• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.160-164
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate the methods to reduce operator's radiation dose when taking intraoral radiographs with portable dental X-ray machines. Materials and Methods: Two kinds of portable dental X-ray machines (DX3000, Dexcowin and Rextar, Posdion) were used. Operator's radiation dose was measured with an 1,800 cc ionization chamber (RadCal Corp.) at the hand level of X-ray tubehead and at the operator's chest and waist levels with and without the backscatter shield. The operator's radiation dose at the hand level was measured with and without lead gloves and with long and short cones. Results: The backscatter shield reduced operator's radiation dose at the hand level of X-ray tubehead to 23 - 32%, the lead gloves to 26 - 31%, and long cone to 48 - 52%. And the backscatter shield reduced operator's radiation dose at the operator's chest and waist levels to 0.1 - 37%. Conclusions: When portable dental X-ray systems are used, it is recommended to select X-ray machine attached with a backscatter shield and a long cone and to wear the lead gloves.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2023

Background: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a specialized medical equipment and plays a significant role in the diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial diseases and abnormalities; however, it is attributed to risk of exposure of ionizing radiation. The aim of the study was to estimate and determine the amount of scattered radiation dose to the thyroid gland in dental CBCT during maxilla and mandible scan. Materials and Methods: The average scattered radiation dose for i-CAT 17-19 Platinum CBCT (Imaging Sciences International) was measured using a Multi-O-Meter (Unfors Instruments), placed at the patient's neck on the skin surface of the thyroid cartilage, with an exposure parameter of 120 kVp and 37.07 mAs. The surface entrance dose was noted using the Multi-O-Meter, which was placed at the time of the scan at the level of the thyroid gland on the anterior surface of the neck. Results and Discussion: The surface entrance dose to the thyroid from both jaws scans was 191.491±78.486 µGy for 0.25 mm voxel and 26.9 seconds, and 153.670±74.041 µGy from the mandible scan, whereas from the maxilla scan the surface entrance dose was 5.259±10.691 µGy. Conclusion: The surface entrance doses to the thyroid gland from imaging of both the jaws, and also from imaging of the maxilla and mandible alone were within the threshold limit. The surface entrance dose and effective dose in CBCT were dependent on the exposure parameters (kVp and mAs), scan length, and field of view. To further reduce the radiation dose, care should be taken in selecting an appropriate protocol as well as the provision of providing shielding to the thyroid gland.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.254-258
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• 2015

To compare the stationary dental X-ray generator and the portable dental X-ray generator and to understand spatial radiation dose depended on locations by measuring spatial radiation dose of the portable dental X-ray generator. The researchers used an Ionization chamber to measure spatial radiation dose which was generated while applying X-ray radiation to real bone skull phantom with both portable and stationary dental X-ray generator. There were 4 measurement locations which were immediate anterior, right, left and posterior. Distance of measurement was 50 cm in every location and the recorded result is an average of two applications of X-ray radiation to the maxillary molar area under the condition of 70 kVp, 3 mA, 0.1 sec. Average spatial radiation dose of portable X-ray generator was $37.51{\mu}Sv$, much higher than that of stationary X-ray generator which was $10.77{\mu}Sv$ (p<0.001). The result of the spatial radiation dose of the portable X-ray generator showed a huge difference depending on types of units which varied from $17.77{\mu}Sv$ to $68.90{\mu}Sv$ (p<0.05), also depending on the measurement location, immediate anterior resulted in the highest radiation dose of $54.14{\mu}Sv$ and immediate right was the lowest of $13.60{\mu}Sv$. Immediate left and posterior, however, resulted in similar radiation dose which were $42.12{\mu}Sv$, $40.18{\mu}Sv$ (p<0.01). With this result, we claim that usage of portable dental X-ray generator should be restricted to patients who can't move and exposure to radiation should be minimized by wearing lead-apron.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2015

Research and investigation is required for the exposure dose of radiation workers to work in the dental hospital as increasing interest in exposure dose of the dental hospital recently accordingly, study aim to minimize radiation exposure by making a follow-up study of individual exposure doses of radiation workers, analyzing the status on individual radiation exposure management, prediction the radiation disability risk levels by radiation, and alerting the workers to the danger of radiation exposure. Especially given the changes in the dental hospital radiation safety awareness conducted the study in order to minimize radiation exposure. This study performed analyses by a comparison between general and dental hospital, comparing each occupation, with the 116,220 exposure dose data by quarter and year of 5,811 subjects at general and dental hospital across South Korea from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2012. The following are the results obtained by analyzing average values year and quarter. In term of hospital, average doses were significantly higer in general hospitals than detal ones. In terms of job, average doses were higher in radiological technologists the other workes. Especially, they showed statistically significant differences between radiological technologists than dentists. The above-mentioned results indicate that radiation workers were exposed to radiation for the past 5 years to the extent not exceeding the dose limit (maximum $50mSv\;y^{-1}$). The limitation of this study is that radiation workers before 2008 were excluded from the study. Objective evaluation standards did not apply to the work circumstance or condition of each hospital. Therefore, it is deemed necessary to work out analysis criteria that will be used as objective evaluation standard. It will be necessary to study radiation exposure in more precise ways on the basis of objective analysis standard in the furture. Should try to minimize the radiation individual dose of radiation workers.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.103-108
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• 2016

Purpose: The current study investigates the feasibility of a platform for a nationwide dose monitoring system for dental radiography. The essential elements for an unerring system are also assessed. Materials and Methods: An intraoral radiographic machine with 14 X-ray generators and five sensors, 45 panoramic radiographic machines, and 23 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) models used in Korean dental clinics were surveyed to investigate the type of dose report. A main server for storing the dose data from each radiographic machine was prepared. The dose report transfer pathways from the radiographic machine to the main sever were constructed. An effective dose calculation method was created based on the machine specifications and the exposure parameters of three intraoral radiographic machines, five panoramic radiographic machines, and four CBCTs. A viewing system was developed for both dentists and patients to view the calculated effective dose. Each procedure and the main server were integrated into one system. Results: The dose data from each type of radiographic machine was successfully transferred to the main server and converted into an effective dose. The effective dose stored in the main server is automatically connected to a viewing program for dentist and patient access. Conclusion: A patient radiation dose monitoring system is feasible for dental clinics. Future research in cooperation with clinicians, industry, and radiologists is needed to ensure format convertibility for an efficient dose monitoring system to monitor unexpected radiation dose.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.445-450
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• 2018

We aim to evaluate safety of radiation by measuring leakage dose and patient(phantom) incident dose of ZEN-PX II dental portable equipment developed by G company. Measurement for leakage dose of equipment is conducted on the top, at the bottom, on the left, on the right and at the back. Dose measurement incident on the subject with the area dosimeter when using the phantom and measurement the leakage dose of equipment when using the phantom are evaluated. Comparing the right with the highest leakage dose as a 0 cm, 25 cm, 50 cm, 75 cm and 100 cm dose measurement at the measurement height of 100 cm, 64.2 uR was reduced to 47.3 uR in the senser mode 0.32sec. Even in film mode it was measured at 414.4 uR and about 27% lower at 162.6 uR. As the result of this study, when the irradiation time is 2 sec the right side dose is 290.5 uR and sensor mode is 0.32 sec the right side dose is 64.2 uR.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.65-68
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• 2007

Purpose: To compare the leakage and scattered radiation from hand-held dental X-ray unit with radiation from fixed dental X-ray unit. Materials and Methods: For evaluation we used one hand-held dental X-ray unit and Oramatic 558 (Trophy Radiologie, France), a fixed dental X-ray unit. Doses were measured with Unfors Multi-O-Meter 512L at the right and left hand levels of X-ray tube head part for the scattered and leakage radiation when human skull DXTTR III was exposed to both dental X-ray units. And for the leakage radiation only, doses were measured at the immediately right, left, superior and posterior side of the tube head part when air was exposed. Exposure parameters of handheld dental X-ray unit were 70 kVp, 3 mA, 0.1 second, and of fixed X-ray unit 70 kVp, 8 mA, 0.45 second. Results: The mean dose at the hand level when human skull DXTTR III was exposed with portable X-ray unit $6.39{\mu}Gy$, and the mean dose with fixed X-ray unit $3.03{\mu}Gy$ (p<0.001). The mean dose at the immediate side of the tube head part when air was exposed with portable X-ray unit was $2.97{\mu}Gy$ and with fixed X-ray unit the mean dose was $0.68{\mu}Gy$ (p<0.01). Conclusions: The leakage and scattered radiation from hand-held dental radiography was greater than from fixed dental radiography.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2015

Recently, As people's interest in the health of teeth is increased in the medical field changed into aging society, the number of times for the radiological diagnosis is increased. It can be said that the radiation exposure dose of Korean population is increased. It is also growing concern about radiation exposure. Therefore, the basic data for the dental panoramic X-ray system, its investigation and measuring the radiation dose is needed. In this study, we used ALOKA PDM-117 dosimeter and estimated a two-dimensional dose distribution of the dental panoramic X-ray system (VATEC Pax-400). Dose evaluation about the distribution is confirmed from the point of radiation exposure of a patient. Dose distribution of the dental panoramic X-ray system irradiated chin and the facial region to high dose as well as the parts of teeth. It was founded that the eye lens which are sensitive to radiation are exposed to unnecessary radiation, considering the effect of scattered radiation. The results of this study will be used more accurate dose assessment in a variety of object size and location of measuring dose.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.111-124
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• 2009

This study analyzes through the review of literature and laws the exposure time, clinical frequency, and radiation exposure of intraoral and extraoral radiography as well as of panoramic radiography performed by dental hygienists in dental clinics, compares the dental radiology curriculums of radiological science and dental hygiene departments, and proposes the expansion of dental hygienists' radiography operations. The radiology curriculums were compared between the radiological science and dental hygiene departments of colleges. For new analysis by radiography for dental diagnosis, the exposure time, radiation absorbed dose, effective dose, and number of days of natural radiation were compared by the type of oral radiation films and radiographical techniques proposed by domestic and international studies. The exposure time of panoramic radiography is 15 seconds and it takes about two minutes for completion, whereas the exposure time of the standard radiography is 0.2~0.8 seconds and it takes 10 times longer for completion of the radiography of full mouth than the panoramic radiography. The standard radiography can cause distortions of radiation at severely curved parts of dental arch and palatopharyngeal reflex. However, panoramic radiography can be performed even for lock jaw patients, causes less inconvenience to patients and is much simpler than the standard radiography. The percentage of dental clinics where radiography is performed by dental hygienists was 92.0%, and the percentage of standard film radiography by dental hygienists was 98% whereas the percentage of panoramic radiography by dental hygienists was 92%. For the absorbed dose which is an indicator of radiation exposure, the When the effective dose which is an indicator of the danger of radiation exposure was converted to the number of days of natural radiation, it was 3.3 days for panoramic radiography, but 13.9 days for the full mouth standard radiography by bisecting angle technique which was 4.2 times longer than the panoramic radiography. There were two colleges that had a dental radiology course with two credits in the departments of radiological science. The credits for dental radiology courses in the department of dental hygiene ranged varied by college, ranging from 3 to 8; on average, the theory course was 2.2 credits and the practice course was 2.02 credits. To summarize the above results, the percentage of dental clinics where panoramic radiography is performed by dental hygienists under the guidance of dentists is high. Panoramic radiography has become an essential facility for dental clinics. It is faster than standard film radiography and less dangerous due to low radiation exposure. Panoramic radiography is a simple mechanical job that does not require training of oral radiography by radiotechnologist. Because panoramic radiography is one of major operations which must be performed at all times in dental clinics, it must be designated as intraoral technique rather than extraoral technique, or legalized for inclusion in the scope of operations of dental hygienists.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 2024

Purpose: Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) who undergo dental procedures during radiotherapy (RT) face an increased risk of developing osteoradionecrosis (ORN). Accordingly, new tools must be developed to extract critical information regarding the dose delivered to the teeth and mandible. This article proposes a novel approach for visualizing 3-dimensional planned dose distributions on panoramic reconstruction computed tomography (pCT) images. Materials and Methods: Four patients with HNC who underwent volumetric modulated arc therapy were included. One patient experienced ORN and required the extraction of teeth after RT. In the study approach, the dental arch curve (DAC) was defined using an open-source platform. Subsequently, pCT images and dose distributions were generated based on the new coordinate system. All teeth and mandibles were delineated on both the original CT and pCT images. To evaluate the consistency of dose metrics, the Mann-Whitney U test and Student t-test were employed. Results: A total of 61 teeth and 4 mandibles were evaluated. The correlation coefficient between the 2 methods was 0.999, and no statistically significant difference was observed (P>0.05). This method facilitated a straightforward and intuitive understanding of the delivered dose. In 1 patient, ORN corresponded to the region of the root and the gum receiving a high dosage (approximately 70 Gy). Conclusion: The proposed method particularly benefits dentists involved in the management of patients with HNC. It enables the visualization of a 3-dimensional dose distribution in the teeth and mandible on pCT, enhancing the understanding of the dose delivered during RT.