Garcilazo, H., Valcarce, A., & Vijande, J. (2020). Xi(-)t quasibound state instead of Lambda Lambda nn bound state. Chin. Phys. C, 44(2), 024102–7pp.
Abstract: The coupled Lambda Lambda nn – Xi-pnn system was studied to investigate whether the inclusion of channel coupling is able to bind the Lambda Lambda nn system. We use a separable potential three-body model of the coupled Lambda Lambda nn – Xi-pnn system and a variational four-body calculation with realistic interactions. Our results exclude the possibility of a bound state by a large margin. Instead, we found a Xi(-)t quasibound state above the Lambda Lambda nn threshold.
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Gimenez-Alventosa, V., Gimenez, V., Ballester, F., Vijande, J., & Andreo, P. (2020). Monte Carlo calculation of beam quality correction factors for PTW cylindrical ionization chambers in photon beams. Phys. Med. Biol., 65(20), 205005–11pp.
Abstract: The beam quality correction factork(Q)for megavoltage photon beams has been calculated for eight PTW (Freiburg, Germany) ionization chambers (Farmer chambers PTW30010, PTW30011, PTW30012, and PTW30013, Semiflex 3D chambers PTW31021, PTW31010, and PTW31013, and the PinPoint 3D chamber PTW31016). Simulations performed on the widely used NE-2571 ionization chamber have been used to benchmark the results. The Monte Carlo code PENELOPE/penEasy was used to calculate the absorbed dose to a point in water and the absorbed dose to the active air volume of the chambers for photon beams in the range 4 to 24 MV. Of the nine ionization chambers analysed, only five are included in the current version of the International Code of Practice for dosimetry based on standards of absorbed dose to water (IAEA TRS 398). The values reported in this work agree with those in the literature within the uncertainty estimates and are to be included in the average values of the data obtained by different working groups for the forthcoming update of TRS 398.
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Valdes-Cortez, C., Ballester, F., Vijande, J., Gimenez, V., Gimenez-Alventosa, V., Perez-Calatayud, J., et al. (2020). Depth-dose measurement corrections for the surface electronic brachytherapy beams of an Esteya(R) unit: a Monte Carlo study. Phys. Med. Biol., 65(24), 245026–12pp.
Abstract: Three different correction factors for measurements with the parallel-plate ionization chamber PTW T34013 on the Esteya electronic brachytherapy unit have been investigated. This chamber type is recommended by AAPM TG-253 for depth-dose measurements in the 69.5 kV x-ray beam generated by the Esteya unit. Monte Carlo simulations using the PENELOPE-2018 system were performed to determine the absorbed dose deposited in water and in the chamber sensitive volume at different depths with a Type A uncertainty smaller than 0.1%. Chamber-to-chamber differences have been explored performing measurements using three different chambers. The range of conical applicators available, from 10 to 30 mm in diameter, has been explored. Using a depth-independent global chamber perturbation correction factor without a shift of the effective point of measurement yielded differences between the absorbed dose to water and the corrected absorbed dose in the sensitive volume of the chamber of up to 1% and 0.6% for the 10 mm and 30 mm applicators, respectively. Calculations using a depth-dependent perturbation factor, including or excluding a shift of the effective point of measurement, resulted in depth-dose differences of about +/- 0.5% or less for both applicators. The smallest depth-dose differences were obtained when a shift of the effective point of measurement was implemented, being displaced 0.4 mm towards the center of the sensitive volume of the chamber. The correction factors were obtained with combined uncertainties of 0.4% (k = 2). Uncertainties due to chamber-to-chamber differences are found to be lower than 2%. The results emphasize the relevance of carrying out detailed Monte Carlo studies for each electronic brachytherapy device and ionization chamber used for its dosimetry.
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Valdes-Cortez, C., Mansour, I., Rivard, M. J., Ballester, F., Mainegra-Hing, E., Thomson, R. M., et al. (2021). A study of Type B uncertainties associated with the photoelectric effect in low-energy Monte Carlo simulations. Phys. Med. Biol., 66(10), 105014–14pp.
Abstract: Purpose. To estimate Type B uncertainties in absorbed-dose calculations arising from the different implementations in current state-of-the-art Monte Carlo (MC) codes of low-energy photon cross-sections (<200 keV). Methods. MC simulations are carried out using three codes widely used in the low-energy domain: PENELOPE-2018, EGSnrc, and MCNP. Three dosimetry-relevant quantities are considered: mass energy-absorption coefficients for water, air, graphite, and their respective ratios; absorbed dose; and photon-fluence spectra. The absorbed dose and the photon-fluence spectra are scored in a spherical water phantom of 15 cm radius. Benchmark simulations using similar cross-sections have been performed. The differences observed between these quantities when different cross-sections are considered are taken to be a good estimator for the corresponding Type B uncertainties. Results. A conservative Type B uncertainty for the absorbed dose (k = 2) of 1.2%-1.7% (<50 keV), 0.6%-1.2% (50-100 keV), and 0.3% (100-200 keV) is estimated. The photon-fluence spectrum does not present clinically relevant differences that merit considering additional Type B uncertainties except for energies below 25 keV, where a Type B uncertainty of 0.5% is obtained. Below 30 keV, mass energy-absorption coefficients show Type B uncertainties (k = 2) of about 1.5% (water and air), and 2% (graphite), diminishing in all materials for larger energies and reaching values about 1% (40-50 keV) and 0.5% (50-75 keV). With respect to their ratios, the only significant Type B uncertainties are observed in the case of the water-to-graphite ratio for energies below 30 keV, being about 0.7% (k = 2). Conclusions. In contrast with the intermediate (about 500 keV) or high (about 1 MeV) energy domains, Type B uncertainties due to the different cross-sections implementation cannot be considered subdominant with respect to Type A uncertainties or even to other sources of Type B uncertainties (tally volume averaging, manufacturing tolerances, etc). Therefore, the values reported here should be accommodated within the uncertainty budget in low-energy photon dosimetry studies.
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Calatayud-Jordan, J., Candela-Juan, C., Palma, J. D., Pujades-Claumarchirant, M. C., Soriano, A., Gracia-Ochoa, M., et al. (2021). Influence of the simultaneous calibration of multiple ring dosimeters on the individual absorbed dose. J. Radiol. Prot., 41(2), 384–397.
Abstract: Ring dosimeters for personal dosimetry are calibrated in accredited laboratories following ISO 4037-3 guidelines. The simultaneous irradiation of multiple dosimeters would save time, but has to be carefully studied, since the scattering conditions could change and influence the absorbed dose in nearby dosimeters. Monte Carlo simulations using PENELOPE-2014 were performed to explore the need to increase the uncertainty of H-p (0.07) in the simultaneous irradiation of three and five DXT-RAD 707H-2 (Thermo Scientific) ring dosimeters with beam qualities: N-30, N-80 and N-300. Results show that the absorbed dose in each dosimeter is compatible with each of the others and with the reference simulation (a single dosimeter), with a coverage probability of 95% (k = 2). Comparison with experimental data yielded consistent results with the same coverage probability. Therefore, five ring dosimeters can be simultaneously irradiated with beam qualities ranging, at least, between N-30 and N-300 with a negligible impact on the uncertainty of H-p (0.07).
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