Study of light element activation in human blood during 20 MeV linac operating

Abstract

A series of experiments have been performed to study the activation of chemical macronutrients in human venous blood throughout radiation treatment with the 20 MeV linac. Some elements in the human blood can be activated as positron-emitting radionuclides by (𝛾, n)-reaction. We calculated the 11C, 13N, 15O, 30P, 34𝑚Cl, and 38K activities in irradiated human venous blood samples for the first time. As a result, we concluded that the main contribution to the dose from positron-emitting nuclides activated in human blood provides three nuclides: 15O, 34𝑚Cl, and 38K.