Study of phantom materials close to 1 keV photon energy for radiation applications

Abstract

Low-energy photons can be dangerous for human organs, tissues or significant molecules like DNA, RNA. Significant phantom materials, which can be used in diagnostic radiology, radiation protection, radiation dosimetry, and dose estimations, were investigated in terms of some essential radiation application quantities. Mass attenuation coefficient, mean free path, half value layer, tenth value layer, effective atomic number, gamma constant and dose rates were studied below 1 keV due to no data about the phantom materials yet. These parameters were compared with water to study the water equivalence property. Modelling clay has been found to be the best equivalent phantom material for water on behalf of effective atomic number (mean ratio: 0.97) and MFP, HVL, TVL (mean ratio: 1.71) respectively. In the light of the obtained results, it was concluded that this study can be very useful for various imaging and therapeutic procedures in medical physics. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd