Computational Phantoms of the ICRP Reference Male and Reference Female

Computational models of the human body – together with radiation transport codes – have been used for the evaluation of organ dose conversion coefficients in occupational, medical and environmental radiation protection. During the last two decades, it has become common practice to use voxel models that are derived mostly from (whole body) medical image data of real persons instead of the older mathematical MIRD-type body models. It was shown that the schematic organ shapes of the MIRD-type phantoms presented an oversimplification, having an influence on the resulting dose coefficients, which may deviate systematically from those calculated for voxel models. In its recent recommendations, the ICRP adopted a couple of voxel phantoms for future calculations of organ dose coefficients. The phantoms are based on medical image data of real persons and are consistent with the information given in ICRP Publication 89 on the reference anatomical and physiological parameters for both male and female subjects. The reference voxel models were constructed by modifying the voxel models "Golem" and "Laura" developed in our working group of two individuals whose body height and weight resembled the reference data. The organ masses of both models were adjusted to the ICRP data on the Reference Male and Reference Female, without spoiling their realistic anatomy. This paper describes the methods used for this process and the characteristics of the resulting voxel models. Furthermore, to illustrate the uses of these phantoms, conversion coefficients for some external exposures are also presented.