THE INVESTIGATION OF PHOTON INTERACTION PARAMETERS OF DEXAMETHASONE DRUG

The anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic properties of corticosteroids (glucocorticoids or steroids) have made them an attractive treatment option. Dexamethasone, one of the synthetic glucocorticoids, is used as an adjunct in the treatment of many diseases due to its good inflammatory, antiexudative, immunosuppressive and antiemetic effects. Dexamethasone is given as prophylaxis together with certain drugs to patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy such as carboplatin and is a widely used drug when necessary. In some types of cancer, the patient may receive chemotherapy and radiotherapy simultaneously (chemoradiotherapy). In addition, the patient receiving dexamethasone may undergo any radiological examination. In such a case, dexamethasone interacts with radiation. Pharmacological drugs can reduce radiation damage in the body when administered before or after radiation exposure. The aim of the study was to investigate the interaction parameters of dexamethasone with radiation. In the study; The mass attenuation coefficient (μρ) values were calculated in the energy range of 1 keV-1 GeV using the WinXCom code. Then, the effective atomic numbers (Zeff) and electron densities (Nel) were theoretically derived using the μρ values. As a result, it was observed that the μρ values decreased with increasing energy, while the Zeff and Nel values decreased sharply between 1 keV and 100 keV. These parameters generally remained constant between 100 keV and 500 keV, while the values increased with increasing energy. As a result, it was evaluated how the radiation shielding parameters of the examined sample changed depending on the energy. Key Words: Dexamethasone, effective atomic number, mass attenuation coefficients