Fluence-to-absorbed dose conversion coefficients for use in radiological protection of embryo and foetus against external exposure to electrons from 10 MeV TO 10 GeV.

Electrons as primary and more often as secondary radiation exist commonly in the environment and workplaces. No conversion coefficients are yet available, in the literature, for use in radiological protection of embryo and foetus against external exposure to electrons. This study uses mathematical models developed by the Radiation Protection Bureau, Health Canada, for the embryo of 8 wk and for the foetus of 3, 6, and 9 mo. Monte Carlo code MCNPX is used to determine mean absorbed doses to the embryo and foetus when the mother is exposed to external electron fields. Monoenergetic electrons ranging from 10 MeV to 10 GeV were considered. The irradiation geometries include antero-posterior (AP), postero-anterior (PA), lateral (LAT), rotational (ROT), isotropic (ISO), and top-down (TOP). At each of these irradiation geometries, absorbed doses to the foetal brain and body were calculated for the embryo of 8 wk and the foetus of 3, 6, and 9 mo. Electron fluence-to-absorbed dose conversion coefficients were derived for the four prenatal ages.