Evaluation of the accidental exposure in linear accelerator facility using thermoluminescent dosimetry system - a dosimetric study

Ionizing radiations like X-ray beam, electron beam are commonly used in external beam radiation therapy facilities to treat cancer patients. Whereas special care must be taken by the operators though radiation is harmful to living objects. Occupational exposure is very common in radiotherapy facility and can be analyzed using thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) system, but the accidental radiation exposures are always a challenge, and it will lead to lethal damages. The method should be implemented to analyze such an event and this study helps the user to understand the dose received by a personnel who got stuck inside the treatment room while beam ON during the radiotherapy treatment. Before starting the actual experiment the TLD chips were irradiated to different doses ranging from 1cGy to 500 cGy to set the reader factor so that one can easily analyze the unknown radiation dose. TLD chips were placed at 8 different locations within the facility which mimics the possible location for the operator who may get stuck during the accidental beam ON situation. The corresponding results of the TLD chip will evidence the possible dose received by the operator. This study eases the user to analyze the accidental situation in a better way. (author)