• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.72-78
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• 2019

Background: In the calibration and testing laboratory of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, the old X-ray generator used for the production of reference X-ray fields was replaced with a new one. For this newly installed X-ray irradiation system, beam alignment as well as the verification of beam qualities was conducted. Materials and Methods: The existing X-ray generator, Phillips MG325, was replaced with YXLON Y.TU 320-D03 in order to generate reference X-ray fields. Theoretical calculations and Monte Carlo simulations were used to determine initial filter thickness. Beam alignment was performed in three steps to deliver a homogeneous radiation dosage to the target at different distances. Finally, the half-value layers were measured for different X-ray fields to verify beam qualities by using an ion chamber. Results and Discussion: Beam alignment was performed in three steps, and collimators and other components were arranged to maintain the uniformity of the mean air kerma rate within ${\pm}2.5%$ at the effective beam diameter of 28 cm. The beam quality was verified by using half-value layer measurement methods specified by American National Standard Institute (ANSI) N13.11-2009 and International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-4037. For each of the nine beams than can be generated by the new X-ray irradiation system, air kerma rates for X-ray fields of different beam qualifies were measured. The results showed that each air kerma rate and homogeneity coefficient of the first and second half-value layers were within ${\pm}5%$ of the recommended values in the standard documents. Conclusion: The results showed that the new X-ray irradiation system provides beam qualities that are as high as moderate beam qualities offered by National Institute of Standards and Technology in ANSI N13.11-2009 and those for narrow-spectrum series of ISO-4037.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.3051-3057
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• 2021

The concrete is considered as an important radiation shielding material employed widely in nuclear reactors, particle accelerators, laboratory hot cells and other different radiation sources. The present research is dedicated to the shielding properties study of the ordinary concrete reinforced with different weight fractions of lead oxide micro/nano particles. Lead oxide particles were fabricated by chemical synthesis method and their properties including the average size, morphological structure, functional groups and thermal properties were characterized by XRD, FESEM-EDS, FTIR and TGA analysis. The gamma ray mass attenuation coefficient of concrete composites has been calculated and measured by means of the Monte Carlo simulation and experimental methods. The simulation process was based on the use of MCNP Monte Carlo code where the mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ) has been calculated as a function of different particle sizes and filler weight fractions. The simulation results showed that the employment of the lead oxide filler particles enhances the mass attenuation coefficient of the ordinary concrete, drastically. On the other hand, there are approximately no differences between micro and nano sized particles. The mass attenuation coefficient was increased by increasing the weight fraction of nanoparticles. However, a semi-saturation effect was observed at concentrations more than 10 wt%. The experimental process was based on the fabrication of concrete slabs filled by different weight fractions of nano lead oxide particles. The mass attenuation coefficients of these slabs were determined at different gamma ray energies using ²²Na, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁶⁰Co sources and NaI (Tl) scintillation detector. The experimental results showed that the HVL parameter of the ordinary concrete reinforced with 5 wt% of nano PbO particles was reduced by 64% at 511 keV and 48% at 1332 keV. Reasonable agreement was obtained between simulation and experimental results and showed that the employment of nano PbO particles is more efficient at low gamma energies up to 1Mev. The proposed concrete is less toxic and could be prepared in block form instead of toxic lead blocks.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 2023

With the introduction of the D.R system, the grid with high removal rate of scattered radiation is selected and used without considering the grid performance evaluation. Despite the high removal rate of scattered radiation belonging to high grid ratio, it is also possible to see the cut-off phenomenon in which the primary ray involved in the formation of image could be removed as well. Thus, the purpose of this study is to provide the basic data for researches on the usefulness of using the grid by presenting the appropriate grid ratio in the D.R system through the measurement of image in grid such as non-grid, 6:1, 8:1, 10:1, 12:1. The equipments used for this study were radiation generator with grid in 12:1, 10:1, 8:1, 6:1, indirect-type detector, and acryl phantom. As the study for image evaluation, this study measured the SNR, PSNR, MSE, and Entropy. In the results of this study, the PSNR was the highest in 6:1 and the lowest in 8:1. The SNR was high in 6:1 and 8:1, and the lowest in 12:1. In case of Entropy, it was high in 8:1 and 10:1, and the lowest in 12:1. Therefore, when the grid is used, it would be more proper to choose the grid in 8:1 or 10:1 with less loss in information content of primary ray rather than the high grid ratio showing the increased patient exposure dose.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.1519-1526
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• 2023

For the first time Aluminium-BariumeZinc oxide nanocomposite (ZABONC) was synthesized by solution combustion method where calcination was carried out at low temperatures (600℃) to study the electromagnetic (EM) (X/γ) radiation shielding properties. Further for characterization purpose standard techniques like PXRD, SEM, UV-VISIBLE, FTIR were used to find phase purity, functional groups, surface morphology, and to do structural analysis and energy band gap determination. The PXRD pattern shows (hkl) planes corresponding to spinel cubic phase of ZnAl₂O4, cubic Ba(NO₃)₂, α and γ phase of Al₂O₃ which clearly confirms the formation of complex nano composite. From SEM histogram mean size of nano particles was calculated and is in the order of 17 nm. Wood and Tauc's relation direct energy band gap calculation gives energy gap of 2.9 eV. In addition, EM (X/γ) shielding properties were measured and compared with the theoretical ones using standard procedures (NaI (Tl) detector and multi channel analyzer MCA). For energy above 356 keV the measured shielding parameters agree well with the theory, while below this value slight deviation is observed, due to the influence of atomic/crystallite size of the ZABONC. Hence synthesized ZABONC can be used as a shielding material in EM (X/γ) radiation shielding.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.84-89
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• 2023

Background: Food consumption is one of the most important routes for radionuclide intake for the public; therefore, there is the need to have a comprehensive understanding of the amount of radioactivity in food products. Consumption of radionuclide-contaminated food could increase potential health risks associated with exposure to radiation such as cancers. The present study aims to determine radioactivity levels in some food products (milk, rice, sugar, and wheat flour) consumed in Mali and to evaluate the radiological effect on the public health from these radionuclides. Materials and Methods: The health impact due to ingestion of radionuclides from these foods was evaluated by the determination of activity concentration of radionuclides ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs using gamma spectrometry system with high-purity germanium detector and radiological hazards index in 16 samples collected in some markets, mall, and shops of Bamako-Mali. Results and Discussion: The average activity concentrations were 9.8±0.6 Bq/kg for ²³⁸U, 8.7±0.5 Bq/kg for ²³²Th, 162.9±7.9 Bq/kg for ⁴⁰K, and 0.0035±0.0005 Bq/kg for ¹³⁷Cs. The mean values of radiological hazard parameters such as annual committed effective dose, internal hazard index, and risk assessment from this work were within the dose criteria limits given by international organizations (International Commission on Radiological Protection and United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation) and national standards. Conclusion: The results show low public exposure to radioactivity and associated radiological impact on public health. Nevertheless, this study stipulates vital data for future research and regulatory authorities in Mali.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.897-902
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• 2023

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) for the realization of high-sensitivity radiation detection in portable detectors. Portable X-ray detectors offer the advantage of quickly accessing the patient's location and obtaining real-time images, allowing physicians to perform rapid diagnoses. However, this mobility comes with challenges in achieving accurate radiation detection. In existing detectors, SiPM is used for a simple purpose of detecting X-ray triggers. To verify the feasibility of high-sensitivity X-ray detection through SiPM, seven types of SiPM sensors were compared and selected, and their characteristics were analyzed. The SiPM used in the final test demonstrated the ability to distinguish signals at the ultra-low radiation level of 10 nGy, and it was observed that the slope of the signal rise curve varies with the X-ray tube voltage. Utilizing the characteristics of SiPM, which exhibits changes in signal level and duration with X-ray dose, it appears possible to achieve high-sensitivity measurements for X-ray detection.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2007

In recent years, mammography system is changed rapidly from conventional screen-film system to digital system for application to screening and diagnosis. Digital mammography system provides several advantages over screen-film mammography system. According to the information provided by the manufacturer, digital mammography system offers radiation dose reduction in comparison with screen-film mammography system, because of digital detector, particularly direct digital detector has higher x-ray absorption efficiency than screen-film combination or imaging plate(IP). We measured average glandular doses(AGD) in screen-film mammography(SFM) system with slow screen-film combination, computed mammography(CM) system, indirect digital mammography(IDM) system and direct digital mammography(DDM) system using brest tissue-equivalent phantom(glandularity 30%, 50% and 70%). The results were shown as follows : AGD values for DDM system were highest than those for other systems. Although automatic exposure control(AEC) mode was selected, the curve of the AGD values against thickness or glandularity increased significantly for the SFM system with the uniform target/filter(Mo/Mo) combination. Therefore, the AGD values for the high energy examinations were highest in the SFM system, and those for the low energy examinations were highest in the DDM system. But the curve of the AGD values against thickness and glandularity increased gently for CM system with the automatic selection of the target/filter combination (from Mo/Mo to Mo/Rh or from Mo/Rh to Rh/Rh), and the AGD values were lowest. Consequently, the parameters in mammography for each exposure besides detection efficiency play an important role in oder to estimate a patient radiation dose.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2014

Recently the development of portable digital wireless imaging system, which acquires digital radiation images by using wireless LAN telecommunications function in an easy and fast way, provides lots of convenience for people. Considering the characteristics of portable imaging tests on emergency and critical patients, this study aims to suggest guidelines for Digital wireless detector by evaluating the effect of de-centering of focus-grid and displacement of subject in detector on the quality of image. The equipments used for this study were Elmo-T6 Digital Mobile X-ray system (SIMAZU Corp.), el' Tor ($14{\times}17$ "Wireless detector), Grid (10:1) and Chest & head phantom. After acquiring post-processing image according to dose increase and de-centering image of grid-focus and head phantom displacement image, this study compared, analyzed and evaluated these images by using a digital image analysis program by Image J. In the change of images based on dose increase, images were rough in the dose of 0.5 mAs, while there was no difference among images in the proper dose of 1~2 mAs and, especially from 2.5 mAs, average value of pixels radically decreased, affecting contrast. Over 3 mAs, contrast dropped due to saturation phenomenon of lungs. As the result of analysis using Image J program, with the increase of displacement between focus-grid and head phantom, the frequency of low pixel value also increase, causing the outline of surface image to disappear, which in turn affects contrast. For better quality imaging, a radiographer must be aware before the time of test that the image quality can be changed based on the critical patient's posture, movement, respiration, displacement of X-ray tube and distance of imaging.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.557-563
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• 2018

Coincidence summing correction effects are known to be greater as the efficiency of the detector increases and as the distance between the source and the detector increases. A point source($^{60}Co$) was used to vary the distance in the direction of the detector's center axis and in the radial direction to obtain the P/T ratio for Coincidence summing correction calibration. In this study, values for coincidence summing corrected calibration of the values in the central and radial directions were applied to the mixed volume source(450 ml CRM source) to compare the overall peak efficiency change according to P/T with Geant4. In addition, the efficiency obtained from the mapping method is applied to the seaweed, a marine sample, and the compatibility of the P/T ratio with the detector and sample very dose together. The efficiency corrected to 1,836 keV was applied to the energy zone affected by the efficiency of 500 keV and the relative error of the measured and corrected values was well matcched by the 3.2 % peak efficiency correction. As with 450 mL CRM source, the larger the volume, the lower the P/T ratio was by ${\pm}5%$. This is due to the increased scattering of gamma-rays emitted as the source becomes farther away from the detector, and this change in P/T has been confirmed to affect the Coincidence summing corrected peak efficiency.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.624-629
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• 2018

The current study was conducted to develop a portable composite gas detector allowing the detection of both $CO_2$ and $CH_4$ gases by means of the Non Dispersive Infra-Red (NDIR) method. The gas detector is configured to radiate infrared waves using infrared lamps, where the wavelength of the infrared light is reduced due to absorption throughout the chamber, and this reduction (absorption) is detected by the absorption detector, before being converted and amplified to a 3.5V~6V electrical signal, providing as accurate a measurement as possible. The conventional singe sensor method measures the relative measurement by absorbing only specified wavelengths of infrared radiation, which in the case of gas detection leads to problems with accuracy due to the lack of a reference sensor when detecting light with a wavelength of only $4.26{\mu}m$. The dual sensor employed in this study provides a comparative measurement between the reference value derived from the wavelength of $3.91{\mu}m$, which is not influenced by other gas sources, and the measurement value derived from the wavelength of $4.26{\mu}m$, in order to reduce the errors and enhance the reliability, thereby allowing low power consumption for portable devices and multi-gas detection for both $CO_2$ and $CH_4$ gases. The portable composite gas detector developed herein provides a measurement rage of 0ppm~5,000ppm for $CO_2$ gas, and 0.5%vol for $CH_4$, which allows the determination of whether the $CO_2$ and $CH_4$ contents in indoor air are less than 1,000ppm or not. The current study established that the composite gas detector can be interlinked with firefighting appliances through portable devices or home automation, and is anticipated to be very effective in fire prevention.