• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.595-603
• /
• 2017

The study is to produced a brain phantom simulating corpus striatum, which can evaluate the progression of parkinson's disease, to investigate possibility of reducing the brain exposure dose to CT while maintaining optimal image quality during PET-CT examinations. CT scans were performed by varying tube voltage (100, 120 kVp) and tube current (80, 140, 200 mAs) with $^{18}F$ FP-CIT injected into the phantom's hot sphere and background (radioactivity ratio 3:1)(reference condition; 120 kVp, 140 mAs). Estimated effective dose was calculated by using conversion factor according to each condition, and image quality was evaluated by setting SNR and CRChot image evaluation factors. Experimental results showed that the predicted effective dose below the CT imaging reference condition was reduced by at least 10% and by up to 60%, and the predicted effective dose beyond the reference condition was increased by 40%. In addition, there was no significant difference between SNR and CRChot of PET images, and it was confirmed that brain dose decreased with decrease of tube voltage and tube current. At the same time, there was no significant change in the quality of the image in terms of SNR and CRChot despite the change in scan conditions. This fact suggests that the quality of the images acquired under the existing dose conditions can be obtained even at low dose conditions and it is expected that it will be possible to use the brain PET-CT scan as a basic data for the research on reduction of dose and improvement of image quality.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.9
• /
• pp.3417-3422
• /
• 2023

Recently, as the clinically positive biological effects of ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) radiation beams have been revealed, interest in flash radiation therapy has increased. Generally, FLASH preclinical experiments are performed using UHDR electron beams generated by linear accelerators. Real-time monitoring of UHDR beams is required to deliver the correct dose to a sample. However, it is difficult to use typical transmission-type ionization chambers for primary beam monitoring because there is no suitable electrometer capable of reading high pulsed currents, and collection efficiency is drastically reduced in pulsed radiation beams with ultra-high doses. In this study, a monitoring method using bremsstrahlung photons generated by irradiation devices and a water phantom was proposed. Charges collected in an ionization chamber located at the back of a water phantom were analyzed using the bremsstrahlung tail on electron depth dose curves obtained using radiochromic films. The dose conversion factor for converting a monitored charge into a delivered dose was determined analytically for the Advanced Markus® chamber and compared with experimentally determined values. It is anticipated that the method proposed in this study can be useful for monitoring sample doses in UHDR electron beam irradiation.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.263-271
• /
• 1996

The ANSI N13.32 recommends that a study of the angular response of a dosimeter be carried out once, although no pass/fail criterion is given for angular response. Gamma dose equivalent conversion and angular dependence factors were calculated by using MCNP code for the case of ANSI N13.32 extremity phantoms(finger and arm) at the depth of $7mg/cm^2$. Those extremity dosimeters were assumed to be irradiated from both monoenergitic photons and ISO X-ray narrow beams. These calculated gamma dose equivalent conversion and angular dependence factors were compared to B. Grosswendt's result calculated by using X-ray beams. The result showed that the dose equivalent conversion factors of this study agreed well with that of B. Grosswendt for all energies within 2% except 7% in the case of the low energies. In the case of angular dependence factors comparison, they agreed within 3%. It was shown that angular dependence factors of the finger phantom decreased as the horizontal angle of the phantom increased for the ISO X-ray beams less than 60keV. For the higher energy X-ray beams range they decreased slightly around 40 degree, but then increased from this energy to 90 degree.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.161-172
• /
• 2023

Coal-fired power plants handle large quantities of coal, one of the most prominent NORM, and the coal ash produced after the coal is burned can be tens of times more radioactive than the coal. Workers in these industries may be exposed to internal exposure by inhalation of particles while handling NORM. This study evaluated the size, concentration, particle shape and density, and radioactivity concentrations of airborne suspended particles in the main processes of a coal-fired power plant. Finally, the internal radiation dose to workers from particle inhalation was evaluated. For this purpose, airborne particles were collected by size using a multi-stage particle collector to determine the size, shape, and concentration of particles. Samples of coal and coal ash were collected to measure the density and radioactivity of particles. The dose conversion factor and annual radionuclide inhalation amount were derived based on the characteristics of the particles. Finally, the internal radiation dose due to particle inhalation was evaluated. Overall, the internal radiation dose to workers in the main processes of coalfired power plants A and B ranged from 1.47×10^-5~1.12×10^-3 mSv y^-1. Due to the effect of dust generated during loading operations, the internal radiation dose of fly ash loading processes in both coal-fired power plants A and B was higher than that of other processes. In the case of workers in the coal storage yard at power plants A and B, the characteristic values such as particle size, airborne concentration, and working time were the same, but due to the difference in radioactivity concentration and density depending on the origin of the coal, the internal radiation dose by origin was different, and the highest was found when inhaling coal imported from Australia among the five origins. In addition, the main nuclide contributing the most to the internal radiation dose from the main processes in the coal-fired power plants was thorium due to differences in dose conversion factors. However, considering the external radiation dose of workers in coal-fired power plants presented in overseas research cases, the annual effective dose of workers in the main processes of power plants A and B does not exceed 1mSv y^-1, which is the dose limit for the general public notified by the Nuclear Safety Act. The results of this study can be utilized to identify the internal exposure levels of workers in domestic coal-fired power plants and will contribute to the establishment of a data base for a differential safety management system for NORM-handling industries in the future.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.194-201
• /
• 2007

Although Gamma Knife irradiates much more radiation in a single session than conventional radiotherapy, there were only a few studies to measure absolute dose of a Gamma Knife. Especially, there is no report of application of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) TRS-398 which requires to use a water phantom in radiation measurement to Gamma Knife. In this article, the authors reported results of the experiments to measure the absorbed dose to water of a Gamma Knife Model C using the IAEA TRS-398 protocol. The absorbed dose to water of a Gamma Knife model C was measured using a water phantom under conditions as close as possible to the IAEA TRS-398 protocol. The obtained results were compared with values measured using the plastic phantom provided by the Gamma Knife manufacturer. Two Capintec PR-05P mini-chambers and a PTW UNIDOS electrometer were used in measurements. The absorbed dose to water of a Gamma Knife model C inside the water phantom was 1.38% larger than that of the plastic phantom. The current protocol provided by the manufacturer has an intrinsic error stems from the fact that a plastic phantom is used instead of a water phantom. In conclusion, it is not possible to fully apply IAEA TRS-398 to measurement of absorbed dose of a Gamma Knife. Instead, it can be a practical choice to build a new protocol for Gamma Knife or to provide a conversion factor from a water phantom to the plastic phantom. The conversion factor can be obtained in one or two standard laboratories.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2005.11a
• /
• pp.124-125
• /
• 2005

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.43-52
• /
• 1991

A comparison study is performed on dose assessment programs including DOSE, LIMCAL, and PABLM, DOSE is a program developed for preliminary safety assessments of the low- and intermediate- level radioactive waste disposal, and the others are existing programs applicable to similar calculations. The results show acceptable agreement within an order of magnitude(mrem/yr) except for C-14 and Pu-239. PABLM results higher dose for C-14 while lower value for Pu-239 in comparison with those from DOSE or LIMCAL. It is found that the discrepancy in C-14 is due to difference in transport model introduced and that in Pu-239 is from the different value of dose conversion factor to each program.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.10 no.7
• /
• pp.253-258
• /
• 2010

The image intensifier tube that is clinically used gets changed depending on its terms of use. As the brightness gets deteriorated and the performance gets decrease, the X-ray output needs to be increased to maintain the identical diagnosis outcome. As a consequence, the patients are exposed to the increased radiation. Since not many accurate studies have been made, this study measured the conversion factor and resolution depending on the use of the devices that were currently used in Korea. When comparison was made with a device with less than 1 year-use, the conversion factor of a device with 6 year-use got decreased up to 25% while its resolution was reduced from 3.4 lp/mm to 2.5 lp/mm. Such outcome highlights the necessary measures to be supplemented as the increased terms of use implied also the increased radiation exposure among the patients as well as difficulty to conduct an accurate exam.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.128-135
• /
• 2012

Objectives: This study was aimed at determining the optimum coagulation dosage in a high turbid kaolin water sample using streaming current detection (SCD) as an alternative to the jar test. Methods: SCD is able to optimize coagulant dosing by titration of negatively charged particles. Kaolin particles were used to mimic highly turbid water ranging from 50 to 600 NTU, and polyaluminum chloride (PAC, 17%) was applied as a titrant and coagulant. The coagulation consisted of rapid stirring (5 min at 140 rpm), reduced stirring (20 min at 70 rpm), and settling (60 min). To confirm the coagulation effect, a jar test was also compared with the SCD titration results. Results: SCD titration of kaolin water samples showed that the dose of PAC increased as the pH rose. However, supernatant turbidity less than 1 NTU after coagulation was not achieved for high turbid water by SCD titration. Instead, a conversion factor was used to calculate the optimum PAC dosage for high turbid water by correlating a jar test result with that from an SCD titration. Using this approach, we were able to successfully achieve less than 1 NTU in treated water. Conclusions: For high turbid water influent in a water treatment plant, particularly during summer, the application of SCD control by applying a conversion factor can be more useful than a jar test due to the rapid calculation of coagulation dosage. Also, the interpolation of converted PAC dose could successfully achieve turbidity in the treated water of less than 1 NTU. This result indicates that an SCD system can be effectively used in a water treatment plant even for high turbid water during the rainy season.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.71-79
• /
• 1993

Form the pure Maxwellian distribution(kT= 1.42MeV), the effects upon calibration factors of encapsulating a $^{252}Cf$ spontaneous fission neutron source were investigated to establish a standard neutron field in the Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI). A Monte Carlo code MCNP was used in simulating the encapsulation SR-Cf-100 and SR-Cf-1273 to be real conditions. The anisotropy(FI) and fluence-to-dose equivalents conversion factors$(H/{\Phi})$ were evaluated and compared with other results. As the results, the FI was determined to be 1.061 at ${\theta}=90^{\circ}$ with ${\pm}0.2%$ statistical error and the $(H/{\Phi})$ was evaluated to be $333.9 [pSv\;cm^2]\;with\;{\pm}0.5%$ statistical error, which is lower by 1.8% than that recommended by the ISO 8529. This means physically that the neutron spectrum of the unmoderated $^{252}Cf$ source in KAERI is a little more softened than that by the ISO.