Gamma-ray-shielding parameters of some phantom fabrication materials for medical dosimetry

Abstract

Radiation has been used in many different fields since its discovery, but using it in medical applications is vital, as it is related to human health. In medical application, many different materials are used for different purposes. Three-dimensional materials are used in phantom technology, and it is important to know the properties of those materials. In this study, the linear attenuation coefficients (LACs; μ, cm⁻¹) and some other related parameters of gamma rays (mean free path, half-value layer, tenth-value layer, effective atomic number (Z_eff), electron density (N_eff) and equivalent atomic number (Z_eq)) were obtained for five different phantom fabrication materials used in medical dosimetry. The calculations were done using the Phy-X/PSD software for gamma energies of 10⁻³–10⁵ MeV. The obtained LAC results ranged from 0.103 to 0.13 cm⁻¹for 0.365 MeV, from 0.09 to 0.11 cm⁻¹for 0.511 MeV and from 0.059 to 0.076 cm⁻¹for 1.275 MeV.