• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 1988

In case of the acute intake of radionuclide, an early medical treatment may be necessary, but the little is established the procedures to decontaminate the victims of internal contamination in Korea. The purpose of the present investigation is to study chemical agents to remove radiocobalt from the victims and to provide a more reliable procedure for the treatment. The removals of radiocobalt from the NIH-CGP)mice injected intraperitoneally with $1{\mu}Ci$ of $^{58}Co$ as $CoCl_2$ were investigated with doses of either $CaNa_3$ DTPA 8.4mg/0.2ml saline, $CoNa_3$ DTPA 8.4mg/0.2ml saline, or saline 5ml. The radioactivity was determined by MCA and Ge-detector on 4, 8, 12, 48 hours and 7 days for the whole body, organ distribution and urine excretion. Six mice per each group were sacrificed for the measurement of cobalt retention in the parenchymal tissue. The cobalt trisodium chelate had a pronounced effect on reducing the whole body retention and increasing the excretion rate. Regarding to the systemic protective effects, $CoNa_3$ DTPA, $CaNa_3$ DTPA and saline were effected significantly in order. In conclusion, the extrapolations from these results to human were suggested that the rapid administration of cobalt trisodium chelate and an amount of saline to the contaminated person after internal contamination of radiocobalt were markedly increasing the decontamination effects.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 1998

Circular metal electrodes were vacuum-deposited with chromium on the both sides of Teflon-FEP and PET film characteristic of electret and the physical properties of the two polymers were observed during an irradiation by gamma-ray from $\^$60/Co. With the onset of irradiation of output 25.0 cGy/min the induced current increased rapidly for 2 sec, reached a maximum, and subsequently decreased. A steady-state induced current was reached about in 60 second. The dielectric constant and conductivity of Teflon-FEP were changed from 2.15 to 18.0 and from l${\times}$l0$\^$-17/ to 1.57${\times}$10$\^$-13/ $\Omega$-$\^$-1/cm$\^$-1/, respectively. For PET the dielectric constant was changed from 3 to 18.3 and the conductivity from 10$\^$-17/ to 1.65${\times}$10$\^$-13/ $\Omega$-$\^$-1/cm$\^$-1/. The increase of the radiation-induced steady state current I$\^$c/, permittivity $\varepsilon$ and conductivity $\sigma$ with output(4.0 cGy/min, 8.5 cGy/min, 15.6 cGy/min, 19.3 cGy/min) was observed. A series of independent measurements were also performed to evaluate reproducibility and revealed less than 1% deviation in a day and 3% deviation in a long term. Charge and current showed the dependence on the interval between measurements, the smaller the interval was, the bigger the difference between initial reading and next reading was. At least in 20 minutes of next reading reached an initial value. It may indicate that the polymers were exhibiting an electret state for a while. These results can be explained by the internal polarization associated with the production of electron-hole pairs by secondary electrons, the change of conductivity and the equilibrium due to recombination etc. Heating to the sample made the reading value increase in a short time, it may be interpreted that the internal polarization was released due to heating and it contributed the number of charge carriers to increase when the samples was again irradiated. The linearity and reproducibility of the samples with the applied voltage and absorbed dose and a large amount of charge measured per unit volume compared with the other chambers give the feasibility of a radiation detector and make it possible to reduce the volume of a detector.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

Compton cameras overcome several limitations of conventional mechanical collimation based gamma imaging devices, such as pin-hole imaging devices, due to its electronic collimation based on coincidence logic. Especially large-scale Compton camera has wide field of view and high imaging sensitivity. Those merits suggest that a large-scale Compton camera might be applicable to monitoring nuclear materials in large facilities without necessity of portability. To that end, our research group have made an effort to design a large-scale Compton camera for safeguard application. Energy resolution or position resolution of large-area detectors vary with configuration style of the detectors. Those performances directly affect the image quality of the large-scale Compton camera. In the present study, a series of Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations were performed in order to examine the effect of those detector parameters. Performance of the designed large-scale Compton camera was also estimated for various monitoring condition with realistic modeling. The conclusion of the present study indicates that the energy resolution of the component detector is the limiting factor of imaging resolution rather than the position resolution. Also, the designed large-scale Compton camera provides the 16.3 cm image resolution in full width at half maximum (angular resolution: $9.26^{\circ}$) for the depleted uranium source considered in this study located at the 1 m from the system when the component detectors have 10% energy resolution and 7 mm position resolution.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.41-47
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• 2021

Purpose There are many cyclotrons compared to the land area of the Republic of Korea. Because GMP certification is required and the nuclear medicine test does not apply for insurance, the number of examinations for nuclear medicine is decreasing. Therefore, there is a high probability of early decommissioning of the cyclotron. However, we do not unusually perform the radioactivation evaluation on concrete that can be classified as radioactive waste during the decommissioning of the cyclotron. In this study, we aim to confirm the radioactivation in the concrete surface using Handheld Radionuclide Identification Devices (RIDs). Materials and Methods Because there is no cyclotron being decommissioning in the Republic of Korea, it was impossible to perform the coring of concrete for radioactivation analysis. In this study, we used the KIRAMS-13 and analyzed the concrete surface in the target direction in the cyclotron room. After setting the target direction as the center, radionuclides were measured for about five months at thirty points with vertical and horizontal intervals of 30 cm. We used the RIIDEye(Detector: NaI(Tl) detector, manufacturer: Thermo) in this study and set the measurement time per point to one day (24 hours). Results Co-60 and Cs-137 were detected in some measurement points, and we confirmed the radioactivity of Co-60 detected at the most points. As a result, we found that the radioactivity of Co-60 was high in the diagonal direction (from the lower-left direction to the upper right direction) based on the center of the target. However, we think it is impossible to apply the corresponding results to all cyclotrons because we performed the study using only one cyclotron. Conclusion In thirty measurement points, we could confirm the radioactive nuclides and the relative radioactivity using the results of portable nuclides analyzer. Therefore, we expect that we can use the portable nuclides analyzer to select the coring position of concrete during the decommissioning of the cyclotron. Also, if we secure the radioactivation data for several years, we expect to make a more accurate estimate of radioactive waste during the preparation period of decommissioning of the cyclotron.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2016

Background: For the purpose of baseline data collection and enhancement of environmental monitoring the distribution studies of $^{137}Cs$ and $^{90}Sr$ in the soil of Uljin province was performed and the relation between surface soil activities and soil properties (pH, TOC and median of the surface soil) was analyzed. Materials and Methods: For 14 spots within 10 km from the NPP surface soil samples were collected and soils for depth profile were sampled for 3 spots in April 2011. Using ${\gamma}$-ray spectrometry with HPGe detector, the concentrations of $^{137}Cs$ were determined and the concentrations of $^{90}Sr$ were measured by counting ${\beta}$-activity of $^{90}Y$ (in equilibrium with $^{90}Sr$) in a gas flow proportional counter. Results and Discussion: The concentration ranges of $^{137}Cs$ and $^{90}Sr$ were $<0.479-39.6Bq{\cdot}(kg-dry)^{-1}$ (avg. $7.51Bq{\cdot}(kg-dry)^{-1}$) and $0.209-1.85Bq{\cdot}(kg-dry)^{-1}$ (avg. $0.74Bq{\cdot}(kg-dry)^{-1}$) which were similar to the reported values from other regions in Korea. The activity ratio of $^{137}Cs$ to $^{90}Sr$ in surface soils was around 9.67, which is much bigger than the initial value of 1.75 for worldwide fallouts because of faster downward movement of $^{90}Sr$ after fallout than that of $^{137}Cs$. For depth profile studies soils were collected down to 40 cm depth for the locations of Deokgu, Hujeong and Maehwa. The $^{137}Cs$ concentration distribution of the first two showed maximum values at top soils and decreased rapidly in exponential manner, while $^{90}Sr$ showed two local maximum values for soils near top and about 30 cm depth. Through linear fittings between the $^{137}Cs$ and $^{90}Sr$ concentrations of surface soil and pH, TOC and median of the surface soil, the only probable relationship obtained was between $^{137}Cs$ and TOC (determination coefficient $R^2=0.6$). Conclusion: The concentration ranges of $^{137}Cs$ and $^{90}Sr$ in Uljin were similar to the reported values from other regions in Korea. The only probable relationship obtained between activities and soil properties was between $^{137}Cs$ and TOC.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.250-257
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• 1997

Stem diameter and shoot fresh weight of tomato grown in greenhouse were measured non-destructively at 10 minutes interval from 1 to 16 July, 1996 with displacement detector using strain gauges and with suspension-type load cell, respectively, and simultaneously were measured soil water potential, transpiration and solar radiation. Ample water was irrigated before experiment, and thereafter, irrigations were made on the next morning when visual symptoms of wilting appeared. Shoot fresh weight and stem diameter showed very similar patterns in diurnal changes which are characterized by predawn maximum and afternoon minimum and in long- term evolutions, suggesting that stem diameter shrinkage and expansion are closely related to plant water content and growth, respectively, Shoot weight and stem diameter reached minimum values a little later than the time on which transpiration showed maximum. The daily net gains of fresh weight(DG) and stem diameter(DI) showed significantly Positive correlations with solar radiation in those days on which plants were not water-stressed. However, Dl and DG on those days of water stress showed much lower values than expected from the relationships between solar radiation and them. Transpiration was much lower than the expected potential transpiration on 10 July, implying that plants were water-stressed. In this case water stress was not detected from visual symptom of wilting and/or soil water potential, but was able to be identified by the lower DI and DG than the expected. The maximum contraction of stem diameter(MC) and the maximum loss of fresh weight(ML) during daytime showed significantly positive correlations with solar radiation in those days on which plants were not water-stressed and were observed greater than expected from the relationships on severely water-stressed days. But mild water stress could not be discernable by ML and MC. It would be concluded that the daily net gains of fresh weight and/or stem diameter could be used as criteria for diagnosing the water status of tomato and for triggoring the onset of irrigation in automatic system.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2015

In this study, we investigated the effects of an iterative reconstruction algorithm and an automatic exposure control (AEC) technique on image quality and radiation dose through phantom experiments with coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography protocols. We scanned the AAPM CT performance phantom using 320 multi-detector-row CT. At the tube voltages of 80, 100, and 120 kVp, the scanning was repeated with two settings of the AEC technique, i.e., with the target standard deviations (SD) values of 33 (the higher tube current) and 44 (the lower tube current). The scanned projection data were reconstructed also in two ways, with the filtered back projection (FBP) and with the iterative reconstruction technique (AIDR-3D). The image quality was evaluated quantitatively with the noise standard deviation, modulation transfer function, and the contrast to noise ratio (CNR). More specifically, we analyzed the influences of selection of a tube voltage and a reconstruction algorithm on tube current modulation and consequently on radiation dose. Reduction of image noise by the iterative reconstruction algorithm compared with the FBP was revealed eminently, especially with the lower tube current protocols, i.e., it was decreased by 46% and 38%, when the AEC was established with the lower dose (the target SD=44) and the higher dose (the target SD=33), respectively. As a side effect of iterative reconstruction, the spatial resolution was decreased by a degree that could not mar the remarkable gains in terms of noise reduction. Consequently, if coronary CT angiogprahy is scanned and reconstructed using both the automatic exposure control and iterative reconstruction techniques, it is anticipated that, in comparison with a conventional acquisition method, image noise can be reduced significantly with slight decrease in spatial resolution, implying clinical advantages of radiation dose reduction, still being faithful to the ALARA principle.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.5-5
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• 2011

The research and development of hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and electric vehicle (EV) are intensified due to the energy crisis and environmental concerns. In order to meet the challenging requirements of powering HEV, PHEV and EV, the current lithium battery technology needs to be significantly improved in terms of the cost, safety, power and energy density, as well as the calendar and cycle life. One new technology being developed is the utilization of composite cathode by mixing two different types of insertion compounds [e.g., spinel $LiMn_2O_4$ and layered $LiMO_2$ (M=Ni, Co, and Mn)]. Recently, some studies on mixing two different types of cathode materials to make a composite cathode have been reported, which were aimed at reducing cost and improving self-discharge. Numata et al. reported that when stored in a sealed can together with electrolyte at $80^{\circ}C$ for 10 days, the concentrations of both HF and $Mn^{2+}$ were lower in the can containing $LiMn_2O_4$ blended with $LiNi_{0.8}Co_{0.2}O_2$ than that containing $LiMn_2O_4$ only. That reports clearly showed that this blending technique can prevent the decline in capacity caused by cycling or storage at elevated temperatures. However, not much work has been reported on the charge-discharge characteristics and related structural phase transitions for these composite cathodes. In this presentation, we will report our in situ x-ray diffraction studies on this mixed composite cathode material during charge-discharge cycling. The mixed cathodes were incorporated into in situ XRD cells with a Li foil anode, a Celgard separator, and a 1M $LiPF_6$ electrolyte in a 1 : 1 EC : DMC solvent (LP 30 from EM Industries, Inc.). For in situ XRD cell, Mylar windows were used as has been described in detail elsewhere. All of these in situ XRD spectra were collected on beam line X18A at National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at Brookhaven National Laboratory using two different detectors. One is a conventional scintillation detector with data collection at 0.02 degree in two theta angle for each step. The other is a wide angle position sensitive detector (PSD). The wavelengths used were 1.1950 ${\AA}$ for the scintillation detector and 0.9999 A for the PSD. The newly installed PSD at beam line X18A of NSLS can collect XRD patterns as short as a few minutes covering $90^{\circ}$ of two theta angles simultaneously with good signal to noise ratio. It significantly reduced the data collection time for each scan, giving us a great advantage in studying the phase transition in real time. The two theta angles of all the XRD spectra presented in this paper have been recalculated and converted to corresponding angles for ${\lambda}=1.54\;{\AA}$, which is the wavelength of conventional x-ray tube source with Cu-$k{\alpha}$ radiation, for easy comparison with data in other literatures. The structural changes of the composite cathode made by mixing spinel $LiMn_2O_4$ and layered $Li-Ni_{1/3}Co_{1/3}Mn_{1/3}O_2$ in 1 : 1 wt% in both Li-half and Li-ion cells during charge/discharge are studied by in situ XRD. During the first charge up to ~5.2 V vs. $Li/Li^+$, the in situ XRD spectra for the composite cathode in the Li-half cell track the structural changes of each component. At the early stage of charge, the lithium extraction takes place in the $LiNi_{1/3}Co_{1/3}Mn_{1/3}O_2$ component only. When the cell voltage reaches at ~4.0 V vs. $Li/Li^+$, lithium extraction from the spinel $LiMn_2O_4$ component starts and becomes the major contributor for the cell capacity due to the higher rate capability of $LiMn_2O_4$. When the voltage passed 4.3 V, the major structural changes are from the $LiNi_{1/3}Co_{1/3}Mn_{1/3}O_2$ component, while the $LiMn_2O_4$ component is almost unchanged. In the Li-ion cell using a MCMB anode and a composite cathode cycled between 2.5 V and 4.2 V, the structural changes are dominated by the spinel $LiMn_2O_4$ component, with much less changes in the layered $LiNi_{1/3}Co_{1/3}Mn_{1/3}O_2$ component, comparing with the Li-half cell results. These results give us valuable information about the structural changes relating to the contributions of each individual component to the cell capacity at certain charge/discharge state, which are helpful in designing and optimizing the composite cathode using spinel- and layered-type materials for Li-ion battery research. More detailed discussion will be presented at the meeting.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.90-93
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• 2011

Purpose: A Pixelated BSGI gamma camera has features to enhance resolution and sensitivity and minimize the distance between detector and organs by narrow FOV. Therefore, it is known as useful device to examine small organs such as thyroid, parathyroid and gall bladder. In general, when we would like to enlarge the size of images and obtain high resolution images by gamma camera in nuclear medicine study, we use pinhole collimator. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of Pixelated BSGI gamma camera and to compare to it using pinhole collimator in thyroid scan which is a study of typical small organs. Materials and methods: (1) The evaluation of sensitivity and spatial resolution: We measured sensitivity and spatial resolution of Pixelated BSGI with LEHR collimator and Infinia gamma camera with pinhole collimator. The sensitivity was measured by point source sensitivity test recommended by IAEA. We acquired images considering dead time in BSGI gamma camera for 100 seconds and used $^{99m}TcO4-\;400{\mu}Ci$ line source. (2) The evaluation of thyroid phantom: The thyroid phantom was filled with $^{99m}TcO4-$. After set 300 sec or 100 kcts stop conditions, we acquired images from both pixelated BSGI gamma camera and Infinia gamma camera with LEHR collimator. And we performed all thyroid studies in the same way as current AMC's procedure. Results: (1) the result of sensitivity: As a result, the sensitivity and spatial resolution of pixelated BSGI gamma camera were better than Infinia's. The sensitivities of pixelated BSGI and Infinia gamma camera were $290cps/{\mu}Ci$ and $350cps/{\mu}Ci$ respectively. So, the sensitivity of pixelated BSGI was 1.2 times higher than Infinia's (2) the result of thyroid phantom: Consequently, we confirmed that images of Pixelated BSGI gamma camera were more distinguishable between hot and cold spot compared with Infinia gamma camera. Conclusion: A pixelated BSGI gamma camera is able to shorten the acquisition time. Furthermore, the patients are exposed to radiation less than before by reducing amount of radiopharmaceutical doses. Shortening scan time makes images better by minimizing patient's breath and motion. And also, the distance between organ and detector is minimized because detector of pixelated BSGI gamma camera is small and possible to rotate. When patient cannot move at all, it is useful since device is feasible to move itself. However, although a pixelated BSGI gamma camera has these advantages, the effect of dead time occurs over 2000 cts/s since it was produced only for breast scan. So, there were low concentrations in organ. Therefore, we should consider that it needs to take tests to adjust acquisition time and amount of radiopharmaceutical doses in thyroid scan case with a pixelated BSGI gamma camera.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.318-324
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• 2004

Purpose: Philips GEMINI is a newly introduced whole-body GSO PET/CT scanner. In this study, performance of the scanner including spatial resolution, sensitivity, scatter fraction, noise equivalent count ratio (NECR) was measured utilizing NEMA NU2-2001 standard protocol and compared with performance of LSO, BGO crystal scanner. Methods: GEMINI is composed of the Philips ALLEGRO PET and MX8000 D multi-slice CT scanners. The PET scanner has 28 detector segments which have an array of 29 by 22 GSO crystals ($4{\times}6{\times}20$ mm), covering axial FOV of 18 cm. PET data to measure spatial resolution, sensitivity, scatter fraction, and NECR were acquired in 3D mode according to the NEMA NU2 protocols (coincidence window: 8 ns, energy window: $409[\sim}664$ keV). For the measurement of spatial resolution, images were reconstructed with FBP using ramp filter and an iterative reconstruction algorithm, 3D RAMLA. Data for sensitivity measurement were acquired using NEMA sensitivity phantom filled with F-18 solution and surrounded by $1{\sim}5$ aluminum sleeves after we confirmed that dead time loss did not exceed 1%. To measure NECR and scatter fraction, 1110 MBq of F-18 solution was injected into a NEMA scatter phantom with a length of 70 cm and dynamic scan with 20-min frame duration was acquired for 7 half-lives. Oblique sinograms were collapsed into transaxial slices using single slice rebinning method, and true to background (scatter+random) ratio for each slice and frame was estimated. Scatter fraction was determined by averaging the true to background ratio of last 3 frames in which the dead time loss was below 1%. Results: Transverse and axial resolutions at 1cm radius were (1) 5.3 and 6.5 mm (FBP), (2) 5.1 and 5.9 mm (3D RAMLA). Transverse radial, transverse tangential, and axial resolution at 10 cm were (1) 5.7, 5.7, and 7.0 mm (FBP), (2) 5.4, 5.4, and 6.4 mm (3D RAMLA). Attenuation free values of sensitivity were 3,620 counts/sec/MBq at the center of transaxial FOV and 4,324 counts/sec/MBq at 10 cm offset from the center. Scatter fraction was 40.6%, and peak true count rate and NECR were 88.9 kcps @ 12.9 kBq/mL and 34.3 kcps @ 8.84 kBq/mL. These characteristics are better than that of ECAT EXACT PET scanner with BGO crystal. Conclusion: The results of this field test demonstrate high resolution, sensitivity and count rate performance of the 3D PET/CT scanner with GSO crystal. The data provided here will be useful for the comparative study with other 3D PET/CT scanners using BGO or LSO crystals.