• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권9호
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• pp.3317-3323
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• 2022

Half Value Layer calculations theoretically need prior specification of linear attenuation calculations, since the HVL value is derived by dividing ln(2) by the linear attenuation coefficient. The purpose of this study was to establish a direct computational model for determining HVL, a vital parameter in nuclear radiation safety studies and shielding material design. Accordingly, a typical gamma-ray transmission setup has been modeled using MCNPX (version 2.4.0) general-purpose Monte Carlo code. The MCNPX code's INPUT file was designed with two detection locations for primary and secondary gamma-rays, as well as attenuator material between those detectors. Next, Half Value Layer values of some well-known gamma-ray shielding materials such as lead and ordinary concrete have been calculated throughout a broad gamma-ray energy range. The outcomes were then compared to data from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The Half Value Layer values obtained from MCNPX were reported to be highly compatible with the HVL values obtained from the NIST standard database. Our results indicate that the developed INPUT file may be utilized for direct computations of Half Value Layer values for nuclear safety assessments as well as medical radiation applications. In conclusion, advanced simulation methods such as the Monte Carlo code are very powerful and useful instruments that should be considered for daily radiation safety measures. The modeled MCNPX input file will be provided to the scientific community upon reasonable request.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• 제53권3호
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• pp.217-220
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• 2023

Purpose: This pilot study was conducted to evaluate half-value layer (HVL) measurements obtained using a semiconductor dosimeter for intraoral radiography. Materials and Methods: This study included 8 aluminum plates, 4 of which were low-purity (less than 99.9%) and 4 high-purity (greater than 99.9%). Intraoral radiography was performed using an intraoral X-ray unit in accordance with the dental protocol at the authors' affiliated hospital: tube voltage, 60 kVp and 70 kVp; tube current, 7 mA; and exposure time, 0.10 s. The accuracy of HVL measurements for intraoral radiography was assessed using a semiconductor dosimeter. A simple regression analysis was performed to compare the aluminum plate thickness and HVL in relation to the tube voltage (60 kVp and 70 kVp) and aluminum purity (low and high). Results: For the low-purity aluminum plates, the HVL at 60 kVp (Y) and 70 kVp (Y) was significantly correlated with the thickness of the aluminum plate (X), with Y=1.708+0.415X (r=0.999, P<0.05) and Y=1.980+0.484X (r=0.999, P<0.05), respectively. Similarly, for the high-purity aluminum plates, the HVL at 60 kVp (Y) and 70 kVp (Y) was significantly correlated with the plate thickness(X), with Y=1.696+0.454X (r=0.999, P<0.05) and Y=1.968+0.515X (r=0.998, P<0.05), respectively. Conclusion: This pilot study examined the relationship between aluminum plate thickness and HVL measurements using a semiconductor dosimeter for intraoral radiography. Semiconductor dosimeters may prove useful in HVL measurement for purposes such as quality assurance in dental X-ray imaging.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.29-35
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• 2016

Radiation generating devices must be properly shielded for their safe application. Although institutes such as US National Bureau of Standards and National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) have provided guidelines for shielding X-ray tube of various purposes, industry people tend to rely on 'Half Value Layer (HVL) method' which requires relatively simple calculation compared to the case of those guidelines. The method is based on the fact that the intensity, dose, and air kerma of narrow beam incident on shielding wall decreases by about half as the beam penetrates the HVL thickness of the wall. One can adjust shielding wall thickness to satisfy outside wall dose or air kerma requirements with this calculation. However, this may not always be the case because 1) The strict definition of HVL deals with only Intensity, 2) The situation is different when the beam is not 'narrow'; the beam quality inside the wall is distorted and related changes on outside wall dose or air kerma such as buildup effect occurs. Therefore, sometimes more careful research should be done in order to verify the effect of shielding specific radiation generating device. High energy X-ray tubes which is operated at the voltage above 400 kV that are used for 'heavy' nondestructive inspection is an example. People have less experience in running and shielding such device than in the case of widely-used low energy X-ray tubes operated at the voltage below 300 kV. In this study, Air Kerma value per week, outside concrete shielding wall of various thickness surrounding 450 kVp X-ray tube were calculated using MCNP simulation with the aid of Geometry Splitting method which is a famous Variance Reduction technique. The comparison between simulated result, HVL method result, and NCRP Report 147 safety goal $0.02mGy\;wk^{-1}$ on Air Kerma for the place where the public are free to pass showed that concrete wall of thickness 80 cm is needed to achieve the safety goal. Essentially same result was obtained from the application of HVL method except that it suggest the need of additional 5 cm concrete wall thickness. Therefore, employing the result from HVL method calculation as an conservative upper limit of concrete shielding wall thickness was found to be useful; It would be easy, economic, and reasonable way to set shielding wall thickness.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권12호
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• pp.4158-4165
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• 2021

In this study, tissue equivalency (TE) of a newly developed epoxy-based phantom to 3-5 years child's tissue was investigated in paediatric energy range. Epoxy-based TE-phantoms were produced at different glandular/adipose (G/A) ratios of 17/83%, 31/69%, 36/64% and 10/90%. A procedure was developed in which specific amounts of boron, calcium, magnesium, sulphur compounds are mixed with epoxy resin, together with other minor substitutes. In paediatric energy range of 40-60 kV_p half-value layer (HVL) values were measured and then Hounsfield Units (HU) were determined from Computed Tomography(CT) scans taken in the X-ray energy range of 80-120kV_p. It is found that radiation absorption properties of these phantoms in terms of the measured HVL values related to linear attenuation coefficients (µ) are very well mimicking a 3 years child's soft tissue in case a ratio of 10/90%G/A. Additionally, the HU values of phantoms were determined from the CT scans. The HU = 47.8 ± 4.8 value was found for the epoxy-based phantom produced at a ratio of 10/90%G/A. The obtained HVL and HU values also support the suitability of the new epoxy based-phantom produced at a ratio of 10/90%G/A for a satisfactory mimicking a 3 years child's soft tissue by 5%. Thus they can have a potential use to perform the quality controls of medical X-ray systems and dose optimization studies.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.375-379
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• 2015

이 연구의 목적은 다종에너지 X선 빔의 유효에너지를 결정하는데 있다. 80 kVp X선 빔에 대한 알루미늄의 반가층은 광자극형광나노닷선량계들(OSLnDs)을 사용하여 측정하였다. 선감쇠계수(${\mu}$)는 측정된 반가층을 사용하여 계산하였다. 그리고 질량감쇠계수(${\mu}/{\rho}$)는 알루미늄의 밀도로 선감쇠계수를 나누어 얻었다. 얻어진 질량감쇠계수의 유효에너지($E_{eff}$)는 미국표준기술연구소(NIST)에서 주어진 알루미늄의 광자에너지들에 대한 X선질량감쇠계수들의 자료를 사용하여 결정하였다. 결과로서, 반가층, 선감쇠계수 및 질량감쇠계수는 각각 2.262 mmAl, $3.06cm^{-1}$, $1.114cm^2/g$이다. 그리고 유효에너지는 29.79 keV에서 결정되었다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제49권8호
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• pp.1758-1771
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• 2017

In this study, to determine the most effective alloy for shielding against gamma-rays, the gamma-ray shielding parameters of six types of cerrobend alloys have been investigated. Gamma-ray interaction with the cerrobend alloys has been discussed mainly in terms of total mass attenuation coefficient (${\mu}_t$), half value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL), effective atomic number ($Z_{eff}$), and effective electron density ($N_{eff}$). These parameters have been calculated by theoretical approach using the ParShield program in a photon energy range between 0.1 MeV and 100 GeV. The dependence of these parameters on the incident photon energy and chemical composition of the cerrobend alloys has been studied.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제6권6호
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• pp.447-454
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• 2012

본 연구는 진단용 X선 발생장치의 성능을 검사하기 위해 직선성(Linearity), 재현성(reproducibility) 및 반가층(Half Value Layer; HVL)을 실험하였다. 직선성(Linearity)은 설정된 조사조건으로 한 장비 당 4회씩 조사하여 측정된 선량을 기록하고 mR/mAs를 구하여 측정하였으며, 측정값이 0.1을 초과하면 직선성이 떨어지는 것을 알 수 있다. 재현성(Reproducibility)은 80kVp, 200mA, 20mAs와120kVp, 300mA, 8mAs의 조건으로 10회 조사하여 변동계수(CV) 공식에 대입하여 측정한 값이 0.05안에 포함되면 양호하게 나타나는 것을 알 수 있다. 반가층(Half Value Layer: HVL)은 filter가 없을 때 설정된 조건으로 3회 조사하여 측정한 후 부가필터용 반가층 물질로 사용하여 필터의 두께를 0, 1, 2, 4 mm로 바꾸어 가며 부가필터가 없을 때의 $\frac{1}{2}$이하인 측정값이 나올 때 까지 측정한다. 현재 본원에서 사용하는 진단용 X선 발생장치 5대를 대상으로 직선성, 재현성, 반가층을 측정한 결과 직선성은 1번 장비에서는 300mA~400mA, 5번 장비에서는 100mA~200mA 부근에서 양호하지 않았으며, 반가층 측정에서는 80kVp 측정치에서 1번 장비에서 검사기준을 만족하지 못하였다. 출력은 단상에 비해 삼상장치가 높게 나왔다. 실험을 통하여 밝혀진 결과를 토대로 정기적인 장비관리와 노후 된 장비의 교환 등이 이루어진다면 장비 사용의 효율성을 극대화 할 수 있으며, 방사선 피폭선량을 줄임과 동시에 영상의 화질을 향상시킬 수 있어 정확한 진단에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.183-188
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• 2000

Purpose: This study was to evaluate the beam quality of intraoral X-ray equipments used at Yonsei University Dental Hospital (YUDH) using the half value layer (HVL) and the characteristic curve of intraoral standard X-ray film. Materials and Methods : The study was done using the intraoral X -ray equipments used at each clinical department at YUDH. Aluminum filter was used to determine the HVL. Intraoral standard film was used to get the characteristic curve of each intraoral X-ray equipment. Results: Most of the HVLs of intraoral X-ray equipments were higher than the least recommended thickness, but the REX 601 model used at the operative dentistry department and the X-707 model used at the pediatric dentistry department had HVLs lower than the recommended thickness. The slopes of the characteristic curves of films taken using the PANP AS 601 model and REX 601 model at operative dentistry department, the X-70S model of prosthodontic dentistry department, and the REX 601 model at the student clinic were relatively low. Conclusion: HVL and the characteristic curve of X-ray film can be used to evaluate the beam quality of intraoral X-ray equipment. In order to get the best X-ray films with the least radiation exposure to patients and best diagnostic information in clinical dentistry, X -ray equipment should be managed in the planned and organized fashion.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권9호
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• pp.3796-3803
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• 2024

By employing the melt-quenching technique, the ZnO-SrO-B₂O₃-PbO (ZSBP) glasses have been successfully fabricated. The derivative of Absorption Spectra Fitting (DASF) method was used to study the energy band gap (E_g) of the glasses which decreases from 3.57 eV to 3.39 eV. The structural properties have been studied using the Raman spectroscopy. The glass transition temperature (T_g) decreases with increase in concentration of the lead oxide. The current study examines the radiation shielding properties at 30.80-444 keV. The addition of PbO to the glasses resulted in a proportionate increase in the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), suggesting a diminishing tendency in radiation transmission. At 30.80 keV, the MAC values are extremely high and range from 18.06 to 21.11 cm²/g. As density rises, the half value layer (HVL) decreases. In addition, the average HVL (${\overline{HVL}}$) decreases. The glass thickness required to reduce the radiation intensity to 90 %, 50 %, 25 %, and 10 % of its initial value is investigated at an energy of 35.80 keV. The T90 %, T50 %, T25 %, and T10 % values are 0.0020, 0.0132, 0.0264, and 0.0439 cm, respectively. The results suggest that a greater thickness of the radiation barrier is necessary to attain the necessary degree of attenuation.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.26-32
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• 2017

Background: Ionizing radiation is known to be harmful to human health. The shielding of ionizing radiation depends on the attenuation which can be achieved by three main rules, i.e. time, distance and absorbing material. Materials and Methods: The mass attenuation coefficient, linear attenuation coefficient, Half Value Layer (HVL) and Tenth Value Layer (TVL) of X-rays (32 keV, 74 keV) and gamma rays (662 keV) are measured in Barium compounds. Results and Discussion: The measured values agree well with the theory. The effective atomic numbers ($Z_{eff}$) and electron density (Ne) of Barium compounds have been computed in the wide energy region 1 keV to 100 GeV using an accurate database of photon-interaction cross sections and the WinXCom program. Conclusion: The mass attenuation coefficient and linear attenuation coefficient for $BaCO_3$ is higher than the $BaCl_2$, $Ba(No_3)_2$ and BaSO4. HVL, TVL and mean free path are lower for $BaCO_3$ than the $BaCl_2$, $Ba(No_3)_2$ and $BaSO_4$. Among the studied barium compounds, $BaCO_3$ is best material for x-ray and gamma shielding.