• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2024

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) lowered the annual equivalent dose limit of lens of the eye for radiation workers from 150 to 20 mSv in April 2011. This trend of lowering the equivalent dose limit for radiation workers has been observed worldwide, including international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the European Commission (EC). In 2016, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission of South Korea published research results that included a proposal for lowering the equivalent dose limit of lens of the eye for radiation workers in line with the ICRP recommendation. However, as of now, South Korea's Nuclear Safety Act and related regulations still specify an annual equivalent dose limit of lens of the eye as 150 mSv for radiation workers. The IAEA and ISO have issued guidelines regarding radiation protection for lens of the eye and recommended a dose level for the lens of the eye at 5 or 6 mSv per year for periodic monitoring of the equivalent dose for the lens of the eye.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.111-118
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• 2023

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 103 recommends a cost-benefit analysis method as an auxiliary tool for scientific and rational decision-making for the principle of optimization of radiological protection. In order to conduct a cost-benefit analysis, the safety improvement of nuclear power by regulation must be measured and converted into monetary terms. The improvement of nuclear safety can be measured by reducing the radiation exposure dose of the people, and it is necessary to determine the coefficient to convert the radiation exposure dose into money. The monetary coefficient is calculated as the product of the statistical life value (VSL) and the nominal risk coefficient. In order to derive the monetary coefficient, the willingness to pay (WTP) can be estimated using the contingent valuation method (CVM), which quantifies the value of non-market goods by converting them into monetary units. WTP can be estimated based on the random utility model, which is the basic model for bivariate selection type conditional value measurement data. Statistical life value can be calculated using the estimated WTP and reduction in early mortality, and a monetary coefficient can be derived.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3465-3468
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• 2016

Background: Fluorodeoxyglucose ($^{18}FDG$) PET/CT imaging has become an important component of the management paradigm in oncology. However, the significant imparted radiation exposure is a matter of growing concern especially in younger populations who have better odds of survival. The aim of this study was to estimate the effective dose received by patients having whole body $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT scanning as per recent dose reducing guidelines at a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: This prospective study covered 63 patients with different cancers who were referred for PET/CT study for various indications. Patients were prepared as per departmental protocol and 18FDG was injected at 3 MBq/Kg and a low dose, non-enhanced CT protocol (LD-NECT) was used. Diagnostic CT studies of specific regions were subsequently performed if required. Effective dose imparted by 18FDG (internal exposure) was calculated by using multiplying injected dose in MBq with coefficient $1.9{\times}10^{-2}mSv/MBq$ according to ICRP publication 106. Effective dose imparted by CT was calculated by multiplying DLP (mGy.cm) with ICRP conversion coefficient "k" 0.015 [mSv / (mG. cm)]. Results: Mean age of patients was $49{\pm}18$ years with a male to female ratio of 35:28 (56%:44%). Median dose of 18FDG given was 194 MBq (range: 139-293). Median CTDIvol was 3.25 (2.4-6.2) and median DLP was 334.95 (246.70 - 576.70). Estimated median effective dose imparted by $^{18}FDG$ was 3.69 mSv (range: 2.85-5.57). Similarly the estimated median effective dose by low dose (non-diagnostic) CT examination was 4.93 mSv (range: 2.14 -10.49). Median total effective dose by whole body 18FDG PET plus low dose non-diagnostic CT study was 8.85 mSv (range: 5.56-13.00). Conclusions: We conclude that the median effective dose from a whole body 18FDG PET/CT in our patients was significantly low. We suggest adhering to recently published dose reducing strategies, use of ToF scanner with CT dose reducing option to achieve the lower if not the lowest effective dose. This would certainly reduce the risk of second primary malignancy in younger patients with higher odds of cure from first primary cancer.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 2016

Objectives: To review reference levels by the international and domestic management and provide the basis for setting occupational exposure limits(OELs) of radon in Korea Methods: Government's organizations with laws and systems for monitoring radon exposure were investigated and compared. There are five laws governing Indoor Air Quality(IAQ) control such as Occupational Safety and Health Act, Indoor Air Quality Control in Public Use Facilities, Etc. Act, School Health Act, Public Health Control Act and Parking Lot Act in Korea. It was surveyed that a total of 32 countries including 24 countries in the European Union(EU), six countries in Asian and two countries in North America setting the reference levels for radon in the world. Results: In Korea, there are set guidelines for radon in the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Education. Reference levels of radon for existing dwellings were $150{\sim}400Bq/m^3$ for Western European countries, and $200{\sim}1,500Bq/m^3$ in Eastern European countries. Approximately 67% of those EU countries were set up $400Bq/m^3$ to the standards for existing dwellings. EU countries such as Luxembourg, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia had adopted mandatory level for radon. Radon guidelines for new dwellings were set more strictly reference level($200Bq/m^3$) than existing dwellings. Conclusions: International organizations such as ICRP, UNSCEAR and NCRP, etc. had recommended the guidelines for radon. It was calculated the relation of the dose conversion factors with the annual effective doses. the OELs of radon suggest to need to establish $150Bq/m^3$ for office room and $400{\sim}1,000Bq/m^3$ for the workplace.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2017

It is suggested that the dose limit recommended in the Enforcement Decree of Korea's Nuclear Safety Act should not exceed 150 mSv per year for radiation workers. Recently, however, ICRP 118 report has suggested that the threshold dose of the lens should be reduced to 0.2~0.5 Gy and the mean dose should not exceed 50 mSv per year for an average of 20 mSv over 5 years. Based on these contents, $^{123}I$, $^{99m}Tc$, and $^{18}F-FDG$, which are radioisotope drugs that are used directly by radiation workers in the nuclear medicine department in Korea are expected to receive a large dose of radiation in the lens in distribution and injection jobs to administer them to patients. The ED3 Active Extremity Dosimeter was used to measure the dose of the lens in the nuclear medicine and radiation workers and how much of the dose was received per 1 mCi.