Evidence against solar influence on nuclear decay constants.

The hypothesis that proximity to the Sun causes variation of decay constants at permille level has been tested and disproved. Repeated activity measurements of mono-radionuclide sources were performed over periods from 200 days up to four decades at 14 laboratories across the globe. Residuals from the exponential nuclear decay curves were inspected for annual oscillations. Systematic deviations from a purely exponential decay curve differ from one data set to another and are attributable to instabilities in the instrumentation and measurement conditions. The most stable activity measurements of alpha, beta-minus, electron capture, and beta-plus decaying sources set an upper limit of 0.0006% to 0.008% to the amplitude of annual oscillations in the decay rate. Oscillations in phase with Earth's orbital distance to the Sun could not be observed within a 10-6 to 10-5 range of precision. There are also no apparent modulations over periods of weeks or months. Consequently, there is no indication of a natural impediment against sub-permille accuracy in half-life determinations, renormalisation of activity to a distant reference date, application of nuclear dating for archaeology, geo- and cosmochronology, nor in establishing the SI unit becquerel and seeking international equivalence of activity standards.

Investigation of the response variability of ionization chambers for the standard transfer of SIR-Spheres(®).

The present paper addresses the calibration of well-type ionization chambers (ICs) used at LNE-LNHB as standard transfer instruments to calibrate hospitals in the case of SIR-Spheres(®)(90)Y resin microspheres (Sirtex, Australia). Developed for interventional oncology, this radiopharmaceutical is directly injected in the liver for cancer treatment via a selective internal radiation therapy. The present work was carried out in the framework of the European project "Metrology for molecular radiotherapy" (MetroMRT). As commonly performed in radionuclide metrology for radiopharmaceuticals, the objective is to ensure the metrological traceability of SIR-Spheres(®) to hospitals. Preceding studies were focused on primary measurements of SIR-Spheres(®) based on the TDCR (Triple to Double Coincidence Ratio) method, applied after the dissolution of the (90)Y-labeled resin microspheres. As (90)Y is a high-energy ß(-)-emitter, the IC response strongly depends on the transport of electrons in the radioactive solution and surroundings (vial, chamber liners and materials). The variability of the IC-response due to the geometry dependence is investigated by means of measurements and Monte Carlo simulations in the case of a Vinten IC. The aim of the present study was also to propose a reliable uncertainty for ICs calibrations for the standard transfer of SIR-Spheres(®) to hospitals.

Standardization, decay data measurements and evaluation of 64Cu.

The purposes of this study were to create national activity standards of (64)Cu, to make possible the definition of an international key comparison reference value and to determine the decay data in order to improve the decay scheme. Four laboratories measured the activity of a (64)Cu solution; these results were compared through the International Reference System. Moreover, the laboratories carried out new measurements of the photon emission intensities and of the half-life. A new decay scheme was derived from these new values and the previously published ones.

Comparison of experimental and calculated calibration coefficients for a high sensitivity ionization chamber.

The response of a Vacutec 70129 ionization chamber was calculated using the PENELOPE-2008 Monte Carlo code and compared to experimental data. The filling gas mixture composition and its pressure have been determined using IC simulated response adjustment to experimental results. The Monte Carlo simulation revealed a physical effect in the detector response to photons due to the presence of xenon in the chamber. A very good agreement is found between calculated and experimental calibration coefficients for 17 radionuclides.

International exercise on 124Sb activity measurements.

An international exercise, registered as EUROMET project no. 907, was launched to measure both the activity of a solution of (124)Sb and the photon emission intensities of its decay. The same solution was sent by LNE-LNHB to eight participating laboratories. In order to identify possible biases, the participants were asked to use all possible activity measurement methods available in their laboratory and then to determine their reference value for comparison. Thus, measurement results from 4pibeta-gamma coincidence/anti-coincidence counting, CIEMAT/NIST liquid-scintillation counting, 4pigamma counting with well-type ionization chambers and well-type crystal detectors were given. The results are compared and show a maximum discrepancy of about 1.6%: possible explanations are proposed.

International exercise on 124Sb photon emission intensities determination.

An international exercise, registered as EUROMET project no. 907, was launched to measure both the activity of a solution of (124)Sb and the photon emission intensities of its decay. The same solution was sent by LNE-LNHB to eight participating laboratories, six of which sent results for photon emission intensities both in absolute and in relative terms. From these results and including previous published values, a consistent decay scheme was worked out, proving that problems in activity measurements have not been due to decay scheme data.

Half-life determination of 88Y and 89Sr.

Half-life measurements have been carried out at LNHB for 88Y using a 4pi gamma-ionisation chamber and for 89Sr using a proportional counter. The determined half-life values and associated standard uncertainties are 106.63 +/- 0.05 d for 88Y and 50.65 +/- 0.05 d for 89Sr, being consistent with relevant values reported in literature. Based on the present results and relevant literature values revised recommended half-life values and associated standard uncertainties are proposed, viz. 106.626 +/- 0.021 d for 88Y and 50.57 +/- 0.03 d for 89Sr.

Study of XK and gamma photon emission following decay of 154Eu.

A joint project has been established between VNIIM (D.I. Mendeleyev Institute for Metrology) and LNHB (Laboratoire National Henri Becquerel) to determine as accurately as possible the X- and gamma-ray emission probabilities of 154Eu. Point sources were prepared by VNIIM, and absolute measurements of activity per unit mass were undertaken by both laboratories using coincidence, anti-coincidence and 4pi-gamma counting methods. Other point sources and one aliquot were also prepared for precise gamma-ray spectrometry measurements. Absolute photon emission probabilities were determined with a maximum uncertainty of 0.5% for the most intense lines, supporting the development of this nuclide as a multigamma standard.

Calculation of 18F, 99mTc, 111In and 123I calibration factor using the penelope ionization chamber simulation method.

A new method using the Monte Carlo code PENELOPE for ionization chamber simulation has already been successfully used for calculating calibration factors needed for the measurements of radionuclides with photon emission (2003, Appl. Radiat. Isot., to be published). This work has been continued at (Laboratoire National Henri Becquerel) in order to calculate the calibration factors for radionuclides with short half-lives used in medical services. Activity measurements of 18F, 99mTc,111In and 123I using the calculated calibration factors were obtained with standard uncertainties equal to 0.6% for 18F, 99mTc and 1.5% for 111In and 123I.

Towards absolute activity measurements by ionisation chambers using the PENELOPE Monte-Carlo code.

The Monte-Carlo code PENELOPE for Ionisation Chamber Simulation Method has been applied for the calculation of ionisation-chamber (IC) calibration factors. Measuring only a few radionuclides well selected within the relevant energy range, and determining an adjustable parameter, commonly used radionuclides can be measured without any specific calibration. The simulation revealed a discontinuity in the IC response as a function of photon energy and its dependence on the chemical composition of the radioactive solution.