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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Identifying Urinary and Serum Exosome Biomarkers for Radiation Exposure Using a Data Dependent Acquisition and SWATH-MS Combined Workflow

Purpose: Early and accurate assessment of radiation injury by radiation-responsive biomarkers is critical for triage and early intervention. Biofluids such as urine and serum are convenient for such analysis. Recent research has also suggested that exosomes are a reliable source of biomarkers in disease progression. In the present study, we analyzed total urine proteome and exosomes isolated from urine or serum for potential biomarkers of acute and persistent radiation injury in mice exposed to lethal whole body irradiation (WBI). Methods and Materials: For feasibility studies, the mice were irradiated at 10.4 Gy WBI, and urine and serum samples were collected 24 and 72 hours after irradiation. Exosomes were isolated and analyzed using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry-based workflow for radiation exposure signatures. A data dependent acquisition and SWATH-MS combined workflow approach was used to identify significantly exosome biomarkers indicative of acute or persistent radiation-induced responses. For the validation studies, mice were exposed to 3, 6, 8, or 10 Gy WBI, and samples were analyzed for comparison. Results: A comparison between total urine proteomics and urine exosome proteomics demonstrated that exosome proteomic analysis was superior in identifying radiation signatures. Feasibility studies identified 23 biomarkers from urine and 24 biomarkers from serum exosomes after WBI. Urinary exosome signatures identified different physiological parameters than the ones obtained in serum exosomes. Exosome signatures from urine indicated injury to the liver, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary tracts. In contrast, serum showed vascular injuries and acute inflammation in response to radiation. Selected urinary exosomal biomarkers also showed changes at lower radiation doses in validation studies. Conclusions: Exosome proteomics revealed radiation- and time-dependent protein signatures after WBI. A total of 47 differentially secreted proteins were identified in urinary and serum exosomes. Together, these data showed the feasibility of defining biomarkers that could elucidate tissue-associated and systemic response caused by high-dose ionizing radiation. This is the first report using an exosome proteomics approach to identify radiation signatures.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Consequences of Low Dose Ionizing Radiation Exposure on the Hippocampal Microenvironment

The response of the brain to irradiation is complex, involving a multitude of stress inducible pathways that regulate neurotransmission within a dynamic microenvironment. While significant past work has detailed the consequences of CNS radiotherapy following relatively high doses ( ≥ 45 Gy), few studies have been conducted at much lower doses ( ≤ 2 Gy), where the response of the CNS (like many other tissues) may differ substantially from that expected from linear extrapolations of high dose data. Low dose exposure could elicit radioadaptive modulation of critical CNS processes such as neurogenesis, that provide cellular input into hippocampal circuits known to impact learning and memory. Here we show that mice deficient for chemokine signaling through genetic disruption of the CCR2 receptor exhibit a neuroprotective phenotype. Compared to wild type (WT) animals, CCR2 deficiency spared reductions in hippocampal neural progenitor cell survival and stabilized neurogenesis following exposure to low dose irradiation. While radiation-induced changes in microglia levels were not found in WT or CCR2 deficient animals, the number of Iba1+ cells did differ between each genotype at the higher dosing paradigms, suggesting that blockade of this signaling axis could moderate the neuroinflammatory response. Interestingly, changes in proinflammatory gene expression were limited in WT animals, while irradiation caused significant elevations in these markers that were attenuated significantly after radioadaptive dosing paradigms in CCR2 deficient mice. These data point to the importance of chemokine signaling under low dose paradigms, findings of potential significance to those exposed to ionizing radiation under a variety of occupational and/or medical scenarios.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Structural and thermal properties of γ – irradiated Bombyx mori silk fibroin films

The gamma radiation-induced change in structural and thermal properties of Bombyx mori silk fibroin films were investigated and have been correlated with the applied radiation doses. Irradiation of samples were carried out in dry air at room temperature using Co-60 source, and radiation doses are in the range of 0 - 300 kGy. Structural and thermal properties of the irradiated silk films were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and compared with unirradiated sample. Interesting results are discussed in this report.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

220 Rn (Thoron) Geohazard in Room Air of Earthen Dwellings in Vietnam

Thoron’s ( 220 Rn) contribution to α -radiation exposure is usually considered negligible compared to that of 222 Rn (radon). Despite its short half-life of 55.6 seconds, thoron can be exhaled from porous surface layers of building materials into indoor air where people subsequently inhale radioisotopes, including metallic radioactive progeny. Bare surfaces of dry porous soil with relatively high 232 Th content can pose a thoron radiation hazard in indoor air. On northern Vietnam’s Dong Van karst plateau, the spatial distribution of thoron was determined in indoor air of traditional earthen and other types of dwellings using portable RAD7 and SARAD® RTM 2200 detectors. “Mud houses” are constructed with local compacted soil and typically do not have any floor or wall coverings (i.e., no plaster, wallpaper, or paint). Detailed measurements in a mud house revealed levels of thoron in room air averaging >500 Bq m -3 . The spatial distribution of α -radiation from thoron in indoor air at a distance of about 1 m from interior walls was fairly homogeneous and averaged ~200 Bq m -3 . Most concerning, from a human health perspective, were the high thoron concentrations of up to 884 Bq m -3 in sleeping areas near mud walls. The average annual thoron radiation dose to inhabitants of mud houses was estimated based on 13 hours of daily occupancy, including daily activities and sleeping. The estimated average thoron inhalation dose of 27.1 mSv a -1 during sleeping hours near mud surfaces accounts for nearly 75% of the total estimated radon and thoron inhalation dose of 37.4 mSv a -1 from indoor mud house air. Our conservative annual radiation dose estimates do not include subsequent radiation from inhaled metallic progeny of thoron. Our data demonstrate a significant human health risk from radiation exposure and a critical need for remediation in traditional northern Vietnamese mud house dwellings.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2011

Sustainably Sourced, Thermally Resistant, Radiation Hard Biopolymer

This material represents a breakthrough in the production, manufacturing, and application of thermal protection system (TPS) materials and radiation shielding, as this represents the first effort to develop a non-metallic, non-ceramic, biomaterial-based, sustainable TPS with the capability to also act as radiation shielding. Until now, the standing philosophy for radiation shielding involved carrying the shielding at liftoff or utilizing onboard water sources. This shielding material could be grown onboard and applied as needed prior to different radiation landscapes (commonly seen during missions involving gravitational assists). The material is a bioplastic material. Bioplastics are any combination of a biopolymer and a plasticizer. In this case, the biopolymer is a starch-based material and a commonly accessible plasticizer. Starch molecules are composed of two major polymers: amylase and amylopectin. The biopolymer phenolic compounds are common to the ablative thermal protection system family of materials. With similar constituents come similar chemical ablation processes, with the potential to have comparable, if not better, ablation characteristics. It can also be used as a flame-resistant barrier for commercial applications in buildings, homes, cars, and heater firewall material. The biopolymer is observed to undergo chemical transformations (oxidative and structural degradation) at radiation doses that are 1,000 times the maximum dose of an unmanned mission (10-25 Mrad), indicating that it would be a viable candidate for robust radiation shielding. As a comparison, the total integrated radiation dose for a three-year manned mission to Mars is 0.1 krad, far below the radiation limit at which starch molecules degrade. For electron radiation, the biopolymer starches show minimal deterioration when exposed to energies greater than 180 keV. This flame-resistant, thermal-insulating material is non-hazardous and may be sustainably sourced. It poses no hazardous waste threats during its lifecycle. The material composition is radiation-tolerant up to megarad doses, indicating its use as a radiation shielding material. It is lightweight, non-metallic, and able to be mechanically densified, permitting a tunable gradient of thermal and radiation protection as needed. The dual-use (thermal and radiation shielding), sustainable nature of this material makes it suitable for both industrial applications as a sustainable/green building material, and for space applications as thermal protection material and radiation shield.

Pugel, Diane↗
NASA NTRS2001

Radiation transport modeling and assessment to better predict radiation exposure, dose, and toxicological effects to human organs on long duration space flights

NASA is very interested in improving its ability to monitor and forecast the radiation levels that pose a health risk to space-walking astronauts as they construct the International Space Station and astronauts that will participate in long-term and deep-space missions. Human exploratory missions to the moon and Mars within the next quarter century, will expose crews to transient radiation from solar particle events which include high-energy galactic cosmic rays and high-energy protons. Because the radiation levels in space are high and solar activity is presently unpredictable, adequate shielding is needed to minimize the deleterious health effects of exposure to radiation. Today, numerous models have been developed and used to predict radiation exposure. Such a model is the Space Environment Information Systems (SPENVIS) modeling program, developed by the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronautics. SPENVIS, which has been assessed to be an excellent tool in characterizing the radiation environment for microelectronics and investigating orbital debris, is being evaluated for its usefulness with determining the dose and dose-equivalent for human exposure. Thus far. the calculations for dose-depth relations under varying shielding conditions have been in agreement with calculations done using HZETRN and PDOSE, which are well-known and widely used models for characterizing the environments for human exploratory missions. There is disagreement when assessing the impact of secondary radiation particles since SPENVIS does a crude estimation of the secondary radiation particles when calculating LET versus Flux. SPENVIS was used to model dose-depth relations for the blood-forming organs. Radiation sickness and cancer are life-threatening consequences resulting from radiation exposure. In space. exposure to radiation generally includes all of the critical organs. Biological and toxicological impacts have been included for discussion along with alternative risk mitigation methods--shielding and anti-carcinogens. c 2001. Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

STS-91 Shuttle Project↗
DOE OSTI2016

Influence of proton radiation on the minority carrier lifetime in midwave infrared InAs/InAsSb superlattices

Influence of proton radiation on the minority carrier lifetime and on carrier concentrations in InAs/InAsSb superlattices has been studied for radiation doses up to 300 krad. The lifetime decreased from 1.8 μs down to 430 ns as the dose was increased. A variation of the carrier concentration in the range 1–2 × 10{sup 15} with increasing radiation dose was observed. The lifetime drop was however mainly caused by added Shockley-Read-Hall defects in the material. The position of these Shockley-Read-Hall centers was estimated to ∼60 meV below the conduction band edge from comparison between calculated and measured temperature dependencies of the minority carrier lifetime.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2021

Accurate Dosimetry for Radiobiology

Accurate radiation dose is required to ensure reproducibility in establishing the radiobiological effect in biological systems among institutions. The dose should be the most precise and accurate parameter of the entire process. The goal is a system to provide uniform radiation dose verification among institutions that is traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) through an Accredited Dosimetry Calibration Laboratory.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-D-204-06: Dose and Image Quality Evaluation of a Low-Dose Slot-Scanning X-Ray System for Pediatric Orthopedic Studies

Purpose: Children in early teens with scoliosis require repeated radiographic exams over a number of years. The EOS (EOS imaging S.A., Paris, France) is a novel low-dose slot-scanning digital radiographic system designed to produce full-spine images of a free-standing patient. The radiation dose and image quality characteristics of the EOS were evaluated relative to those of a Computed Radiography (CR) system for scoliosis imaging. Methods: For dose evaluation, a full-torso anthropomorphic phantom was scanned five times using the default standard clinical protocols for both the EOS and a CR system, which include both posteroanterior and lateral full-spine views. Optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs), also known as nanoDots™ (Landauer, Inc., Glenwood, IL), were placed on the phantom’s surface to measure entrance skin dose. To assess image quality, MTF curves were generated from sampling the noise levels within the high-contrast regions of a line-pair phantom. Vertical and horizontal distortions were measured for the square line-pair phantom with the EOS system to evaluate the effects of geometric magnification and misalignment with the indicated imaging plane. Results: The entrance skin dose was measured to be 0.4 to 1.1 mGy for the EOS, and 0.7 to 3.6 mGy for the CR study. MTF comparison shows that CR greatly outperforms the EOS, despite both systems having a limiting resolution at 1.8 line-pairs per mm. Vertical distortion was unaffected by phantom positioning, because of the EOS slot-scanning geometry. Horizontal distortion increased linearly with miscentering distance. Conclusion: The EOS system resulted in approximately 70% lower radiation dose than CR for full-spine images. Image quality was found to be inferior to CR. Further investigation is required to see if EOS system is an acceptable modality for performing clinically diagnostic scoliosis examinations.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Verification of RESRAD-BUILD Code Version 4

This report documents the verification of the RESRAD-BUILD code, Version 4.0, which was released on December 22, 2022. Two earlier reports verifying Versions 3.0 and 3.1, respectively, were published in 2001 (Kamboj, et al. 2001) and 2003 (Tetra Tech NUS 2003). Version 4.0 of the RESRAD-BUILD code has many new features and modeling enhancements over the earlier versions, including the previously released Version 3.5. Chapter 2 of this report focuses on verifying the external dose and risk modeling for point, line, area, and volume sources, as well as for floor deposition. Besides verification, the external radiation doses calculated by RESRAD-BUILD were also benchmarked with those calculated by the MCNP code (Briemeister 1993). Section J.3 of the RESRAD-BUILD User’s Manual Vol. 1 (Yu et al. 2022) documents the results of that benchmarking effort. Chapter 3 of this report focuses on verifying the ventilation modeling, from checking the remaining source inventory, releases of radionuclides to the air, air concentrations and deposited floor concentrations over time, to the radiation dose and risk associated with inhalation, ingestion, and air submersion, with and without vacuuming. The verification efforts involve designing spreadsheets to perform calculations the same as or like those performed by the RESRAD-BUILD code and then comparing the spreadsheet results with those produced by the code. When the results agree or the differences are within acceptable range, the accuracy of model implementation in the code is verified. In addition to model implementation, the implementation of key functions and features that facilitate the modeling or the use of the code were also verified during the release testing of the code. Appendix A presents the test cases developed for these verification testing, and Appendix B presents the testing results that verify proper implementation of key functions and features.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

[{sup 18}F]FDG-PET Standard Uptake Value as a Metabolic Predictor of Bone Marrow Response to Radiation: Impact on Acute and Late Hematological Toxicity in Cervical Cancer Patients Treated With Chemoradiation Therapy

Purpose: To quantify the relationship between bone marrow (BM) response to radiation and radiation dose by using {sup 18}F-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography [{sup 18}F]FDG-PET standard uptake values (SUV) and to correlate these findings with hematological toxicity (HT) in cervical cancer (CC) patients treated with chemoradiation therapy (CRT). Methods and Materials: Seventeen women with a diagnosis of CC were treated with standard doses of CRT. All patients underwent pre- and post-therapy [{sup 18}F]FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT). Hemograms were obtained before and during treatment and 3 months after treatment and at last follow-up. Pelvic bone was autosegmented as total bone marrow (BM{sub TOT}). Active bone marrow (BM{sub ACT}) was contoured based on SUV greater than the mean SUV of BM{sub TOT}. The volumes (V) of each region receiving 10, 20, 30, and 40 Gy (V{sub 10}, V{sub 20}, V{sub 30}, and V{sub 40}, respectively) were calculated. Metabolic volume histograms and voxel SUV map response graphs were created. Relative changes in SUV before and after therapy were calculated by separating SUV voxels into radiation therapy dose ranges of 5 Gy. The relationships among SUV decrease, radiation dose, and HT were investigated using multiple regression models. Results: Mean relative pre-post-therapy SUV reductions in BM{sub TOT} and BM{sub ACT} were 27% and 38%, respectively. BM{sub ACT} volume was significantly reduced after treatment (from 651.5 to 231.6 cm{sup 3}, respectively; P<.0001). BM{sub ACT} V{sub 30} was significantly correlated with a reduction in BM{sub ACT} SUV (R{sup 2}, 0.14; P<.001). The reduction in BM{sub ACT} SUV significantly correlated with reduction in white blood cells (WBCs) at 3 months post-treatment (R{sup 2}, 0.27; P=.04) and at last follow-up (R{sup 2}, 0.25; P=.04). Different dosimetric parameters of BM{sub TOT} and BM{sub ACT} correlated with long-term hematological outcome. Conclusions: The volumes of BM{sub TOT} and BM{sub ACT} that are exposed to even relatively low doses of radiation are associated with a decrease in WBC counts following CRT. The loss in proliferative BM SUV uptake translates into low WBC nadirs after treatment. These results suggest the potential of intensity modulated radiation therapy to spare BM{sub TOT} to reduce long-term hematological toxicity.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Association of Radiation Exposure with Stable Chromosome Aberrations in Atomic Bomb Survivors Based on DS02R1 Dosimetry and FISH Methods

The frequency of stable chromosome aberrations (sCA) in lymphocytes is a recognized radiation biological dosimeter. Its analysis can provide insights into factors that affect individual susceptibility as well as into the adequacy of radiation dose estimates used in studies of atomic bomb survivors. We analyzed the relationship between atomic bomb radiation exposure using the most recent DS02R1 dose estimates and the frequency of sCA as determined by FISH in 1,868 atomic bomb survivors. We investigated factors that may affect the background sCA rate and the shape and magnitude of the dose response. As in previous analyses of sCA in atomic bomb survivors that were based on Giemsa staining methods and used older DS86 dose estimates, the relationship between radiation dose and sCA rate was significant (P < 0.0001) with a linear-quadratic relationship at lower doses that did not persist at higher doses. As before, age at the time of the bombing and type of radiation shielding were significant dose-effect modifiers (P < 0.0001), but in contrast the difference in dose response by city was not so pronounced (P = 0.026) with a city effect not evident at doses below 1.25Gy. Background sCA rate increased with age at the time of examination (P < 0.0001), but neither sex, city, nor smoking was significantly associated with background rate. Based on FISH methods and recent dosimetry, the relationship between radiation dose and sCA frequency is largely consistent with previous findings, although the lesser importance of city as an effect modifier may reflect better dosimetry as well as more reproducible scoring of sCA. The persisting difference in sCA dose response by shielding category points to remaining problems with the accuracy or precision of radiation dose estimates in some A-bomb survivors.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Accuracy of Monte Carlo simulations compared to in-vivo MDCT dosimetry

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of a Monte Carlo simulation-based method for estimating radiation dose from multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) by comparing simulated doses in ten patients to in-vivo dose measurements. Methods: MD Anderson Cancer Center Institutional Review Board approved the acquisition of in-vivo rectal dose measurements in a pilot study of ten patients undergoing virtual colonoscopy. The dose measurements were obtained by affixing TLD capsules to the inner lumen of rectal catheters. Voxelized patient models were generated from the MDCT images of the ten patients, and the dose to the TLD for all exposures was estimated using Monte Carlo based simulations. The Monte Carlo simulation results were compared to the in-vivo dose measurements to determine accuracy. Results: The calculated mean percent difference between TLD measurements and Monte Carlo simulations was −4.9% with standard deviation of 8.7% and a range of −22.7% to 5.7%. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate very good agreement between simulated and measured doses in-vivo. Taken together with previous validation efforts, this work demonstrates that the Monte Carlo simulation methods can provide accurate estimates of radiation dose in patients undergoing CT examinations.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

Identification of mechanisms responsible for low dose radioprotective responses in vivo

This project was a renewal of our previous Low Dose Radiation Research Program grant. In the previous grant we used the very sensitive pKZ1 chromosomal inversion assay in vivo to study the effect of very low doses of X-radiation. Using this assay we studied doses ranging from single whole body doses of 1 μGy up to 2 Gy X-rays and confirmed a 3 phase dose-response with an increase in inversions in the 5-10 μGy range, a decrease below sham-treated in the 1-10 mGy dose range and an increase in inversions for greater than 100 mGy. The same results were observed in both spleen and prostate. All doses below 10 mGy and as low as 1 μGy were capable of protecting from high dose radiation induced inversions and were therefore conditioning (adapting) doses. We also carried out a study in pKZ1 heterozygous ATM mice and found that the responses were the same as in normal ATM animals. We were the first to show that the low conditioning dose could be administered 3 hours after the high dose and still induce an adaptive response. In the previous grant we also commenced temporal studies to determine if the changes in the frequency of inversions after radiation exposure were permanent effects. We developed a lymphocyte adoptive transfer method with the aim of providing evidence for bystander effects in vivo and we started investigating intercellular induced apoptosis as a potential mechanism to explain adaptive responses for cancer end-points via radiation-induced removal of pre-tumour cells. We also studied the effect of the chemical radioprotector, amifostine, on pKZ1 chromosomal inversions where we found remarkable similarities to the pKZ1 chromosomal inversion dose-response patterns and adaptive response patterns that we had previously observed with low dose radiation. In this renewal grant we continued on with many of these experiments and concentrated on understanding the mechanism of adaptive responses in vivo. Studying mechanism in vivo is very difficult, time consuming and expensive. The pKZ1 assay, because of its extreme sensitivity to low doses of ionising radiation, potentially provides a system whereby we can gain some insight into low dose radiation adaptive response mechanisms in vivo. The overall goal of this project was to identify mechanisms responsible for low dose radioprotective responses in vivo.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Role of Defects in Swelling and Creep of Irradiated SiC

Silicon carbide is a promising cladding material because of its high strength and relatively good corrosion resistance. However, SiC is brittle and therefore SiC-based components need to be carefully designed to avoid cracking and failure by fracture. In design of SiC-based composites for nuclear reactor applications it is essential to take into account how mechanical properties are affected by radiation and temperature, or in other words, what strains and stresses develop in this material due to environmental conditions. While thermal strains in SiC can be predicted using classical theories, radiation-induced strains are much less understood. In particular, it is critical to correctly account for radiation swelling and radiation creep, which contribute significantly to dimensional instability of SiC under radiation. Swelling typically increases logarithmically with radiation dose and saturates at relatively low doses (damage levels of a few dpa). Consequently, swelling-induced stresses are likely to develop within a few months of operation of a reactor. Radiation-induced volume swelling in SiC can be as high as 2%, which is significantly higher than the cracking strain of 0.1% in SiC. Swelling-induced strains will lead to enormous stresses and fracture, unless these stresses can be relaxed via some other mechanism. An effective way to achieve stress relaxation is via radiation creep. Although it has been hypothesized that both radiation swelling and radiation creep are driven by formation of defect clusters, existing models for swelling and creep in SiC are limited by the lack of understanding of specific defects that form due to radiation in the range of temperatures relevant to fuel cladding in light water reactors (LWRs) (<1000°C). For example, defects that can be detected with traditional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques account only for 10-45% of the swelling measured in irradiated SiC. Here, we have undertaken an integrated experimental and modeling effort to discover the previously invisible defects in irradiated SiC and to determine the contributions of these defects to radiation swelling. Knowledge of the most stable defect structures and the rate controlling processes during defect evolution is essential for development of predictive models for swelling and creep as a function of temperature and radiation dose. This research has been enabled by state-of-the-art imaging techniques, such as the aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) (FEI TITAN) closely coupled with multi-scale models of stable defect clusters and their evolution.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Magnetic properties of square Py nanowires: Irradiation dose and geometry dependence

Arrays of ferromagnetic patterned nanostructures with single particle lateral dimensions between 160 nm and 400 nm were created by electron-beam lithography. The fourfold particles with rectangular-shaped walls around a square open area were produced from permalloy. Their magnetic properties were measured using the longitudinal magneto-optical Kerr effect. The article reports about the angle-dependent coercive fields and the influence of the e-beam radiation dose on sample shapes. It is shown that a broad range of radiation dose intensities enables reliable creation of nanostructures with parameters relevant for the desired magnetization reversal scenario. The experimental results are finally compared with micromagnetic simulations to explain the findings.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2023

Dose-Weighted Radiographic Source-Spot Size

The spatial resolution of a flash radiograph is determined by the time-integrated size of the radiation source. Since the radiation pulse includes the beam head and tail, which may be substantially larger than the beam body, the radiation source is larger than the focused flattop of the electron beam pulse. Moreover, the radiation dose rate is weighted by both beam current and electron energy, and it is the radiation dose that forms the radiograph image. Therefore, in order to estimate radiographic resolution from computer simulations of a focused electron beam, one should use a dose weighted moment analysis of the radiation source distribution. This approach is used to show that, in the absence of beam effects other than space-charge and emittance, radiographic resolution for Scorpius exceeds requirements, regardless of reasonable timing options for current and gap-voltage pulses.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-F-207-14: Low Contrast Detectability (LCD) at Different Diagnostic Reference Levels for Adult Abdominal CT Procedures

Purpose Using diagnostic reference levels (DRL) to optimize CT protocols has potential to reduce radiation dose and meet regulatory requirements. However, DRL’s tend to be misconstrued as dose limits, are typically designed for specific patient populations, and are assumed to have acceptable image quality (AIQ) associated with them. To determine the image quality that is associated with established DRL’s for adult abdominal CT studies, a LCD phantom study was employed. Methods: A CT phantom (CIRS) containing three columns of 7 spherical targets, ranging from 10mm to 2.4 mm, that are 5, 10, and 20 HU below the background (HUBB) matrix was scanned with a GE HD750 64 slice scanner. The phantom was scanned at the NEXT 2006 25th CTDIvol of 12 mGy, the NCRP 172 achievable dose (AD) CTDIvol of 17 mGy and 75th CTDIvol of 25 mGy and at the ACR recommended CTDIvol of 25 mGy. It was also scanned at a CTDIvol 20% greater than the AD at 20 mGy and the ACR maximum threshold of 30 mGy. Results: At the NEXT 2006 25th percentile CTDIvol of 12 mGy, a 6.3 mm low contrast lesion was detectable in the 20 HUBB; 6.3 mm in the 10 HUBB and 10 mm in the 5 HUBB column. Increasing the CTDIvol to the NCRP 172 AD of 17 mGy, an additional 4.8 mm lesion was visualized in the 20 HUBB column. At 20 mGy, an additional 4.8 mm lesion was detectable in the 10 HUBB column. No further lesions were visible between 20 and 30 mGy. However, conspicuity of all lesions increased with each additional step up in CTDI. Conclusion: Optimizing radiation dose to achieve AIQ is a critical aspect of any dose optimization committee. Hence, judicious monitoring of radiation exposure to patients has to be balanced with diagnostic image quality.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗