Program - Brookhaven National Laboratory

horizontal plane, the measured positions were each 500mm mesh. The plane was as the same that of focus
point. The measurements along the vertical plane were also performed. Two cases were applied when
the shutter was opened and closed. Analyses have been performed by using Monte-Carlo calculation code
MCNP-5. The nuclear libraries used for the dose rate distribution of Cobalt 60 were MCPLIB04. The
calculation model was prepared with a high degree of fidelity, such as the position of each Cobalt source
and shielding materials. Comparisons between measured results and calculated ones were performed. Very
good agreements between measured and calculated results were obtained. It is concluded that the Monte
Carlo calculation method is very effective for such a complicated radiation oncology apparatus.
JD 4 11:40 AM
Nuclear Data Requirements for Medical Applications - Recent Contributions and Future
Requirements as Formulated Under the Auspices of the International Atomic Energy
Agency
R. Capote Noy and A.L. Nichols
Nuclear Data Section, International Atomic Energy Agency, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
Cancer treatment represents a major economic and medical issue because of the extensive incidence of
the disease worldwide, with a particularly large rate of increase to be found in developing countries -
under such unfortunate circumstances, up to half of all cancer patients receive some form of radiation
therapy in the course of their treatment. The suitability of specific radioisotopes for medical applications
is well established in relation to cancer diagnosis and therapy. Nuclear reactors and particle accelerators,
coupled with powerful chemical separation techniques, provide the means of producing suitable high-purity
radioisotopes in an efficient and efficacious manner. Medical applications of radiation are of considerable
interest to member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Therefore, over the previous
twenty years, the IAEA has dedicated a series of well-directed investigations towards identifying and
quantifying the production routes and decay characteristics of an extensive number of radioisotopes judged
to be of existing and emerging importance in nuclear medicine. Both the recommendations formulated
during the course of a series of technical debates and the results of recently completed and on-going
coordinated research projects are described which embrace the following IAEA initiatives: (a) chargedparticle
cross sections for diagnostic radioisotopes and monitor reactions (coordinated research project
undertaken from 1995 to 2001, and a new coordinated research project starting in 2012); (b) nuclear
data for the production of therapeutic radionuclides (coordinated research project undertaken from 2003
to 2011); (c) high-precision beta-intensity measurements and evaluations for specific PET radioisotopes
(extensive discussion in 2008); (d) intermediate-term nuclear data requirements for medical applications:
cross sections and decay data (extensive discussion in 2011). Existing recommendations identified with
items (a), (b) and (d) focus on cross sections for a reasonably wide range of targets and projectiles, along
with highly-specific requirements for further decay data measurements. Item (c) is more clearly related
to inadequacies in the measured positron and X-ray emission probabilities of a relatively modest number
of existing and potential PET radioisotopes. Nuclear data requirements will be described with respect
to their importance in ensuring the continued successful evolution of improvements in nuclear medicine
throughout the early 21st century. ALN is affiliated to Department of Physics, Faculty of Engineering
and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK; and Manipal University, Madhav
Nagar, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India.
Corresponding author: Alan Nichols
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