It is important to accurately characterize high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy sources before use in cancer treatment. One of the standard ways to describe a source is the air kerma strength, which is measured using a seven-distance technique. However, this current method introduces a lot of uncertainty through photon attenuation, photon scatter, and data regression. MCNP was used to model and simulate a potential geometry for which only a single measurement in a vacuum would be required to more accurately measure air kerma. These simulations tested different radioisotopes, wall materials, and geometry sizes with the goal of minimizing scatter. The final optimized simulation will be used as a baseline for a physical construction that WPI can use to calibrate HDR brachytherapy sources.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Kollitz, Erika Kathryn

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042816-014819

Advisor

• Medich, David Christopher
• Dempski, Robert E.

Year

• 2016

Date created

• 2016-04-28

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Interdisciplinary

Rights statement

• In Copyright