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Division Spotlight
Accelerator Applications
The division was organized to promote the advancement of knowledge of the use of particle accelerator technologies for nuclear and other applications. It focuses on production of neutrons and other particles, utilization of these particles for scientific or industrial purposes, such as the production or destruction of radionuclides significant to energy, medicine, defense or other endeavors, as well as imaging and diagnostics.
Meeting Spotlight
ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Latest News
First astatine-labeled compound shipped in the U.S.
The Department of Energy’s National Isotope Development Center (NIDC) on March 31 announced the successful long-distance shipment in the United States of a biologically active compound labeled with the medical radioisotope astatine-211 (At-211). Because previous shipments have included only the “bare” isotope, the NIDC has described the development as “unleashing medical innovation.”
Bin Han, Bryan Bednarz, Yaron Danon, Robert Block, X. George Xu
Nuclear Technology | Volume 168 | Number 2 | November 2009 | Pages 576-579
Shielding Materials | Special Issue on the 11th International Conference on Radiation Shielding and the 15th Topical Meeting of the Radiation Protection and Shielding Division (Part 2) / Radiation Measurements and Instrumentation | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A9246
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
High-energy photons from medical accelerators are used to treat tumors in cancer patients. One consequence is the production of neutrons from photonuclear interactions in the high-Z accelerator components. The release and capture of neutrons produce radioactive nuclei that can irradiate patients and medical personnel. The goal of this study is to develop a method for quantifying the activation of accelerator components using MCNPX. To benchmark this method, we took activation measurements from the irradiation of a series of zinc plates using a 55-MeV electron beam and compared them with MCNPX calculations. The measured cumulative photon-induced activity from 68Zn(,p)67Cu interactions in all of the plates was 10.8 MBq, which is in 5.4% agreement with the calculated value of 10.2 ± 1.1 MBq. Based on these results, a series of simulations were performed in order to optimize the photon- and neutron-induced activity in tungsten for subsequent experiments. The radioactivity from activated short-lived isotopes and subsequent buildup can be significant from repeated accelerator operations during a day. The approach described in this paper is useful in quantifying the origin and the amount of nuclear activation and the buildup of radioactivity.
