Correction factors for non-uniform large-area reference sources.

Based on uniformity measurements of large-area reference sources used in calibration procedures of surface contamination monitors, an investigation was carried out to obtain a method that estimates the bias originated from surface source intensity distribution deviation from the ideal uniform distribution and corrects it. It relies on correcting the estimated instrument efficiency by applying correction factors driven from the uniformity distribution profiles of the sources used in calibration procedure. Simulations of the monitor calibration procedure are run for 2 distinct surface source distributions: the real and the ideally uniform distributions. Correction factors are driven from counting rate estimates obtained from each source representation. In order to evaluate adequacy of this proposition it was validated against a method proposed by the NPL in the Good Practices Guide No.14.

Characterization of a CT ionization chamber for radiation field mapping.

A pencil-type ionization chamber, developed at Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN), was characterized with the objective to verify the possibility of its application in radiation field mapping procedures. The characterization tests were evaluated, and the results were satisfactory. The results obtained for the X radiation field mapping with the homemade chamber were compared with those of a PTW Farmer-type chamber (TN 30011-1). The maximum difference observed in this comparison was only 1.25%, showing good agreement.

Evaluation of the voltage quantities measured with different noninvasive meters for quality control at a calibration laboratory.

In this work the peak kilovoltage (kVp), practical peak voltage (PPV) and air kerma rate were measured with the noninvasive meters Radcal Accu-kV® Diagnostic Sensor™ model 40×12-W, and PTW Diavolt. The results were compared in order to ensure the quality control, compare the meters and establish the new quantity PPV, at the Calibration Laboratory of IPEN. These tests were performed using the standard diagnostic radiology quality beam RQR5, and the results are in good agreement.

Evaluation of the planar sources surface homogeneity used to instruments calibration.

The surface homogeneity of planar sources used to calibrate contamination detectors is important considering that their dimensions are bigger than the most kind of detectors tested and the positioning in relation to the source may vary in each measurement. Using a special pancake detector the counting efficiency of alpha and beta sources was measured in several positioning covering all area of the sources. The (14)C source showed the worse performance and the (241)Am source showed the best behavior.

Preliminary studies of a new monitor ionization chamber.

A new monitor ionization chamber was developed at Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN) in order to monitor X-ray beams. The main difference of this monitor ionization chamber in relation to other monitor chambers is its geometry, which consists of a ring-shaped sensitive volume. Because of this geometry, the monitor chamber has a central hole through which the direct radiation beam passes. The operational characteristics of the monitor chamber were evaluated: saturation, ion collection efficiency and polarity effect. Besides these tests, the short- and medium-term stabilities of its response were also evaluated. During the tests the leakage current was always negligible. All results showed values within those recommended internationally (IEC, 1997. Medical electrical equipment-dosimeters with ionization chambers and/or semi-conductor detectors as used in X-ray diagnostic imaging. IEC 61674. International Electrotechnical Commission, Genève).