• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.42 no.6
• /
• pp.429-434
• /
• 2019

The gonads are directly affected by radiation exposure during radiography of the pelvis, abdomen, and spine. Exposure of the gonads to radiation can cause genetic mutations and can result in the occurrence of malignant tumors. In this study, we created three types of shielding material shapes for shielding of the ovaries, which are the gonads of female during radiography of the pelvis, and comparative evaluations using shadow shielding methods. The source surface distance(SSD) was 100 cm and the field size was 42 cm × 43 cm. The three types of shielding material shapes(type 1, 2 and 3) were assessed and the entrance surface dose in the ovaries were measured. The thickness of the shielding material was expanded from 0.3 mm to 2.4 mm and after five repetitions, radiation values were measured and mean values were calculated. The mean dose were 3.09 mGy for type 1, 3.54 mGy for type 2, and 3.19 mGy for type 3, indicating that the measurements were the lowest for type 1. When an additional filter of 0.2 Cu + 1 Al was used, the dose were 3.72 mGy for type 1, 5.43 mGy for type 2, and 4.05 mGy for type 3, indicating that the measurements were the lowest for type 1. The results show that, even if the shielding material is not thick, in other words, even with a thickness of 2.94 mGy for the SN 3(0.9 mm) of type 1, shielding can be achieved, with a patient dose lower than the diagnostic reference level(3.42 mGy). Additionally, among the three types of shielding material, the type 1 appeared to be the most appropriate shielding material. It is thought that the use of shielding material could reduce the risk factors for stochastic effects or critical effects of ionizing radiation during pelvic or lumbar radiography.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.10
• /
• pp.3854-3859
• /
• 2023

Background: This study aims to develop an evaluator that can quickly and accurately evaluate the shielding of low-energy industrial radiation generators. Methods: We used PyQt to develop a graphical user interface (GUI)-based program and employed the calculation methodology reported in the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP)-49 for shielding calculations. We gathered the necessary factors for shielding evaluation using two libraries designed for Python, pandas and NumPy, and processed them into a database. We verified the effectiveness of the proposed program by comparing the results with those from safety reports of six domestic facilities. Results: After verifying the effectiveness of the program using the NCRP-49 example, we obtained an average error rate of 1.73%. When comparing the facility safety report and results obtained using the program, we found that the error rate was between 1.09% and 6.51%. However, facilities that did not use a defined shielding methodology were underestimated by 31.82% compared with the program (the final barrier thickness satisfied the shielding standard). Conclusion: The developed program provides a fast and accurate shielding evaluation that can assist personnel that work in radiation generator facilities and government officials in reviewing safety.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.50-53
• /
• 2019

Purpose Yttrium-90 (Y-90) is high-energy beta emitters ($E{\beta}$, max = 2.28 MeV) with the mean penetration depth of 2.5 mm in tissue. Radioactive microspheres containing Y-90 is widely used for the transarterial radioembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, bremsstrahlung radiation from Y-90 can cause the external radiation exposure to medical staff who handle the Y-90 microspheres. In this study, shielding device for Y-90 microspheres was developed to minimize the external radiation exposure. Materials and Methods Y-90 microsphere shielding device was made from 6 mm thicknesses of tungsten including the lead glass window. Radiation shielding ability of Y-90 microsphere shielding device was evaluated using 4 GBq of $SIR-Spheres^{(R)}$ Y-90 microspheres. The bremsstrahlung radiation was measured using radiation survey meter. Results The mean radiation dose of Y-90 microspheres in acrylic shield was $261.7{\pm}2.3{\mu}Sv/h$ (n=5) at 10 cm away from the shield. With the additional tungsten shielding device, it was $23.7{\pm}1.3{\mu}Sv/h$ (n=5). Thus, the bremsstrahlung radiation dose was decreased by 90.9%. At 50 cm away from the shield, bremsstrahlung radiation was reduced by 89.2% after using tungsten shielding device. Conclusion During the preparation and radioembolization of Y-90 microsphere, medical staff are exposed to external radiation. In this study, we demonstrated that the use of tungsten shielding device devices significantly reduced the amount of bremsstrahlung radiation. Y-90 microsphere tungsten shielding device can be highly effective in reducing the bremsstrahlung radiation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.4
• /
• pp.1210-1217
• /
• 2023

The assessment of radiation fields in the lithium loop pipes and dump tank during the operation were performed for International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility - DEMO-Oriented NEutron Source (IFMIF-DONES) in order to obtain the radiation dose-rate maps in the component surroundings. Variance reduction techniques such as weight window mesh (produced with the ADVANTG code) were applied to bring the statistical uncertainty down to a reasonable level. The biological dose was given in the study, and potential shielding optimization is suggested and more thoroughly evaluated. The MCNP Monte Carlo was used to simulate a gamma particle transport for radiation shielding purposes for the current Li Systems' design. In addition, the shielding efficiency was identified for the Impurity Control System components and the dump tank. The analysis reported in this paper takes into account the radiation decay source from and activated corrosion products (ACPs), which is created by d-Li interaction. As a consequence, the radiation (resulting from ACPs and Be-7) shielding calculations have been carried out for safety considerations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.233-240
• /
• 2022

Research on the presence or absence of radiation shielding for FDM-type filaments has recently begun to be studied, but filaments with shielding capabilities are not sold in Korea, and not studies yet. Therefore, in this research, we will use HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) as a base material, select bismuth as a reinforcing material to manufacture a composite filament, evaluate the shielding ability, and provide basic data for the development of a radiation shielding composite material using 3D printing.A filament is produced by mixing Bismuth with an effective atomic number 83 with HDPE of PE series and adjusting the content of Bismuth to 20% wt, 30% wt, 40% wt. Compounded filaments were evaluated for their physical properties and shielding capabilities by ASTM evaluation methods. As the bismuth content increases, the density, weight, and tensile strength increase, and the shielding capacity is confirmed to be excellent. As a result of the radiation shielding capacity evaluation, it was confirmed that HDPE (80%) + Bi (20%) showed a shielding rate of 82% at 60 kV and a shielding rate of up to 94% or more at 40% bismuth content. In this study, we confirmed that it was possible to produce a radiation shield that is lighter than the metal particle-containing filaments. Furthermore, that have been shield radiation by using HDPE + Bi filaments, and radiation in the medical and radiation industries. The possibility of using it as a shielding complex was confirmed.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.20-28
• /
• 2018

Background: Heat energy produced in nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel cycle facilities interactions modifies the physical properties of the shielding materials containing water content. Therefore, in the present paper, effect of the heat on shielding effectiveness of the concretes is investigated for gamma and neutron. The mass attenuation coefficients, effective atomic numbers, fast neutron removal cross-section and exposure buildup factors. Materials and Methods: The mass attenuation coefficients, effective atomic numbers, fast neutron removal cross-section and exposure buildup factors of ordinary and heavy concretes were investigated using NIST data of XCOM program and Geometric Progression method. Results and Discussion: The improvement in shielding effectiveness for photon and reduction in fast neutron for ordinary concrete was observed. The change in the neutron shielding effectiveness was insignificant. Conclusion: The present investigation on interaction of gamma and neutron radiation would be very useful for assessment of shielding efficiency of the concrete used in high temperature applications such as reactors.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.11 no.5
• /
• pp.329-334
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to estimating the possibility of manufacturing radiation shielding sheet by searching for environmentally friendly materials suitable for medical environment of medical radiation shielding. There are many tungsten products which are currently used as shielding materials in place of lead, but there are small problems in the mass production of lightweight shielding sheets due to economical efficiency. To solve these problems, a lightweight, environmentally friendly material with economical efficiency is required. In this study, Barium sulphate and Iodine were proposed. Both materials are already used as contrast medias in radiography, and it is predicted that the shielding effect will be sufficient in a certain region as a shielding material because of the characteristic of absorbing radiation. Therefore, in this study, we used a Monte Carlo simulation to simulate radiation shielding materials. When it is a contrast agent such as Barium sulfate and Iodine, the radiation absorption effect in the high energy region appears greatly, and the effectiveness of the two shielding substance in the energy region of the star with thickness of 120 kVp is also evaluated in the medical radiation imaging region. Simulated estimation results it was possible to estimate the effectiveness of shielding for all two substances. Iodine has higher shielding effect than barium sulfate, 0.05 mm thick appears great effect. Therefore, the Monte Carlo simulation confirms that iodine, which is a radiological contrast agent, is also usable as barium sulfate in the production of radiation shielding sheets.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.289-295
• /
• 2018

When using a mobile X-ray unit, primary radiation creates medical images and secondary radiation scatters in many directions, which reduces image quality and causes exposure to patients, care givers and medical personnel. The purpose of this study was to develop a radiation shielding system for effectively shielding secondary radiation and evaluate its effectiveness. Using a mobile X-ray unit, spatial dose according to presence of human equivalent phantom and spatial dose using the developed shielding device were measured, and the phantom at 80 cm equidistance from center of X-ray was compared with spatial dose according to use of a shield. Measurements were taken at intervals of 10 cm every $30^{\circ}$ from the head direction($-90^{\circ}$) to the body direction($+90^{\circ}$). In the spatial dose measurement with and without the phantom, when the human equivalent Phantom was used, the spatial dose was increased by 40% in all directions from 40 cm to 100 cm from the central X-ray, and about 88% of the space dose was reduced when using the developed shields with the phantom. The equidistance dose at 80 cm from the central X-ray was increased by 39% from $5.1{\pm}0.26{\mu}Gy$ to $7.1{\pm}0.15{\mu}Gy$ when the human equivalent phantom was used, and when phantom was used and shielding was used, the spatial dose was reduced by about 90% from $7.1{\pm}0.15{\mu}Gy$ to $0.7{\pm}0.07{\mu}Gy$. The spatial dose of natural radiation was measured to be about $0.2{\pm}0.04{\mu}Gy$ when using the developed shielding with Phantom at a distance of 1 m or more. It is expected that by using the developed shielding system, it will be possible to effectively reduce secondary radiation dose received in all directions and to ensure safe imaging.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.629-633
• /
• 2021

This article is designed to look into the radiation exposure dose to each body part and the shielding effect for workers using an additional shielding to reduce their radiation exposured by scattering radiation which is generated in a space between the operating table and lead curtain during interventional radiology(IR) procedures. After placing a human phantom on the table of SIEMENS' angiography machine, the following measurements were taken, depending on the presence of an additional shield of lead equivalent of 0.25 mmPb, manufactured for this purpose: dose to gonad, dose to an area where the personal dosimeter is placed, and dose to an area of eye lens is located. An ion chamber(chamber volume 1,800 cc) was utilized to measure scattering radiation. The two imaging tests were carried out as follows: fluoroscopy of the abdomen (66 kV, 100 mA, 60 seconds) and of the head (70 kV, 65 mA, 60 seconds); and digital subtraction angiography(DSA) of the abdomen (67 kV, 264 mA, 20 seconds) and of the head (79 kV, 300 mA, 20 seconds). In all the experiments, the shielding efficiency of the gonad position was the largest at 59.8%. In case an additional shielding was used as protection against scattering radiation that came through the operating table and the lead curtain during an IR, the radiation shielding efficiency was estimated to be up to 59.8%, leading to a conclusion that its presence may effectively reduce the radiation exposure dose of medical staffs.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
• /
• v.12 no.5
• /
• pp.478-489
• /
• 2012

Each year, about four million tons of steel slag, a by-product produced during the manufacture of steel by refining pig iron in the converter furnace, is generated. It is difficult to recycle this steel slag as aggregate for concrete because the reaction with water and free-CaO in steel slag results in a volume expansion that leads to cracking. However, the steel slag used in this study is atomized using an air-jet method, which rapidly changes the melting substance at high temperature into a solid at a room temperature and prevents free-CaO from being generated in steel slag. This rapidly-cooled steel slag has a spherical shape and is even heavier than natural aggregate, making it suitable for the aggregate of radiation shielding concrete. This study deals with the radiation shielding property of concrete that uses the rapidly-cooled steel slag from the oxidizing process in the converter furnace as fine aggregate. It was shown that the radiation shielding performance of concrete mixed with rapidly-cooled steel slag is even more superior than that of ordinary concrete.