• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to see the usefulness of lead apron for critical organs near the breast under examining. For clinical experiment, 30 female volunteers who agreed to their participation in the experiments, were chosen and divided into two groups, 15 in group A and 15 in group B respectively. group A is to see whether each side of breast under mammography affects to other side glandular on the critical organs is same, because it is not allowed to scan the both breast for same person or to scan repeatedly. Group B is to see the effectiveness of lead apron during the mammography of right breast. Glass dosimeters were placed on the thyroid, the contralateral breast, and lower abdomen where near the breast during examining. The average glandular doses on the surface in mammography of the thyroid gland, the contralateral breast, the lower abdomen were 0.0692 mGy, 0.6790 mGy, and 0.0122 mGy, respectively, which was an extremely low level of glandular dose. In group B, as to the thyroid gland, average dose was decreased from 0.0922 mGy to 0.0158 mGy. The average dose of contralateral breast was decreased from 0.8575 mGy to 0.0286 mGy. The average doses of lower abdomen was decrease 0.0150 mGy to 0.0173 mGy. As to the lower abdomen, dose decreased from 0.0150 mGy before the use of an apron down to 0.0173 mGy after the use. As p-value was under 0.05, statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups. Wearing an apron can have the protective effects on the thyroid gland up to 20 times lower than not wearing one. Besides, it is also necessary to protect the other breast during the examination by wearing one.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2017

Considering that the X-ray apron used in the department of radiology is also used in the department of nuclear medicine, the study aimed to analyze the shielding rate of the apron according to types of radioisotopes, thus ${\gamma}$ ray energy, to investigate the protective effects. The radioisotopes used in the experiment were the top 5 nuclides in usage statistics $^{99m}Tc$, $^{18}F$, $^{131}I$, $^{123}I$, and $^{201}Tl$, and the aprons were lead equivalent 0.35 mmPb aprons currently under use in the department of nuclear medicine. As a result of experiments, average shielding rates of aprons were $^{99m}Tc$ 31.59%, $^{201}Tl$ 68.42%, and $^{123}I$ 76.63%. When using an apron, the shielding rate of $^{131}I$ actually resulted in average dose rate increase of 33.72%, and $^{18}F$ showed an average shielding rate of -0.315%, showing there was almost no shielding effect. As a result, the radioisotopes with higher shielding rate of apron was in the descending order of $^{123}I$, $^{201}Tl$, $^{99m}Tc$, $^{18}F$, $^{131}I$. Currently, aprons used in the nuclear medicine laboratory are general X-ray aprons, and it is thought that it is not appropriate for nuclear medicine environment that utilizes ${\gamma}$ rays. Therefore, development of nuclear medicine exclusive aprons suitable for the characteristics of radioisotopes is required in consideration of effective radiation protection and work efficiency of radiation workers.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.187-195
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• 2023

A shield was made by mixing materials such as bismuth(Bi) and barium(Ba) with silicon to evaluate its shielding ability. Bismuth was made into a shield by mixing a bismuth oxide(Bi₂O₃) colloidal solution and a silicon base and applied to a fibrous fabric, and barium was made by mixing lead oxide(PbO) and barium sulfate(BaSO₄) with a silicon curing agent and solidifying it to make a shield. The test was conducted according to the lead equivalent test method for X-ray protective products of the Korean Industrial Standard. The experiment was conducted by increasing the shielding body one by one from the test condition of 60 kVp, 200 mA, 0.1sec and 100 kVp, 200 mA, 0.1 sec. At 60 kVp, 2 lead oxide-barium sulfate shields, 2 bismuth oxide 1.5 mm shields, and 5 bismuth oxide 0.3 mm shields showed shielding ability equal to or higher than that of lead 0.5 mm. At 100 kVp, 2 lead oxide-barium sulfate shields and 2 bismuth oxide 1.5 mm shields showed shielding ability equal to or higher than that of lead 0.5 mm. It was confirmed that when using 2 pieces of lead oxide-barium sulfate and 1.5 mm of bismuth oxide, respectively, it has shielding ability equivalent to that of lead. Bismuth oxide and lead oxide-barium sulfate are lightweight and have excellent shielding ability, thus they have excellent properties to be used as an apron for radiation protection or other shielding materials.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 2014

This study was designated to investigate the bremsstrahlung and radiation dose by beta rays. Radiation attenuation from I-131 treatment ward was analyzed using radio protective apron. Shielding materials which is included lead or water were simulated in Monte Carlo Simulation then the spectrum on interaction was analyzed. The shielding materials were categorized according to the thickness. 0.25mm and 0.5mm thick lead and 0.1mm and 0.2mm thick water shielding materials were configured in Monte Carlo Simulation for this study. Only lead shielding method and water plus lead shielding method were carried. As a results, when 0.5mm thick lead shielding method was performed, the radiation dose was similar to the results with water plus lead shielding method. In case of using 0.25mm thick lead shielding, the shielding effect was somewhat less. However, that shielding method cause dose reduction of about 60% compare with non-shielding material.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.83-88
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• 2005

In spite of relatively low level of radiation dose used at dental clinics, long term exposure may be harmful, so radiation workers at dental clinics must be well aware of its danger. This study was radiation safety management by dental hygienists in order to take preventive measures for dental hygienists and suggest ideas to develop radiation safety training programs. For this, we contacted dental hygienists working at the local dental clinics for 4 months from December of 2003 to march of 2004 and obtained the following findings. 1. Regarding the intraoral radiographic method, the average daily photographing frequency of standard films stood at one to five pieces (47.5%), and the average weekly photographing frequency of digital radiation medicine stood at less than one piece (69.8%), and the average weekly photographing frequency of bitewing films stood at less than one piece (67.7%), and and the average weekly photographing frequency of occlusal films stood at less than one piece (95.5%), and the dentistries whose average weekly photographing frequency of pediatric films stood at one to five pieces accounted for 47.1 percent. 2. Regarding the extraoral radiographic method, the average weekly photographing frequency of panorama film stood at one to five pieces (63.7%), and less than one piece (20.9%), the average weekly photographing frequency of cephalometric film stood at less than one piece (72.3%), and one to five pieces (20.1%). 3. Concerning the radiation safety management training program, only 18.7% of total 278 surveyed attended the training progra., Attendance tendency of the training program by general characteristics showed statistically significant difference according to age (p<0.01), working experience (p<0.001), and marital status (p<0.01). 4. When asked about the protective equipments against radiation exposure, 40.6% of them said "modest", and 71.1% appeared equipped with led apron as a protective tool.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.547-553
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• 2017

In the current medical field, lead is widely used as a radiation shield. However, the lead weight is very heavy, so wearing protective clothing such as apron is difficult to wear for long periods of time and there is a problem with the danger of lethal toxicity in humans. Recently, many studies have been conducted to develop substitute materials of lead to resolve these problems. As a substitute materials for lead, barium(Ba) and iodine(I) have excellent shielding ability. But, It has characteristics emitting characteristic X-rays from the energy area near 30 keV. For patients or radiation workers, shielding materials is often made into contact with the human body. Therefore, the characteristic X-rays generated by the shielding material are directly exposured in the human body, which increases the risk of increasing radiation absorbed dose. In this study, we have developed the FLUKA transport code, one of the most suitable elements of radiation transport codes, to remove the characteristic X-rays generated by barium or iodine. We have verified the reliability of the shielding fraction of the structure of the structure shielding by comparing with the MCPDX simulations conducted as a prior study. Using the MCNPX and FLUKA, the double layer shielding structures with the various thickness combination consisting of barium sulphate ($BaSO_4$) and bismuth oxide($Bi_2O_3$) are designed. The accuracy of the type shown in IEC 61331-1 was geometrically identical to the simulation. In addition, the transmission spectrum and absorbed dose of the shielding material for the successive x-rays of 120 kVp spectra were compared with lead. In results, $0.3mm-BaSO_4/0.3mm-Bi_2O_3$ and $0.1mm-BaSO_4/0.5mm-Bi_2O_3$ structures have been absorbed in both 33 keV and 37 keV characteristic X-rays. In addition, for high-energy X-rays greater than 90 keV, the shielding efficiency was shown close to lead. Also, the transport code of the FLUKA's photon transport code was showed cut-off on low-energy X-rays(below 33keV) and is limited to computerized X-rays of the low-energy X-rays. But, In high-energy areas above 40 keV, the relative error with MCNPX was found to be highly reliable within 6 %.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.21-28
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• 1985

We serveyed the actual condition of business of the departments of radiology of 45 health conters (except 3) in the area of Seoul, Kyungki and Inchon from March, 1984 to November, 1984. The results are summarized as follows : 1. T.O. of the radiologic technologist is three persons in each health center of Seoul area, and one person in each one of Kyungki and Inchon area. P.O. is 2-5 persons in Seoul area, 1-2 persons in Kyungki or Inchon area. 2. The number of all the radiologic technologists employed now is 75 persons, and among all of them, when analized by position class 7th is 54.7%, class 8th 28.0%, class 9th is 13.3%, and class 6th is 2.7%, and by sex, female is 68.0%, male is 32.0%, by educational background, for the most part, junior college graduates come to 73.3%, by age group 60% of them is in their twenties, 16.0% is in their thirties and forties, 8.0% is in their fifties, and by career after certificate 60% have the career of 1-5 years, 13.3% have the one of 6-7 years or mor than 21 years, and 6.7% have the one of 11-15 years of 16-20 years. 3. All the diagnostic x-ray equipment being kept is 62, and among them flxing equipment is 71.0%, portable equipment is 29.0% and by rating of X-ray equipment, maximum tube current 100 mA is 46.8%, maximum KV 100KVP is 72.6%, the most part. 4. Photofluorographic camera and hood are equipped in every health center. While, as to the radiographic cassettes, $14{\times}14"$ cassetts are equipped in every health center, but cassettes of other sizes are in half of them. 5. Bucky's table is equipped in 11.9% health centers, the automatic processor is in 21.4%, the photofluorographic film changer is 9.5%, the grid is 73.8%, the protective apron is in 88.1%, and the protective glove is in 57.1% health centers. 6. The number of the people who got the x-ray examination for one year (by the year 1989) is the most, 1,000-6,000 in direct radiography of the chest, or 15,0001-45,000 in the health centers of Seoul area, 5,000-20,000 in Kyungki and Inchon area in photofluorography of the chest. Moreover, other radiographies are being taken extremely limitedly in all health centers. 7. In processing types of x-ray film, automatic processing is used in 9 health centers (21.4%), manual tank processing is in 30 (71.4%), and manual tray processing in 3 (7.2%). 8. As for collimation of x-ray exposure field, "continual using restricted by a subject size" has the most part, 78.6% "restricted using at every radiography" has 19%, and the case of "never considered" has 2.4% response. 9. As for the dosimeter used for radiation control, film badge (35.7%) and pocket dosimeter (26.2%) are used, and in 38.1% health centers the dosimeter is not equipped at all. Consideration of the previous radiation exposure is being done in only one health center. 10. Reading of radiographs is mainly depended on the radiologists electively (45.2%) or on the genral practitioners(45.2%).