• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.255-262
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• 1996

This paper describes the results of intercomparison measurements of KAERI reference photon and beta radiation fields between the KAERI and the PNNL(Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), recently performed at KAERI radiation calibration and dosimetry laboratory on the basis of the ANSI N13.11 criteria for personal dosimeter performance test. Each laboratory used her own radiation detectors or measurement devices traceable to her national primary standard in measuring the exposure rates for photon fields, the absorbed dose rates for beta radiation fields. The agreements in reference radiation measurements between two laboratories were found to be less than ${\pm}2.0%$ for photon fields, ${\pm}1.0%$ for beta radiation fields. Therefore, it could be concluded that KAERI reference radiation fields comply well with the international standard and thus can further serve as a national basis for the researches and developments in radiation protection dosimetry in Korea.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2005

The quality factors for cylindrical ionization chambers for kV X-rays were determined by Monte Carlo calculation and measurement. In this study, the X-rays of 60-300 kV beam (lSO-4037) installed in KFDA and specified in energy spectra and beam qualities, and the chambers of PTW N23333 and N30001 were investigated. In calculations, the $R_{\mu}\;and\;R_{Q,Q_{0}}$ in IAEA dosimetry protocols were determined from the air kerma and the cavity dose obtained by theoretical and Monte Carlo calculations. It is shown that the N30001 chamber has a flat response of $\pm1.7\%$ in $110\~300kV$ region, while the response range of two chambers were shown to $\pm3\~4\%$ in $80\~250kV$ region. From this work we have discussed dosimetry protocol for the kV X-rays and we have found that the estimation of energy dependency is more important to apply dosimetry protocol for kV X-rays.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.114-122
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• 2012

For the determination of absorbed dose to water from a linear accelerator photon beams, it needs a exposure calibration factor $N_x$ or air kerma calibration factor $N_k$ of air ionization chamber. We used the exposure calibration factor $N_x$ to find the absorbed dose calibration factors of water in a reference source through the TG-21 and TRS-277 protocol. TG-21 used for determine the absorbed dose in accuracy, but it required complex calculations including the chamber dependent factors. The authors obtained the absorbed dose calibration factor $N_{dw}{^{Co-60}}$ for reduce the complex calculations with unknown $N_{dw}$ only with $N_x$ or $N_k$ calibration factor in a TM31010 (S/N 1055, 1057) ionization chambers. The results showed the uncertainty of calculated $N_{dw}$ of IC-15 which was known the $N_x$ and $N_{dw}$ is within -0.6% in TG-21, but 1.0% in TRS-277. and TM31010 was compared the $N_{dw}$ of SSDL to that of PSDL as shown the 0.4%, -2.8% uncertainty, respectively. The authors experimented with good agreement the calculated $N_{dw}$ is reliable for cross check the discrepancy of the calibration factor with unknown that of TM31010 and IC-15 chamber.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.47-58
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• 1997

The conversion coefficients of effective dose per unit air kerma and equivalent dose per unit fluence were calculated by MCNP4A code for antero-posterior(AP) and postero- anterior(PA) incidence of broad, unidirectional beams of photons into anthropomorphic MIRD phantom. Calculations have been performed for 20 monoenergetic photons of energy ranging from 0.03 to 10 MeV. The conversion coefficients showed a good agreement with the corresponding values given in the draft publication of joint task group of ICRP and ICRU within 10%. The deviations may arise from the differences of geometry in the MIRD phantom and the ADAM/EVE phantoms, and the differences in the codes and cross-section data used. Inclusion of a specific oesophagus model results in effective dose slightly different(5% at most) from the effective doses obtained by adopting the equivalent doses for the thymus or pancreas. Deletion of the ULI from the remainder organ appeared not to be significant for the cases of photon dosimetry covered in this study.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.78-85
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• 2010

The compatibility with GammaMed-12i brachytherapy machine for an Ir-192 encapsulated source (IRRS20, KAERI, Korea) manufactured by Korea atomic energy research institute (KAERI) has been investigated. As a mechanical testing of compatibility, precise measurement of step movement with channels, measurement of curvature of radius for wire, and emergency return testing were performed. Periodic measurements of air kerma strength for 45 days were carried out to evaluate decay characteristics of Ir-192 radioisotope and comparison of dose distributions in phantom between KAERI and old sources previously used were performed by film dosimetry. KAERI source has a good compatibility with GammaMed12i machine as a result of mechanical testing. There are in good agreement with calculated values in activity characteristics and there were small differences in dose distributions around the source in comparison between KAERI and old source.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.153-156
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• 2004

Korea Food and Drug Administration(KFDA) has peformed the calibration of therapy level dosimeters for Co-60 radiation since 1979. The reference standard ionization chamber has been calibrated at BIPM in France. The uncertainty on the KFDA calibration coefficients is 0.9 %(k=2) for air kerma and absorbed dose to water. Since 1999 a national quality audit program for ensuring dosimetry accuracy in Korea radiotherapy centers has been performed by the KFDA. The uncertainty associated with the determination of the absorbed dose to water from the TLD readings for high energy x-ray is 1.6 %(k=1). The correction factors for energy, non-linearity dose response, and TLD holder are used in the dose determination. Agreement between the user stated dose and KFDA measured dose within ${\pm}$ 5 % is considered acceptable. KFDA TLD postal dose quality audit program was peformed for 71 beam qualities of 53 domestic radiotherapy centers in 2003. The results for quality assurance showed that 63 out of 71 beam qualifies (89 %) satisfied the acceptance limit. The second audit was carried out for the centers outside the limit and ail of them have been corrected.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.92-98
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• 2011

This study is to keep the accuracy and stability of the output dose evaluations for linear accelerator photon beams by using the air ionization chambers (TM31010, 0.125 cc, PTW) through the Task Group 51 protocol. The absorbed dose to water calibration factor $N_{dw}{^{Co-60}}$ was delivered from the air kerma calibration factor $N_k$ which was provided from manufacture through SSDL calibration for determination of output factor. The ionization chamber of TM31010 series was reviewed the calibration factor and other parameters for reduce the uncertainty within ${\pm}2%$ discrepancy and we found the supplied $N_{dw}{^{Co-60}}$ which was derived from Nk has shown a -2.8% uncertainty compare to that of PSDL. The authors provided the program to perform the output dosimetry with TG-51 protocol as it is composed same screen of TG-51 worksheets. The evaluated dose by determination of output factor delivered to postal TLD block for comparison the output dose to that of MDACC (RPC) in postal monitoring program. The results have shown the $1.001{\pm}0.013$ for 6 MV and $0.997{\pm}0.012$ discrepancy for 15 MV X rays for 5 years followed. This study shows the evaluated outputs for linear accelerate photon beams are very close to that of international output monitor with small discrepancy of ${\pm}1.3%$ with high reliability and showing the gradually stability after 2010.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.315-322
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• 2013

The aim of this work is to verify the self-quality assurances in medical institutions in Korea through the external audits by the group of experts and have a mutual discussion of the systematic problems. In order to validate the external audits 30 of 80 medical institutions across the nation were picked out considering the regional distribution and the final 25 institutions applied voluntarily to take part in this work. The basic rules were setup that any information of the participants be kept secrete and the measurements be performed with the dosimetry system already verified through intercomparision. The outputs for 2 or more photon beams, the accuracy of gantry rotation and collimator rotation and the poistional accuracy of MLC movement were measured. The findings for the output measurement showed the differences of -0.8%~4.5%, -0.79%~3.01%, and -0.7%~0.07% with respect to that of the verified dosimetry system for the 6MV, 10MV, and 15MV, respectively. For the reference absorbed dose 8 (16%) of 50 photon beams in 25 medical institutions differed 2.0% or greater from the reference value. The coincidences of Field size with x-ray beam and radiation isocenters of Gantry roration and collimator rotation gave the results of within ${\pm}2$ mm for every institute except 2 institutions. The positional accuracy of MLC movement agreed to within ${\pm}1$ mm for every institute. For the beam qualities of 6 MV photon beams kQ values showed the distribution within 0.4% between maximum and minimum. For the protocols 21 institutions (84%) used absorbed dose to water based protocol while 4 insitutions (16%) used air kerma based one. 22 institutions employed the SSD technique while 3 institutions did the SAD one. External audit plays an important role in discovering the systematic problems of self-performing Quality Assurances and having in depth discussion for mutual complementation. Training experts of international level as well as national support system are required so that both the group of experts of medical physicists and government laboratory could perform together periodical and constant external audits.