Evaluation of anode heel effect on gonadal dose during AP pelvic radiography using PHITS
Abstract
Anode heel effect is a radiographic phenomenon that produces a variation of intensity in the useful x-ray beam. This design of the anode target results in decreased radiation intensity on the anode side of the beam, which makes anode heel effect useful in imaging parts that are uneven in thickness. Due to the discontinued use of gonadal shielding from routine pelvic radiography procedures, this study investigated anode heel effect as an alternative way to optimize doses. Gonadal doses were calculated from adult and pediatric phantoms using Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS). Dose differences due to anode heel effect was calculated by exposing the phantoms in two different orientations: feet facing the cathode side, and feet facing the anode side. Results showed that all phantoms received greater gonadal doses when the feet are placed towards the cathode side. The obtained dose reductions showed that male gonads are more likely to be affected by anode heel effect due to its anatomical location.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
By submitting their manuscript to the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas (SPP) for consideration, the Authors warrant that their work is original, does not infringe on existing copyrights, and is not under active consideration for publication elsewhere.
Upon acceptance of their manuscript, the Authors further agree to grant SPP the non-exclusive, worldwide, and royalty-free rights to record, edit, copy, reproduce, publish, distribute, and use all or part of the manuscript for any purpose, in any media now existing or developed in the future, either individually or as part of a collection.
All other associated economic and moral rights as granted by the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines are maintained by the Authors.
