• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.135-141
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• 2011

If protective performance of apron cannot be good, radiation exposure of an guardian or a patient, a person engaged in radiation related industry cannot rise. Therefore, It will be evaluated protection performance to radiation protection aprons by manufacturers and lead equivalent more than 0.25mm lead equivalent. And, will show in the direction of application to clinic. The new aprons by manufacturers(H, X, I, J company) and lead equivalent(0.50mmPb, 0.35mmPb, 0.25mmPb) measured transmitted dose rate and shielding rate, uniformity under fluoroscopy and general radiography using to fluoroscopy system and digital radiography system, x-ray multifunction meter. The shielding rate measurement results, 0.5mmPb apron was Shielding rate of apron of a I company(fluoroscopy : 97.96%) was the best under six companies, and shielding rate of apron of a J company(fluoroscopy : 96.25%) was worst. 0.35mmPb Apron was Shielding rate of a I company(fluoroscopy : 96.79%) was the best under the three companies, and shielding rate of an H company(fluoroscopy : 95.81%) was the worst. 0.25mmPb Apron was Shielding rate of X company apron(fluoroscopy : 90.908%) was better than H company apron(fluoroscopy : 88.82%) than two companies. The uniformity measurement results, 0.5mmPb Aprons of X company(fluoroscopy : 0.13) and I company(fluoroscopy : 0.19) was the best under the six companies, and J company apron(fluoroscopy : 0.45) was the worst. 0.35mmPb. Along a manufacturer and lead equivalent performance of apron protection is distinguished certainly. Therefore, a patient, guardian or a person engaged in radiation related industry shall enforce experiment of a lot of ways defined or evaluation so that the maximum reduces radiation exposure. Buy the apron that protective performance is good, It will be performed through experiment and evaluation.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2017

Considering that the X-ray apron used in the department of radiology is also used in the department of nuclear medicine, the study aimed to analyze the shielding rate of the apron according to types of radioisotopes, thus ${\gamma}$ ray energy, to investigate the protective effects. The radioisotopes used in the experiment were the top 5 nuclides in usage statistics $^{99m}Tc$, $^{18}F$, $^{131}I$, $^{123}I$, and $^{201}Tl$, and the aprons were lead equivalent 0.35 mmPb aprons currently under use in the department of nuclear medicine. As a result of experiments, average shielding rates of aprons were $^{99m}Tc$ 31.59%, $^{201}Tl$ 68.42%, and $^{123}I$ 76.63%. When using an apron, the shielding rate of $^{131}I$ actually resulted in average dose rate increase of 33.72%, and $^{18}F$ showed an average shielding rate of -0.315%, showing there was almost no shielding effect. As a result, the radioisotopes with higher shielding rate of apron was in the descending order of $^{123}I$, $^{201}Tl$, $^{99m}Tc$, $^{18}F$, $^{131}I$. Currently, aprons used in the nuclear medicine laboratory are general X-ray aprons, and it is thought that it is not appropriate for nuclear medicine environment that utilizes ${\gamma}$ rays. Therefore, development of nuclear medicine exclusive aprons suitable for the characteristics of radioisotopes is required in consideration of effective radiation protection and work efficiency of radiation workers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.889-896
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• 2023

Changes in the energy spectrum were analyzed using ^99mTc as a point source and a scattering phantom, and the shielding effect of the lead apron according to the changed gamma ray energy was evaluated. In the gamma ray energy spectrum of the scattering phantom, the photo peak area decreased and the compton scattering area increased compared to the point source. The coefficients for each energy range according to the change in the shape of the gamma ray source showed a reduction rate of up to 66.1 % at a distance of 20 cm compared to the coefficient of the point source, and in the compton scattering area, the coefficient of the scattering phantom was 122.2 % at a distance of up to 40 cm compared to the coefficient of the point source. In the difference in shielding rate according to the distance between the source and the scattering phantom using a gamma camera, the photo peak area showed similar results, but in the Compton scattering area, the shielding rate of the scattering phantom at a distance of 20 cm increased by 29.2 % compared to the shielding rate of the point source. As the distance increased, the difference in shielding rate decreased. In measuring the shielding rate of the lead apron using a radiation dosimeter, the difference in the shielding rate of the scattering phantom was up to 15.3 %, and as the distance increased, the difference in the shielding rate between the two sources decreased. The shielding rate of the lead apron of the scattering phantom is higher than that of the point source, and the effectiveness of the lead apron increases as the distance to the source increases. As a result, wearing a lead apron when directly confronting a patient who has injected radioactive pharmaceuticals is expected to be helpful in reducing radiation exposure.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.501-507
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• 2016

This study is to figure out the amount of primary X-ray generated in SID 50cm, 1m, and 2m penetrating protective aprons in X-ray radiography for hands, skull, and lumbar spine. Results are as follows: Firstly, the exposure dose of primary X-ray which is low such as that of hand X-ray may be reduced by 270 times if protective aprons are worn, but it still slightly penetrates 0.3mm thick Pb protective aprons at SID 50cm, 1m, and 2m. Secondly, the exposure dose of primary X-ray which is moderate such as that of skull X-ray may be reduced by 22 times if protective aprons are worn, but it still fairly penetrates 0.3mm thick Pb protective aprons at SID 50cm, 1m, and 2m. Thirdly, the exposure dose of primary X-ray which is very high such as that of lumbar spine X-ray may be reduced by 13 times if protective aprons are worn, but it still penetrates a lot 0.3mm thick Pb protective aprons at SID 50cm, 1m, and 2m. Therefore, people in X-ray room should not only wear protective aprons at any spaces that the primary X-ray can reach, but also need to stand behind the thick Pb shield to protect the body if it is inevitable to stay in the room.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.453-460
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• 2017

This study proposes effective quality control and maintenance method by developing a new qualitative evaluation method of apron for medical radiation protection. As an experimental material, one of 0.45 mm lead and 100 of 0.45 mm Pb aprons were used and irradiated under the conditions of a tube voltage of 75 kVp and a tube current of 12.5 mAs to obtain an image. and using the Image J program, PSNR values were compared and analyzed. The results showed that there were 40 aprons (less than 11dB), 55 aprons (less than 11dB, less than 30dB), and 5 aprons (30dB or more). In addition, the dose showed a normal distribution for the apron, and 5 aprons with PSNR less than 11dB and 30dB or more were selected and divided into 8 zones, and these groups were statistically significant.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.419-425
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• 2022

In the medical field, lead aprons are used to protect the human body from radiation. However, lead is a heavy metal that is harmful to the human body and the environment, so various shield are being developed. In this study, bismuth, which has a similar atomic number to lead, was set as a new material and the absorption rate according to thickness in the same energy region was compared and evaluated through Monte Carlo simulation. The same tendency was confirmed when the thickness of the lead shield was 0.25 mm, the thickness of the bismuth was 0.3 mm, when the lead was 0.50 mm, the bismuth was 0.60 mm, and when the lead was 0.75 mm, the bismuth was 0.90 mm. Therefore, it is reasonable to replace lead with bismuth in the shield material.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.33
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• pp.145-153
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ovarian dose during radiation therapy for breast cancer in women of childbearing age through an experiment. The ovarian dose is evaluated by comparing and analyzing between the calculated dose in the treatment planning system according to the treatment technique and the measured dose using a thermoluminescence dosimeter (TLD). The clinical usefulness of lead (Pb) apron is investigated through dose analysis according to whether or not it is used. Materials and Methods: Rando humanoid phantom was used for measurement, and wedge filter radiation therapy, 3D conformal radiation therapy, and intensity modulated radiation therapy were used as treatment techniques. A treatment plan was established so that 95% of the prescribed dose could be delivered to the right breast of the Rando humanoid phantom 3D image obtained using the CT simulator. TLD was inserted into the surface and depth of the virtual ovary of the Rando hunmanoid phantom and irradiated with radiation. The measurement location was the center of treatment and the point moved 2 cm to the opposite breast from the center of the Rando hunmanoid phantom, 5cm, 10cm, 12.5cm, 15cm, 17.5cm, 20cm from the boundary of the right breast to the center of treatment and downward, and the surface and depth of the right ovary. Measurements were made at a total of 9 central points. In the dose comparison of treatment planning systems, two wedge filter treatment techniques, three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, and intensity-modulated radiation therapy were established and compared. Treatments were compared, and dose measurements according to the use of lead apron were compared and analyzed in intensity-modulated radiation therapy. The measured value was calculated by averaging three TLD values for each point and converting using the TLD calibration value, which was calculated as the point dose mean value. In order to compare the treatment plan value with the actual measured value, the absolute dose value was measured and compared at each point (%Diff). Results: At Point A, the center of treatment, a maximum of 201.7cGy was obtained in the treatment planning system, and a maximum of 200.6cGy was obtained in the TLD. In all treatment planning systems, 0cGy was calculated from Point G, which is a point 17.5cm downward from the breast interface. As a result of TLD, a maximum of 2.6cGy was obtained at Point G, and a maximum of 0.9cGy was obtained at Point J, which is the ovarian dose, and the absolute dose was 0.3%~1.3%. The difference in dose according to the use of lead aprons was from a maximum of 2.1cGy to a minimum of 0.1cGy, and the %Diff value was 0.1%~1.1%. Conclusion: In the treatment planning system, the difference in dose according to the three treatment plans did not show a significant difference from 0.85% to 2.45%. In the ovary, the difference between the Rando humanoid phantom's treatment planning system and the actual measured dose was within 0.9%, and the actual measured dose was slightly higher. This did not accurately reflect the effect of scattered radiation in the treatment planning system, and it is thought that the dose of scattered radiation and the dose taken by CBCT with TLD inserted were reflected in the actual measurement. In dosimetry according to the with or without a lead apron, when a lead apron was used, the closer the distance from the treatment range, the more effective the shielding was. Although it is not clinically appropriate for pregnancy or artificial insemination during radiotherapy, the dose irradiated to the ovaries during treatment is not expected to significantly affect the reproductive function of women of childbearing age after radiotherapy. However, since women of childbearing age have constant anxiety, it is thought that psychological stability can be promoted by presenting the data from this study.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.237-244
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• 2015

Health professionals in nuclear medicine were known that they get high radiation exposure. To reduce radiation exposure, using shielding materials is needed. In this study, we analyzed the shielding effect about apron during 18F-FDG treatment by using simulation based on Monte Carlo techniques and actual measurement. As a result, absorbed dose distribution of organ varies with handling position of the source. Dose reduction ratio by lead thickness of apron tended to decease, when handling position of the source come close to organ and away from radiation source for simulation. In the case of actual measurement with the dosimetry device, It showed that mean spatial dose distribution was different due to characteristics of dosimetry device. However, spatial dose rate was exponentially reduced according to distance with increasing lead content.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.755-760
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• 2021

In this study, the shielding rate of major X-ray protective equipment used in the medical environment was calculated using X-ray spectrum data emitted from the diagnostic X-ray generator of The Institute of Physics and Engineering(IPEM) Report-78, and the applicability of radiation protection was investigated. Radiation shielding rates were calculated through reduction rates of air-kerma and total intensity for lead apron (0.3 mmPb), thyroid shield (0.5 mmPb), lead goggles (0.5 mmPb), and lead glass (1.8, 2.7, 3.3 mmPb) used for diagnostic X-ray protection. As a result, the shielding rate calculated as the air kerma reduction rate ranged from 96.31 to 100% at 80 kV, and 90.35 to 100% at 120 kV. In addition, the results of this calculation were well matched with the results of previous studies measuring the actual shielding rate, and it is expected that the X-ray spectrum data of IPEM Report-78 can be used for radiation protection.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.373-377
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• 2019

Radiation exposure is on the rise as the working hours of radiation workers increase. Accordingly, the importance of protection products for decreasing the dose of exposure has risen, and excellent X-ray shielding ability and light weight are required. The purpose of this study is to compare the Pb which use currently and other elements in order to reduce the exposure of workers to the most effective protection products. For experiment, we used the general X-ray equipment and angiography equipment, and obtained the Pb and apron's shielding rate. When the shielding rate of Pb and apron was compared in general X-ray equipment, the shielding rate was 95.1% for Pb 0.5 mm, 96.1% for apron 0.5 mmPb and 95.6% for Bi+W 0.5 mmPb. When compared the shielding rate of each aprons in angiography equipment, 0.5 mmPb apron was the highest as 96.4% and Bi+W 0.25 mmPb apron was the lowest as 90.2% at the 50 cm distance. The shielding rate of 0.5 mmPb apron was the highest as 95.7% and Bi+W 0.25 mmPb apron was the lowest as 85.9% at the 100 cm distance. As a result of evaluating the apron efficiency through this study, 0.5 mmPb apron showed the best shielding rate, but it was the heaviest apron. 0.35 mmPb apron and Bi+W 0.25 mmPb apron weighed light but had low shielding rate. Through the results of this experiment, it is recommended that radiation workers reduce radiation exposure by using more efficient protection products.