• 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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• 제45권2호
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• pp.53-68
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• 2020

Background: International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) reported public exposure doses due to radionuclides released in the Fukushima nuclear accident a few years after the event. However, the reported doses were generally overestimated due to conservative assumptions such as a longer stay in deliberate areas designated for evacuation than the actual stay. After these reports had been published, more realistic dose values were reported by Japanese scientists. Materials and Methods: The present paper reviews those reports, including the most recently published articles; and summarizes estimated effective doses (external and internal) and issues related to their estimation. Results and Discussion: External dose estimation can be categorized as taking two approaches-estimation from ambient dose rate and peoples' behavior patterns-and measurements using personal dosimeters. The former approach was useful for estimating external doses in an early stage after the accident. The first 4-month doses were less than 2 mSv for most (94%) study subjects. Later on, individual doses came to be monitored by personal dosimeter measurements. On the basis of these measurements, the estimated median annual external dose was reported to be < 1 mSv in 2011 for 22 municipalities of Fukushima Prefecture. Internal dose estimation also can be categorized as taking two approaches: estimation from whole-body counting and estimation from monitoring of environmental samples such as radioactivity concentrations in food and drinking water. According to results by the former approach, committed effective dose due to ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs could be less than 0.1 mSv for most residents including those from evacuated areas. Conclusion: Realistic doses estimated by Japanese scientists indicated that the doses reported by WHO and UNSCEAR were generally overestimated. Average values for the first-year effective doses for residents in two affected areas (Namie Town and Iitate Village) were not likely to reach 10 mSv, the lower end of the doses estimated by WHO.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.51-57
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• 2003

To assess the internal dose by $^3H\;&\;^{14}C$ in total diet of inhabitants near Wolsung Nuclear Power Plants, TFWT, OBT and $^{14}C$ concentration in total diet was analyzed for collection region and time. TFWT, OBT and $^{14}C$ concentrations were in the range of 3.19-42.2 Bq/L, 1.00-39.4 Bq/L, and 0.230-0.855 Bq/gC, respectively. The calculated annual effective dose with TFWT, OBT and $^{14}C$ is $6.10{\times}10^{-5}mSv/y,\;3.71{\times}10^{-5}mSv/y\;and\;7.08{\times}10^{-3}mSv/y$, respectively. And then annual internal dose with total diet for inhabitants near Wolsung NPPs is about $7.18{\times}10^{-3}mSv/y$, which is about 0.72% of annual effective dose limit 1 mSv/y.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.181-194
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• 2022

Internal dosimetry is a discipline which brings together a set of knowledge, tools and procedures for calculating the dose received after incorporation of radionuclides into the body. Several steps are necessary to calculate the committed effective dose (CED) for workers or members of the public. Each step uses the best available knowledge in the field of radionuclide biokinetics, energy deposition in organs and tissues, the efficiency of radiation to cause a stochastic effect, or in the contributions of individual organs and tissues to overall detriment from radiation. In all these fields, knowledge is abundant and supported by many works initiated several decades ago. That makes the CED a very robust quantity, representing exposure for reference persons in reference situation of exposure and to be used for optimization and assessment of compliance with dose limits. However, the CED suffers from certain limitations, accepted by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) for reasons of simplification. Some of its limitations deserve to be overcome and the ICRP is continuously working on this. Beyond the efforts to make the CED an even more reliable and precise tool, there is an increasing demand for personalized dosimetry, particularly in the medical field. To respond to this demand, currently available tools in dosimetry can be adjusted. However, this would require coupling these efforts with a better assessment of the individual risk, which would then have to consider the physiology of the persons concerned but also their lifestyle and medical history. Dosimetry and risk assessment are closely linked and can only be developed in parallel. This paper presents the state of the art of internal dosimetry knowledge and the limitations to be overcome both to make the CED more precise and to develop other dosimetric quantities, which would make it possible to better approximate the individual dose.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제31권
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• pp.1.1-1.13
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• 2016

Objectives To investigate the accuracy and scientific validity of the current very low risk factor for hereditary diseases in humans following exposures to ionizing radiation adopted by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation and the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The value is based on experiments on mice due to reportedly absent effects in the Japanese atomic bomb (A-bomb) survivors. Methods To review the published evidence for heritable effects after ionising radiation exposures particularly, but not restricted to, populations exposed to contamination from the Chernobyl accident and from atmospheric nuclear test fallout. To make a compilation of findings about early deaths, congenital malformations, Down's syndrome, cancer and other genetic effects observed in humans after the exposure of the parents. To also examine more closely the evidence from the Japanese A-bomb epidemiology and discuss its scientific validity. Results Nearly all types of hereditary defects were found at doses as low as one to 10 mSv. We discuss the clash between the current risk model and these observations on the basis of biological mechanism and assumptions about linear relationships between dose and effect in neonatal and foetal epidemiology. The evidence supports a dose response relationship which is non-linear and is either biphasic or supralinear (hogs-back) and largely either saturates or falls above 10 mSv. Conclusions We conclude that the current risk model for heritable effects of radiation is unsafe. The dose response relationship is non-linear with the greatest effects at the lowest doses. Using Chernobyl data we derive an excess relative risk for all malformations of 1.0 per 10 mSv cumulative dose. The safety of the Japanese A-bomb epidemiology is argued to be both scientifically and philosophically questionable owing to errors in the choice of control groups, omission of internal exposure effects and assumptions about linear dose response.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.88-94
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• 2020

Background: The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has recently published report series on the occupational intakes of radionuclides (OIR) for internal dosimetry of radiation workers. In this study, the optimized monitoring program including the monitoring interval and the minimum detectable activity (MDA) of major radionuclides was suggested to perform the routine individual monitoring of internal exposure based on the ICRP OIR. Materials and Methods: The derived recording levels and the critical monitoring quantities were reviewed from international standards or guidelines by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the European Radiation Dosimetry Group (EURADOS). The OIR data viewer provided by ICRP was used to evaluate the monitoring intervals and the MDA, which are derived from the reference bioassay functions and the dose coefficients. Results and Discussion: The optimal monitoring intervals were determined taking account of two requirement conditions on the potential intake underestimation and the MDA values. The MDA requirement values of the selected radionuclides were calculated based on the committed effective dose from 0.1 mSv to 5 mSv. The optimized routine individual monitoring program was suggested including the optimal monitoring intervals and the MDA requirements. The optimal MDA values were evaluated based on the committed effective dose of 0.1 mSv. However, the MDA can be adjusted considering the practical operation of the routine individual monitoring program in the nuclear facilities. Conclusion: The monitoring intervals and the MDA as crucial factors for the routine monitoring were described to suggest the optimized routine individual monitoring program of the occupational intakes. Further study on the alpha/beta-emitting radionuclides as well as short lived gamma-emitting nuclides will be necessary in the future.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.261-267
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• 2007

목적: 방사선 폐렴과 체적-선량 히스토그램(dose-volume hlstogram, DVH) 변수들 사이의 연관성을 평가하고, 내유림프절이 포함된 유방암의 방사선치료에서 방사선 폐렴을 방지할 수 있는 실제적인 지침을 제공하고자 한다. 대상 및 방법: 부분유방절제술을 받은 초기 유방암 환자 20명이 본 연구에 포함되었다. 전체 유방, 상부쇄골림프절, 내유림프절에 총 28회 50.4 Gy가 조사되었다. 방사선 폐렴은 방사선 영상에서의 폐 변화(radiological pulmonary change; RPC)와 증상이 있는 방사선 폐렴(symptomatic radiation pneumonitis)에 의해 평가되었다 DVH 변수들은 grade<2 RPC와 grade${\geq}$2 RPC로 나누어 비교되었다. 이 때, DVH 변수들은 평균 폐 선량(mean lung dose), V10 (10 Gy 이상 받는 폐의 백분율 부피), V20, V30, V40, 그리고 정상 조직 합병증 확률(normal tissue complication probability, NTCP)이다. 결 과: 20명의 환자 중 9명(45%)에서 grade 2 RPC가 발생하였고, 11명(55%)에서는 발생하지 않았다 1명의 환자에서 grade 1의 증상이 있는 방사선 폐렴이 발생하였다. 단변량 분석에서 DVH 변수 중, NTCP가 두 RPC grade군 간에 유의한 차이를 보여주고 있다 (p<0.05) Fisher의 정확한 검증(exact test)은 NTCP값 45%가 RPC의 threshold level로서 적합함을 보여준다. 결 론: 본 연구는 NTCP가 유방암의 내유림프절 방사선치료 후 RPC 예측인자 중 한가지로 쓰일 수 있음을 보여준다. 임상적으로 이는 NTCP 45% 이상에서 RPC가 발생하기 용이함을 의미한다.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.63-70
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• 2011

목 적: 간세포암에 의한 뼈전이 환자의 방사선 조사선량에 따른 통증 감소 정도 및 전이성 병소의 영상학적 치료반응을 분석하고 고선량 방사선치료가 도움이 될 수 있는지 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 2007년 1월부터 2010년 6월까지 병리 혹은 임상적으로 간세포암에 의한 뼈전이로 진단받고 증상 완화 목적의 방사선치료를 받은 103명에서 뼈전이 병소 2237개 부위를 대상으로 연구하였다. 조사받은 생물학적 유효선량이 39 $Gy_{10}$이하인 경우 저선량군, 39 $Gy_{10}$를 초과하는 경우 고선량군으로 대상환자를 구분하였다. 통증 감소 정도는 숫자통증등급(numeric rating scale)을 이용하였고 통증이 감소한 경우, 통증 정도에 변화가 없는 경우, 통증이 증가한 경우로 나누었다. 영상학적 반응은 modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) 기준을 이용하였으며 환자의 생존율에 영향을 미치는 인자를 분석하였다. 결 과: 중앙추적 관찰기간은 6개월이었다(범위, 0~46개월). 저선량군에서는 67개 병소(66.3%) 부위에서, 고선량군 에서는 44개 병소(89.8%) 부위에서 영상학적 반응이 있었다 저선량군과 고선량군 사이에 영상학적 치료 반응 정도는 유의하게 차이를 보였다(p=0.02). 저선량군과 고선량군은 각각 65%와 75%의 통증 감소를 보였으나 통계적으로 유의한 차이는 없었다(p=0.24). 저선량군과 고선량군 사이에 급성 및 만성 치료 독성은 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없었다(p>0.05). 뼈전이 진단 시부터 사망까지 생존기간은 0~46개월(중앙값, 11개월) 범위였고 1년 생존율은 41.6%였다. 잔존 간 기능(Child-Pugh 점수)이 생존율에 유의한 영향을 미치는 인자였고 Child-Pugh 점수에 따른 중앙생존기간은 A 14개월, 8와 C는 2개월로 나타났다. 결 론: 간세포암에 의한 뼈전이는 고선량군에서 영상학적 반응 정도가 더 높았다. 잔존 간 기능이 좋은 환자에게 고선량의 방사선치료 시 높은 치료 반응을 얻음으로써 삶의 질의 향상에 도움을 줄 수 있음을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.424-435
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• 2016

Background: The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommendations and the Federal Guidance Report (FGR) published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been widely applied worldwide in the fields of radiation protection and dose assessment. The dose conversion coefficients of the ICRP and FGR are widely used for assessing exposure doses. However, before the coefficients are used, the user must thoroughly understand the derivation process of the coefficients to ensure that they are used appropriately in the evaluation. Materials and Methods: The ICRP provides recommendations to regulatory and advisory agencies, mainly in the form of guidance on the fundamental principles on which appropriate radiological protection can be based. The FGR provides federal and state agencies with technical information to assist their implementation of radiation protection programs for the U.S. population. The system of radiation dose assessment and dose conversion coefficients in the ICRP and FGR is reviewed in this study. Results and Discussion: A thorough understanding of their background is essential for the proper use of dose conversion coefficients. The FGR dose assessment system was strongly influenced by the ICRP and the U.S. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), and is hence consistent with those recommendations. Moreover, the ICRP and FGR both used the scientific data reported by Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) and United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) as their primary source of information. The difference between the ICRP and FGR lies in the fact that the ICRP utilized information regarding a population of diverse races, whereas the FGR utilized data on the American population, as its goal was to provide guidelines for radiological protection in the US. Conclusion: The contents of this study are expected to be utilized as basic research material in the areas of radiation protection and dose assessment.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.153-162
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• 2017

Purpose: To evaluate intracranial control after surgical resection according to the adjuvant treatment received in order to assess the optimal radiotherapy (RT) dose and volume. Materials and Methods: Between 2003 and 2015, a total of 53 patients with brain oligometastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) underwent metastasectomy. The patients were divided into three groups according to the adjuvant treatment received: whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) ${\pm}$ boost (WBRT ${\pm}$ boost group, n = 26), local RT/Gamma Knife surgery (local RT group, n = 14), and the observation group (n = 13). The most commonly used dose schedule was WBRT (25 Gy in 10 fractions, equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions [EQD2] 26.04 Gy) with tumor bed boost (15 Gy in 5 fractions, EQD2 16.25 Gy). Results: The WBRT ${\pm}$ boost group showed the lowest 1-year intracranial recurrence rate of 30.4%, followed by the local RT and observation groups, at 66.7%, and 76.9%, respectively (p = 0.006). In the WBRT ${\pm}$ boost group, there was no significant increase in the 1-year new site recurrence rate of patients receiving a lower dose of WBRT (EQD2) <27 Gy compared to that in patients receiving a higher WBRT dose (p = 0.553). The 1-year initial tumor site recurrence rate was lower in patients receiving tumor bed dose (EQD2) of ${\geq}42.3Gy$ compared to those receiving <42.3 Gy, although the difference was not significant (p = 0.347). Conclusions: Adding WBRT after resection of brain oligometastases from NSCLC seems to enhance intracranial control. Furthermore, combining lower-dose WBRT with a tumor bed boost may be an attractive option.