• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.274-281
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• 2016

Background: Whole-body counters are widely used to evaluate internal contamination of the internal presence of gamma-emitting radionuclides. In internal dosimetry, it is a basic requirement that quality control procedures be applied to verify the reliability of the measured results. The implementation of intercomparison programs plays an important role in quality control, and the accuracy of the calibration and the reliability of the results should be verified through intercomparison. In this study, we evaluated the reliability of 2 whole-body counting systems using 2 calibration methods. Materials and Methods: In this study, 2 whole-body counters were calibrated using a reference male bottle manikin absorption (BOMAB) phantom and a Radiation Management Corporation (RMC-II) phantom. The reliability of the whole-body counting systems was evaluated by performing an intercomparison with International Atomic Energy Agencyto assess counting efficiency according to the type of the phantom. Results and Discussion: In the analysis of counting efficiency using the BOMAB phantom, the performance criteria of the counters were satisfied. The relative bias of activity for all radionuclides was -0.16 to 0.01 in the Fastscan and -0.01 to 0.03 in the Accuscan. However, when counting efficiency was analyzed using the RMC- II phantom, the relative bias of $^{241}Am$ activity was -0.49 in the Fastscan and 0.55 in the Accuscan, indicating that its performance criteria was not satisfactory. Conclusion: The intercomparison process demonstrated the reliability of whole-body counting systems calibrated with a BOMAB phantom. However, when the RMC-II phantom was used, the accuracy of measurements decreased for low-energy nuclides. Therefore, it appears that the RMC-II phantom should only be used for efficiency calibration for high-energy nuclides. Moreover, a novel phantom capable of matching the efficiency of the BOMAB phantom in low-energy nuclides should be developed.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.170-177
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• 2021

Background: The International Commission on Radiological Protection is preparing to provide reference dose coefficients for environmental radioiodine intake based on newly developed age-specific biokinetic models. However, the biokinetics of iodine has been reported to be strongly dependent on the dietary intake of stable iodine; for example, the thyroidal uptake of iodine may be substantially lower in iodine-rich regions than in iodine-deficient regions. Therefore, this study attempted to establish a system of age-specific thyroid dose estimation for South Koreans, whose daily iodine intakes are significantly higher than that of the world population. Materials and Methods: Korean age-specific biokinetic parameters and thyroid masses were derived based on the previously developed Korean adult model and the Korean anatomical reference data for adults, respectively. This study complied with the principles used in the development of age-specific biokinetic models for world population and used the ratios of baseline values for each age group relative to the value for adults to derive age-specific values. Results and Discussion: Biokinetic model predictions based on the Korean age-specific parameters showed significant differences in iodine behaviors in the body compared to those predicted using the model for the world population. In particular, the Korean age-specific thyroid dose coefficients for ¹²⁹I and ¹³¹I were considerably lower than those calculated for the world population (25%-76% of the values for the world population). Conclusion: These differences stress the need for Korean-specific internal dose assessments for infants and children, which can be achieved by using the data calculated in this study.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.129-136
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• 2009

국내 원전의 계획예방정비기간 중에 원자로계통의 개방과정에서 원자로건물내 공기 중으로 누설된 $^{131}I$의 체내 흡입으로 원전종사자의 내부피폭이 발생하였다. 이에 따라 원전에서 보유하고 있는 전신계측기(Whole body counter)를 이용하여 내부방사능을 측정하였다. 이들 측정값을 근거로 국제방사선방호위원회(ICRP)의 내부피폭 선량평가 지침을 적용하여 섭취량을 산정하고, 내부 피폭 방사선량을 평가하였다. $^{131}I$은 체내에서 섭취와 배설이 빠르고 갑상선으로 재축적이 일어나기 때문에 섭취 후 측정시점에 따라 섭취량이 차이를 보였다. 또한 ICRP 간행물에서 $^{131}I$의 전선에 대한 섭취잔류분율 자료를 제공하고 있지 않아 갑상선 섭취잔류분율 자료를 이용함으로써 섭취량 평가에서 오차를 나타내었다. 이에 따라 수계산과정으로 섭취량을 산정하고 예탁유효선량을 평가하였다. 한편 전선에 대한 섭취잔류분율을 새로 계산하였으며, 이 결과를 검증하였다. 또한 국제적으로 이용되고 있는 내부 피폭 선량평가 전신코드들 이용하여 섭취량 산정과 내부피폭 선량평가 평가결과에 대한 비교 계산이 병행하여 이루어졌다.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.57-68
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• 1994

선형가속기에 의한 뇌정위적 방사선수술에 적용되는 원형 소조사변의 선량분포를 측정하기 위해 측정기 선정 이유와 선축 결정, 자체 제작한 소형 물 팬톰에 의한 선량분포 측정시 고려해야 할 점에 대해 논의하고, 치료계획에 필요한 자료인 Clinac-18의 10MV X-선의 TMR, OAR, 조사면 계수와 같은 선량분포 측정결과를 보고하고자 한다. 뇌정위적 방사선수술에 권고되고 있는 조사면 크기가 3cm 이하의 작은 조사면에 대한 선량 분포를 측정하기 위해서는 크기나 감도에 있어서 적합한 p-형 실리콘(Si) 검출기가 선량에 대한 선형성과 선량율 독립성이 적합한지 측정에 의해 판단하였다. 크기와 형태가 같은 아크릴 통을 두 개 제작하여 호스로 연결하여 하나는 물 팬톰으로 이용하고 다른 하나는 높이를 조절하여 측정기의 깊이를 조절하였다. 측정할 위치에서 직각 방향의 측방선량분포를 측정하여 선축의 위치를 찾았다. SAD 100cm 위치에서 조사면 크기 10, 20, 30, 40mm 네 개 콘에 대하여 TMR을 측정하였으며, 일정한 선원-측정기간 거리(SCD)에서 최대선량점깊이(d$_{max}$) 및 6, 10, 15cm 깊이에서 OAR을 측정하여 비교하였다. 조사면 계수는 MU당 SAD, d$_{max}$에서 콘에 대한 선량으로 실리콘 검출기로 측정하였다. 실리콘 검출기는 선량에 대한 선형성이 거의 완벽하였으며 감도는 선량율이 증가함에 따라 감소하였다. 낮은 선량율 때문에 조사면 밖의 선량을 약간 과대평가할 수 있을지라도 100MU/min 이상의 선량율에 대해서는 일정하였다. 직각 방향의 측방선량분포 측정에 의하여 선축을 찾는 방식은 간편하였다. 1cm 두께의 아크릴 판을 보조 물통 아래에 삽입ㆍ제거하는 방식으로 측정기의 깊이 조절도 간편하면서 정확하였다. 측정에 의한 TMR, OAR, 조사면 계수는 충분히 정확하여 뇌정위적 방사선수술의 치료계획에 이용할 수 있었으며, OAR은 조사면 범위 내에서는 깊이에 거의 무관하였다. 실리콘 검출기는 소조사면 선량분포 측정에 적합하였으며 직각 방향의 측방선량분포의 측정으로 0.05mm까지 정확히 선축을 찾을 수 있었고, 보조 물통과 아크릴 판을 이용하여 측정기의 깊이를 조절하는 것이 용이하였다. TMR, OAR, 조사면계수의 측정치는 뇌정위적 방사선수술의 치료 계획에 이용할 수 있을 정도로 정확하였으며, OAR은 하나의 깊이에서 측정해도 충분할 것이라고 사료된다.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.169-173
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• 2007

During laser irradiation, mechanically deformed cartilage undergoes a temperature dependent phase transformation resulting in accelerated stress relaxation. Clinically, laser-assisted cartilage reshaping may be used to recreate the underlying cartilaginous framework in structures such as ear, larynx, trachea, and nose. Therefore, research and identification of the biophysical transformations in cartilage accompanying laser heating are valuable to identify critical laser dosimetry and phase transformation of cartilage for many clinical applications. quasi-elastic light scattering was investigated using Ho : YAG laser $(\lambda=2.12{\mu}m\;;\;t_p\sim450{\mu}s)$ and Nd:YAG Laser $(\lambda=1.32{\mu}m\;;\;t_p\sim700{\mu}s)$ for heating sources and He : Ne $(\lambda=632.8nm)$ laser, high-power diode pumped laser $(\lambda=532nm)$, and Ti : $Al_2O_3$ femtosecond laser $(\lambda=850nm)$ for light scattering sources. A spectrometer and infrared radiometric sensor were used to monitor the backscattered light spectrum and transient temperature changes from cartilage following laser irradiation. Analysis of the optical, thermal, and quasi-elastic light scattering properties may indicate internal dynamics of proteoglycan movement within the cartilage framework during laser irradiation.

• 한국응용과학기술학회지
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.11-20
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• 1998

The propagation of light radiation in a turbid medium is an important problem that confronts dosimetry of therapeutic laser delivery and the development of diagnostic spectroscopy. Scattered light is measured as a function of the position(distance r, depth z) between the axis of the incident beam and the detection spot. Turbid sample yields a very forward-directed scattering pattern at short range of position from source to detector, whereas the thicker samples greatly attenuated the on-axis intensity at long range of position. The portions of scattered light reflected from or transmitted throughphantom depend upon internal reflectance and absorption properties of the phantom. Monte Carlo simulation method for modelling light transport in tissue is applied. It uses the photon is moved a distance where it may be scattered, absorbed, propagated, internally reflected, or transmitted out of tissue. The photon is repeatedly moved until it either escape from or is absorbed by the phantom. In order to obtain an optimum therapeutic ratio in phantom material, optimum control the light energy fluence rate is essential. This study is to discuss the physical mechanisms determining the actual light dose in phantom. Permitting a qualitative understanding of the measurements. It may also aid in designing the best model for laser medicine and application of medical engineering.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.81-98
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• 2020

This review aims to provide a brief, comprehensive overview of advanced technologies of nuclear medicine physics, with a focus on recent developments from both hardware and software perspectives. Developments in image acquisition/reconstruction, especially the time-of-flight and point spread function, have potential advantages in the image signal-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution. Modern detector materials and devices (including lutetium oxyorthosilicate, cadmium zinc tellurium, and silicon photomultiplier) as well as modern nuclear medicine imaging systems (including positron emission tomography [PET]/computerized tomography [CT], whole-body PET, PET/magnetic resonance [MR], and digital PET) enable not only high-quality digital image acquisition, but also subsequent image processing, including image reconstruction and post-reconstruction methods. Moreover, theranostics in nuclear medicine extend the usefulness of nuclear medicine physics far more than quantitative image-based diagnosis, playing a key role in personalized/precision medicine by raising the importance of internal radiation dosimetry in nuclear medicine. Now that deep-learning-based image processing can be incorporated in nuclear medicine image acquisition/processing, the aforementioned fields of nuclear medicine physics face the new era of Industry 4.0. Ongoing technological developments in nuclear medicine physics are leading to enhanced image quality and decreased radiation exposure as well as quantitative and personalized healthcare.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권11호
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• pp.4167-4172
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• 2023

Miniaturized tissue equivalent proportional counters (mini-TEPCs) are proper for radiation dosimetry in medical application because the small size of the dosimeter could prevent pile-up effect under the high intensity of therapeutic beam. However, traditional methods of calibrating mini-TEPCs using internal alpha sources are not feasible due to their small size. In this study, we investigated the use of electron and proton edges on Monte Carlo-generated lineal energy spectra as markers for calibrating a 0.9 mm diameter and length mini-TEPC. Three possible markers for each spectrum were calculated and compared using different simulation tools. Our simulations showed that the electron edge markers were more consistent across different simulation tools than the proton edge markers, which showed greater variation due to differences in the microdosimetric spectra. In most cases, the second marker, y_δδ, had the smallest uncertainty. Our findings suggest that the lineal energy spectra from mini-TEPCs can be calibrated using Monte Carlo simulations that closely resemble real-world detector and source geometries.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.111-133
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• 2022

The exciting advancement related to the "modeling of digital human" in terms of a computational phantom for radiation dose calculations has to do with the latest hype related to deep learning. The advent of deep learning or artificial intelligence (AI) technology involving convolutional neural networks has brought an unprecedented level of innovation to the field of organ segmentation. In addition, graphics processing units (GPUs) are utilized as boosters for both real-time Monte Carlo simulations and AI-based image segmentation applications. These advancements provide the feasibility of creating three-dimensional (3D) geometric details of the human anatomy from tomographic imaging and performing Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations using increasingly fast and inexpensive computers. This review first introduces the history of three types of computational human phantoms: stylized medical internal radiation dosimetry (MIRD) phantoms, voxelized tomographic phantoms, and boundary representation (BREP) deformable phantoms. Then, the development of a person-specific phantom is demonstrated by introducing AI-based organ autosegmentation technology. Next, a new development in GPU-based Monte Carlo radiation dose calculations is introduced. Examples of applying computational phantoms and a new Monte Carlo code named ARCHER (Accelerated Radiation-transport Computations in Heterogeneous EnviRonments) to problems in radiation protection, imaging, and radiotherapy are presented from research projects performed by students at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). Finally, this review discusses challenges and future research opportunities. We found that, owing to the latest computer hardware and AI technology, computational human body models are moving closer to real human anatomy structures for accurate radiation dose calculations.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.50-64
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• 2024

Background: The reference dose coefficients (DCs) of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) have been widely used to estimate organ doses of individuals for risk assessments. This approach has been well accepted because individual anatomy data are usually unavailable, although dosimetric uncertainty exists due to the anatomical difference between the reference phantoms and the individuals. We attempted to quantify the individual variation of organ doses for photon external exposures by calculating and comparing organ DCs for 30 individuals against the ICRP reference DCs. Materials and Methods: We acquired computed tomography images from 30 patients in which eight organs (brain, breasts, liver, lungs, skeleton, skin, stomach, and urinary bladder) were segmented using the ImageJ software to create voxel phantoms. The phantoms were implemented into the Monte Carlo N-Particle 6 (MCNP6) code and then irradiated by broad parallel photon beams (10 keV to 10 MeV) at four directions (antero-posterior, postero-anterior, left-lateral, right-lateral) to calculate organ DCs. Results and Discussion: There was significant variation in organ doses due to the difference in anatomy among the individuals, especially in the kilovoltage region (e.g., <100 keV). For example, the red bone marrow doses at 0.01 MeV varied from 3 to 7 orders of the magnitude depending on the irradiation geometry. In contrast, in the megavoltage region (1-10 MeV), the individual variation of the organ doses was found to be negligibly small (differences <10%). It was also interesting to observe that the organ doses of the ICRP reference phantoms showed good agreement with the mean values of the organ doses among the patients in many cases. Conclusion: The results of this study would be informative to improve insights in individual-specific dosimetry. It should be extended to further studies in terms of many different aspects (e.g., other particles such as neutrons, other exposures such as internal exposures, and a larger number of individuals/patients) in the future.