Journal of Medical Physics
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year
: 2022  |  Volume : 47  |  Issue : 4  |  Page : 381--386

Photon interaction coefficients for the colorectal cancer tissue


Emmanuel Okon Esien-Umo1, Joseph Abebe Obu2, Ndubuisi Ozoemena Chiaghanam1, Theophilus Ipeh Ugbem3, Nneoyi Onen Egbe1 
1 Department of Radiography and Radiological Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
2 Department of Physics, Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
3 Department of Pathology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

Correspondence Address:
Dr. Emmanuel Okon Esien-Umo
Department of Radiography and Radiological Science, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar
Nigeria

Purpose: The application of radiotherapy to the treatment of cancer requires the knowledge of photon interaction coefficients such as mass attenuation (μm) and mass energy-absorption coefficients (μen/ρ). Although these coefficients have been determined for different tissues, it is lacking for the colorectal cancer (CRC) tissue in the literature. This study determines the μm and μen/ρ for the CRC tissue within the radiotherapy energy range. Materials and Methods: The CRC tissue from autopsy patients was freeze-dried, grounded into a fine powder, and made into pellets of 1 cm thickness. The elements detected in the CRC tissue using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry were used in XCOM to determine the theoretical values of μm and μen/ρ. The CRC tissue was again exposed to X-rays of energies of 6 and 15MV, respectively, to determine its experimental values of μm and μen/ρ. Results: Elements detected included carbon, oxygen and nitrogen making up 96.67%, high atomic number and trace elements making up the remaining 3.33% fraction of the CRC tissue. Conclusion: The theoretical and experimental μm and μen/ρ values showed a good agreement of about 2% difference between them. These values can be used to simulate the CRC tissue with respect to μm and μen/ρ.


How to cite this article:
Esien-Umo EO, Obu JA, Chiaghanam NO, Ugbem TI, Egbe NO. Photon interaction coefficients for the colorectal cancer tissue.J Med Phys 2022;47:381-386


How to cite this URL:
Esien-Umo EO, Obu JA, Chiaghanam NO, Ugbem TI, Egbe NO. Photon interaction coefficients for the colorectal cancer tissue. J Med Phys [serial online] 2022 [cited 2023 Mar 30 ];47:381-386
Available from: https://www.jmp.org.in/article.asp?issn=0971-6203;year=2022;volume=47;issue=4;spage=381;epage=386;aulast=Esien-Umo;type=0