• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.59-67
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• 2023

Background: This study aims to reevaluate natural radiation exposure, following up on our previous study conducted in 2019, and to assess the associated risk of lung cancer to the public residing in the gold mining areas of Betare-Oya, east Cameroon, and its vicinity. Materials and Methods: Gamma-ray spectra collected using a 7.62 cm×7.62 cm in NaI(Tl) scintillation spectrometer during a car-borne survey, in situ measurements and laboratory measurements performed in previous studies were used to determine the outdoor absorbed dose rate in air to evaluate the annual external dose inhaled by the public. For determining internal exposure, radon gas concentrations were measured and used to estimate the inhalation dose while considering the inhalation of radon and its decay products. Results and Discussion: The mean value of the laboratory-measured outdoor gamma dose rate was 47 nGy/hr, which agrees with our previous results (44 nGy/hr) recorded through direct measurements (in situ and car-borne survey). The resulting annual external dose (0.29±0.09 mSv/yr) obtained is similar to that of the previous study (0.33±0.03 mSv/yr). The total inhalation dose resulting from radon isotopes and their decay products ranged between 1.96 and 9.63 mSv/yr with an arithmetic mean of 3.95±1.65 mSv/yr. The resulting excess lung cancer risk was estimated; it ranged from 62 to 216 excess deaths per million persons per year (MPY), 81 to 243 excess deaths per MPY, or 135 excess deaths per MPY, based on whether risk factors reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, United Nations Scientific Committee on the effects of Atomic Radiation, or International Commission on Radiological Protection were used, respectively. These values are more than double the world average values reported by the same agencies. Conclusion: There is an elevated level of risk of lung cancer from indoor radon in locations close to the Betare-Oya gold mining region in east Cameroon. Therefore, educating the public on the harmful effects of radon exposure and considering some remedial actions for protection against radon and its progenies is necessary.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권6호
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• pp.1991-1999
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• 2021

The response changes of the specific growth rate of Lemna minor duckweed was modeled using the logarithms of frond numbers on tritium activity concentration and gamma radiation dose from cobalt 60. The concept of average specific growth rate depends on the general exponential growth pattern, where toxicity is estimated based on the effect on the growth rate. One of the main questions of the effect of the radiation dose on duckweed is how to correlate the effect of beta radiation with the effect of any other radiation for modeling radiation on Lemna minor. Experimental data were extrapolated by utilizing the OECD guidelines. A linear relationship of absorbed dose and activity concentration was obtained for the average dependency growth rate of Lemna minor as D = (0.1257)·A^0.585. The dose rate of gamma irradiation from ⁶⁰Co increases with tritium activity dependence, on the specific growth rate of the Lemna minor duckweed. An increase in the tritium activity causes a decrease in the specific growth rate of the Lemna minor duckweed. It indicates that as the quantity of the beta radiation dose increase in Lemna minor duckweed, a higher quantity of gamma radiation will be required to cause the same effect in the specific growth rate of Lemna minor duckweed. The relation between the inhibition of the Lemna minor seedling growth and gamma and beta radiation dosage agrees roughly with that between the decrease of survival rate or fertility and dosage.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.171-179
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• 1980

중성자 및 감마선에 대한 선량율 환산인자(flux-to-dose-rate conversion factors)를 최대흡수선량 개념을 근거로 하여 계산하였다. 중성자 및 감자선에 대한 선량율 군산인자는 에너지 범위가 각각 2.5$\times$$10^{-8}$ 20MeV 및 0.01-15MeV에 대하여 계산하였다. 이제까지 선량율 환산인자는 단일에너지에 대한 값이 였었는데 본 연구에서는 유사인체조직 (phantom)내에서 방사선의 에너지 분포가 직선적이 아니라고 가정하여 계산되었다. 특히 DLC-23, DLC-27, DLC-31 등 핵정수 자료의 각 근에 적합한 선량율 환산인자를 결정하였다는 점이 특색이다. 결과적으로 ANSI N666에 있는 값과 본 연구에서 계산된 값이 잘 일치된다는 것을 확인하였고, 본 결과는 어떤 방사선장에서도 중성자나 감마선 선량율 분포를 계산하는데 이용될 수 있고, 방사선 차폐해석, 방사선방어, radiation dosimetry 등에 필요한 값이 될 것이다.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제8권11호
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• pp.203-209
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• 2008

방사선 치료분야에서 인체에 조사되는 방사선 양은 수 ${\sim}$ 수 십 Gy로 매우 높기 때문에 항상 정확히 다루어져야 한다. 본 논문의 실험을 위해 전리함(ionization chamber)이 사용되었다. 품질관리프로토콜 (quality assurance protocol) 없이 사용되는 전리함의 상태를 파악하고, 전리함의 본래 기하학적 구조가 변형되었을 때 변화된 값을 측정하였다. 지두형 전리함의 집전극 휨 정도를 알아내기 위해 방사선 투시장치와 CT 3차원 영상으로 재구성하여 휨 정도를 정량화 하였다. 그리고 기하학적 구조가 정상적인 전리함과 측정값을 비교하여 그 값의 왜곡정도를 알아보았고, 선량측정은 4MV, 10MV photon 두 종류를 같은 선량과 선량율로 하였다. 집전극이 휘어진 전리함의 흡수선량의 왜곡정도는 대략 $5.5{\sim}7.2%$ 정도 값 이었으며 에너지에 대한 차이는 거의 없었다. 본 연구를 통해 전리함의 기하학적 구조가 시간 경과, 장비의 취급 부주위 등에 따라 변형 될 수 있고, 특히 집전극의 휨 현상이 발생할 수 있다는 것을 알았다. 또한 평소에 인지하지 못하는 곳에서도 많은 왜곡과 오차를 만들어 낼 수 있다는 것을 확인 할 수 있었다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.155-159
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• 1985

무한균질공기(無限均質空氣)에 방사성물질(放射性物質)이 균일(均一)하게 분포(分布)된 방사성운(放射性雲)에서 피폭선량(被曝線量)은 일반적(一般的)으로 단일(單一)에너지 점등방선원(點等方線源)커넬 방법(方法)에 의하여 계산(計算)하고 있다. 이 방법(方法)의 가장 큰 제한성(制限性)은 인체표면(人體表面)에서만의 선량(線量)을 개산(槪算)한다는 사실(事實)이다. 이와같은제한성(制限性)을 제거(除去)하기 위하여, 이 보고서(報告書)는 감마선방출대형방사성운(線放出大型放射性雲) 속에서 방사선량계산(放射線量計算)에 인체표면(人體表面)에 입사(入射)되는 산난광자(散亂光子)스펙트럼을 고려(考慮)한 다른 접근방법(接近方法)을 도입(導入)하였으며, 그 결과(結果)는 다른 연구자(硏究者)들의 결과(結果)와 잘 일치(一致)하였다. 여기에서 얻은 결과(結果)는 현재(現在) 연구(硏究)가 진행중(進行中)인 무한(無限) 또는 반무한균질공기방사선운(半無限均質空氣放射線雲)에서 MIRD팬텀내 흡수선량분포결정(吸收線量分布決定)의 입력자료(入力資料로서 이용(利用)될 것이다.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.467-474
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• 2014

MCNPX를 통하여 계산한 상대선량과 고체팬텀과 전리함을 이용하여 측정한 상대선량을 비교하여 몬테카를로 시뮬레이션의 정확성을 평가하였다. 그리고 간외 담도암 관내근접방사선치료를 몬테카를로 시뮬레이션에 적용하기 위해 192Ir 밀봉방사성선원을 모사하였고, 한국 성인남성 표준인을 기초로 하는 KMIRD형 팬텀을 이용하여 담도 및 주변 장기를 제작하였다. 간외 담도암 관내근접방사선치료를 MCNPX를 이용하여 담도 주변 정상장기의 비유효에너지와 초기방사능을 1 Ci로 설정하여 흡수선량을 산정하였다. 몬테카를로 시뮬레이션의 정확성 평가에서 상대선량 차이가 가장 많은 지점이 1.96%로 MCNPX에서 제시한 상대오차 2%를 만족하는 것으로 나타났다. 또한, 담도 주변 정상장기의 비유효에너지 및 흡수선량은 담도와비교적 인접한 위치에 있는 우측신장, 간, 췌장, 횡행결장, 척수, 위장, 소장이 높았고, 담도와의 거리가 떨어져 있는 장기들인 좌측신장, 비장, 상행결장, 하행결장, S상결장이 낮게 나타났다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권1호
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• pp.255-261
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• 2022

A reliable and well-characterized dosimetry system which is traceable to the international measurement system, is the key element to quality assurance in radiation processing with cobalt-60 gamma rays, X-rays, and electron beam. This is specifically the case for health-regulated processes, such as the radiation sterilization of single use medical devices and food irradiation for preservation and disinfestation. Polyethylene is considered to possess a lot of interesting dosimetric characteristics. In this work, a detailed study has been performed to determine the dosimetric characteristics of a commercialized high-density polyethylene (HDPE) film using Fourier transformed infrared spectrometry (FTIR). Correlations have been established between the absorbed dose and radiation induced infrared absorption in polyethylene having a maximum at 965 cm^-1 (transvinylene band) and 1716 cm^-1 (ketone-carbonyl band). We have found that polyethylene dose-response is linear with dose for both bands up to1000 kGy. For transvinylene band, the dose-response is more sensitive if irradiations are made in helium. While, for ketone-carbonyl band, the dose-response is more sensitive when irradiations are carried out in air. The dose-rate effect has been found to be negligible when polyethylene samples are irradiated with electron beam high dose rates. The irradiated polyethylene is relatively stable for several weeks after irradiation.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.387-392
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• 1994

Purpose : This study was done to confirm the reference point variation according to variation in applicator configuration in each fractioation of HDR ICR. Materials and Methods : We analyzed the treatment planning of HDRICR for 33 uterine cervical cancer patients treated in department of therapeutic radiology from January 1992 to February 1992. Analysis was done with respect to three view points-Interfractionation A point variation, interfractionation bladder and rectum dose ratio variation, interfractionation treatment volume variation. Interfractionation A point variation was defined as difference between maximum and minimum distance from fixed rectal point to A point in each patient. Interfractionation bladder and rectum dose ratio variation was defined as difference between maximum and minimum dose ratio of bladder or rectum to A point dose in each patient, Interfractionation treatment volume variation was defined as difference between miximum and minimum treatment volume which absorbed over the described dose-that is, 350 cGy or 400 cGy-in each patient. Results The mean of distance from rectum to A point was 4.44cm, and the mean of interfractionation distance variation was 1.14 cm in right side,1.09 cm in left side. The mean of bladder and rectum dose ratio was $63.8\%$ and $63.1\%$ and the mean of interfractionation variation was $14.9\%$ and $15.8\%$ respectively. With fixed planning administration of same planning to all fractionations as in first fractionation planning-mean of bladder and rectum dose ratio was $64.9\%$ and $72.3\%$.and the mean of interfraction variation was $28.1\%$ and $48.1\%$ reapectively. The mean of treatment volume was $84.15cm^3$ and the interfractionation variation was $21.47cm^2$. Conclusion : From these data, it was confirmed that there should be adapted planning for every fractionation ,and that confirmation device installed in ICR room would reduce the interfractionation variation due to more stable applicator configuration.

• 대한방사선치료학회지
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.71-81
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• 1997

I. Objective and Importance of the Project We have been using MC-50 cyclotron and NT-50 neutron therapy machine for treating cancer patients since 1986 at Korea Cancer Center Hospital. It is mandatory to measure accurately the dose distribution and the total absorbed dose of fast neutron for putting it to the clinical use. At present the methods of measurement of fast neutron are proposed largely by American Associations of Physicists in Medicine (Task Group 18), European Clinical Neutron Dosimetry Group, and International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements. The complexity of measurement, however, induce the methodological differences between them. In our study, therefore, we tried to establish a unique technique of measurement by means of measuring the emitted doses and the dose distribution of fast neutron beam from neutron therapy machine, and to invent a standard method of measurement adequate to our situation. II. Scope and Contents of the Project For establishing a unique technique of measurement and inventing a standard method of measurement of fast neutron beam, 1. to grasp the physical characteristics of neutron therapy machine 2. to study the principles for measrement of fast neutron beam 3. to get the dose distribution (dose rate, percent-depth dose, flatness etc) throught the actual measurement 4. to compare our data with those being cited world-widely.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권6호
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• pp.1289-1296
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• 2020

The estimation of radioactivity level is vital for population health risk assessment and geological point of view and can be evaluated as rate of exhalation and source concentration (²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K). The present study deals with the soil samples for investigation of radionuclides content and exhalation rates of radon -thoron gas from different sites in northern Haryana, India. Absorbed dose and associated index estimated in the present study are the measures of environmental radioactivity to inhalation dose. Effective doses received by different tissues and organs by considering different occupancy and conditions are also measured. Exhalation rates of radon and thoron are measured with active scintillation monitors based on alpha spectroscopy namely scintillation radon (SRM) and thoron (STM) monitors respectively. Sample height was optimized before measurement of thoron exhalation rate using STM. Average values of radon and thoron exhalation are found 16.6 ± 0.7 mBqkg^-1h^-1 and 132.1 ± 2.6 mBqm^-2s^-1 respectively. Also, a simple approach was also adopted, to evaluate the thoron exhalation which accomplished a lot of challenges, the results are compared with the data obtained experimentally. The study is useful in the nationwide mapping of radon and thoron exhalation rates for understanding the environmental radioactivity status.