MCNP5 evaluation of photoneutron production from the Alexandria University 15 MV Elekta Precise medical LINAC

Photoneutron production, and the dose equivalent, in the head assembly of the 15 MV Elekta Precise medical linac; operating in the faculty of Medicine at Alexandria University were estimated with the MCNP5 code. Photoneutron spectra were calculated in air and inside a water phantom to different depths as a function of the radiation field sizes. The maximum neutron fluence is 3.346×10−9 n/cm2-e for a 30×30 cm2 field size to 2-4 cm-depth in the phantom. The dose equivalent due to fast neutron increases as the field size increases, being a maximum of 0.912 ± 0.05 mSv/Gy at depth between 2 and 4 cm in the water phantom for 40×40 cm2 field size. Photoneutron fluence and dose equivalent are larger to 100 cm from the isocenter than to 35 cm from the treatment room wall.