared to GATE. Conclusion: Despite of differences between the GATE4 and MCNP4B, the results can be considered ensuring. This may be considered as validation of GATE/GEANT as a proprietary code in nuclear medicine for radionuclide dosimetry applications.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel: GATE wurde als oberste Schicht des GEANT4- Toolkits für nuklearmedizinische Anwendungen einschließlich interner Dosimetrie entwickelt. Jedoch wurden seine Ergebnisse nicht vollständig mit den ausgereiften Codes verglichen und es wurden noch nie anthropomorphe Voxel-Phantome mit dem GATE/ GEANT zur internen Dosimetrie eingesetzt. In dieser Studie sollte die mit dem GATE/GEANT berechnete interne Dosis mit den für MCNP4P publizierten Daten verglichen werden. Methoden: Das Zubal-Phantom diente als Modell eines typischen männlichen Erwachsenen. Wir nahmen an, dass sich die Aktivität gleichmäßig in Leber, Nieren, Lungen, Milz, Pankreas und Nebennieren verteilt. Zur Dosisschätzung in dem Phantom wurde das GATE/ GEANT- Monte-Carlo-Paket verwendet. Die Simulationen wurden für eine Photonenenergie von 0,01–1 MeV und monoenergetische Elektronen von 935 KeV durchgeführt. Es wurden die spezifischen absorbierten Fraktionen für Protonen und die S-Faktoren für Elektronen berechnet. Ergebnisse: Im Durchschnitt ergibt das GATE/GEANT höhere SAF (spezifische absorbierte Fraktion) Werte (+ 2,7%) für Selbstabsorption und niedrigere Werte (–2,9%) für Kreuzabsorption. Bei paarig angelegten Organen, insbesondere den Lungen, war der Unterschied größer. Darüber hinaus waren die Photonen- SAF-Werte für die Lungen als Ursprungsorgan bei einer Energie von 200 und 500 KeV mit MCNP4B deutlich höher als mit GATE. Schlussfolgerung: Trotz der Unterschiede zwischen GATE4 und MCNP4B halten wir die Ergebnisse für ermutigend. Die Studie kann als Validierung des GATE/GEANTSystems als urheberrechtlich geschützter Code für die Radionuklid-Dosimetrie bei nuklearmedizinischen Anwendungen gelten.

Keywords

Monte Carlo - radionuclide dosimetry - GATE - voxel phantom

Schlüsselwörter

Monte Carlo - Radionuklid-Dosimetrie - GATE - Voxel-Phantom

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