Solid state physics, chemistry and nanosciences

Study of an ionization chamber of variable pressure for radiopharmaceuticals

The Laboratoire National Henri Becquerel (LNHB) of the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) is a national metrology laboratory for ionizing radiation. In this context it provides development, maintenance and the transfer of national reference for the international namely the Becquerel and the gray system units. Pressurised well type ionization chambers are used for the Becquerel unit transfer to users. These instruments (so called radionuclide calibrators) are widely used in the nuclear medicine services for activity measurements prior to its administration into patient for diagnostic purposes. LNHB has in charge the calibration of radionuclide calibrators for France. One of the nuclear medicine services difficulties is the access to calibration factors adapted to the clinical measurement conditions in terms of sample geometry. Thesis work consists on one hand in the supervision of the construction of the ionization chamber and in its measurement chain realisation. On the other hand, the work consists in the Monte Carlo simulation of the source-detector system in order to determine calibration factors for specific geometries (adapted do clinical conditions), in several conditions like nature and pressure of the detection gas (Argon, Nitrogen and xenon). Various packaging Radiopharmaceuticals (syringes, vials, ?) calculated calibration factors will then be compared to the experimental ones for three nature of detection gas under a specific pressure.

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Département : Laboratoire National Henri Becquerel (LIST) Laboratory : Laboratoire de Métrologie de l'Activité Start Date : 01-10-2013 ECA Code : SL-DRT-13-0063 Contact : marie-noelle.amiot@cea.fr