The feasibility of accelerator-based in vivo neutron activation analysis of nitrogen

• Published in: Applied radiation and isotopes Vol. 55; no. 6; pp. 767 - 774
• Main Authors: O’Meara, J.M., Blackburn, B.W., Chichester, D.L., Gierga, D.P., Yanch, J.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2001
• Subjects: Body Composition; Humans; Neutron Activation Analysis - instrumentation; Neutron Activation Analysis - methods; Neutron Activation Analysis - statistics & numerical data; Nitrogen - analysis; Particle Accelerators - instrumentation; Sensitivity and Specificity
• ISSN: 0969-8043; 1872-9800
• DOI: 10.1016/S0969-8043(01)00135-X

The feasibility of accelerator-based in vivo neutron activation analysis of nitrogen has been investigated. It was found that a moderated neutron flux from ∼10 μA of 2.5 MeV protons on a 9Be target performed as well as, and possibly slightly better than the existing isotope-based approach in terms of net counts per unit subject dose. Such a system may be an attractive alternative to the widespread use of 238,239Pu/Be or 252Cf neutron sources, since there is more flexibility in the energy spectrum generated by accelerator-based neutron sources. From a radiation safety standpoint, accelerators have the advantage in that they only produce radiation when in operation. Furthermore, an accelerator beam can be pulsed, to reduce background detected in the prompt- γ measurement, and such a device has a wide range of additional biological and medical applications.