• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.269-274
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• 2017

In this research, we simulated the elementary star shielding ability using Monte Carlo simulation to apply medical radiation shielding sheet which can replace existing lead. In the selection of elements, mainly elements and metal elements having a large atomic number, which are known to have high shielding performance, recently, various composite materials have improved shielding performance, so that weight reduction, processability, In consideration of activity etc., 21 elements were selected. The simulation tools were utilized Monte Carlo method. As a result of simulating the shielding performance by each element, it was estimated that the shielding ratio is the highest at 98.82% and 98.44% for tungsten and gold.

• 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 the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.489-495
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• 2023

Radiation shielding facilities are constructed in locations where diagnostic radiation generators are installed, with the aim of preventing exposure for patients and radiation workers. The purpose of this study is seek to compare and validate the trend of attenuation thickness of lead, the primary material in these radiation shielding facilities, at different maximum tube voltages by Monte Carlo simulations and measurement. We employed the Monte Carlo N-Particle 6 simulation code. Within this simulation, we set a lead shielding arrangement, where the distance between the source and the lead sheet was set at 100 cm and the field of view was set at 10 × 10 cm². Additionally, we varied the tube voltages to encompass 80, 100, 120, and 140 kVp. We calculated energy spectra for each respective tube voltage and applied them in the simulations. Lead thicknesses corresponding to attenuation rates of 50, 70, 90, and 95% were determined for tube voltages of 80, 100, 120, and 140 kVp. For 80 kVp, the calculated thicknesses for these attenuation rates were 0.03, 0.08, 0.21, and 0.33 mm, respectively. For 100 kVp, the values were 0.05, 0.12, 0.30, and 0.50 mm. Similarly, for 120 kVp, they were 0.06, 0.14, 0.38, and 0.56 mm. Lastly, at 140 kVp, the corresponding thicknesses were 0.08, 0.16, 0.42, and 0.61 mm. Measurements were conducted to validate the calculated lead thicknesses. The radiation generator employed was the GE Healthcare Discovery XR 656, and the dosimeter used was the IBA MagicMax. The experimental results showed that at 80 kVp, the attenuation rates for different thicknesses were 43.56, 70.33, 89.85, and 93.05%, respectively. Similarly, at 100 kVp, the rates were 52.49, 72.26, 86.31, and 92.17%. For 120 kVp, the attenuation rates were 48.26, 71.18, 87.30, and 91.56%. Lastly, at 140 kVp, they were measured 50.45, 68.75, 89.95, and 91.65%. Upon comparing the simulation and experimental results, it was confirmed that the differences between the two values were within an average of approximately 3%. These research findings serve to validate the reliability of Monte Carlo simulations and could be employed as fundamental data for future radiation shielding facility construction.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2002

High energy photon beams from medical linear accelerators produce large scattered radiation by various components of the treatment head, collimator and walls or objects in the treatment room including the patient. These scattered radiation do not provide therapeutic dose and are considered a hazard from the radiation safety perspective. Scattered dose of therapeutic high energy radiation beams are contributed significant unwanted dose to the patient. ICRP take the position that a dose of 500mGy may cause abortion at any stage of pregnancy and that radiation detriment to the fetus includes risk of mental retardation with a possible threshold in the dose response relationship around 100 mGy for the gestational period. The ICRP principle of as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) was recommended for protection of occupation upon the linear no-threshold dose response hypothesis for cancer induction. We suggest this ALARA principle be applied to the fetus and testicle in therapeutic treatment. Radiation dose outside a photon treatment filed is mostly due to scattered photons. This scattered dose is a function of the distance from the beam edge, treatment geometry, primary photon energy, and depth in the patient. The need for effective shielding of the fetus and testicle is reinforced when young patients ate treated with external beam radiation therapy and then shielding designed to reduce the scattered photon dose to normal organs have to considered. Irradiation was performed in phantom using high energy photon beams produced by a Varian 2100C/D medical linear accelerator (Varian Oncology Systems, Palo Alto, CA) located at the Yonsei Cancer Center. The composite phantom used was comprised of a commercially available anthropomorphic Rando phantom (Phantom Laboratory Inc., Salem, YN) and a rectangular solid polystyrene phantom of dimensions $30cm{\times}30cm{\times}20cm$. the anthropomorphic Rando phantom represents an average man made from tissue equivalent materials that is transected into transverse 36 slices of 2.5cm thickness. Photon dose was measured using a Capintec PR-06C ionization chamber with Capintec 192 electrometer (Capintec Inc., Ramsey, NJ), TLD( VICTOREEN 5000. LiF) and film dosimetry V-Omat, Kodak). In case of fetus, the dosimeter was placed at a depth of loom in this phantom at 100cm source to axis distance and located centrally 15cm from the inferior edge of the $30cm{\times}30cm^2$ x-ray beam irradiating the Rando phantom chest wall. A acryl bridge of size $40cm{\times}40cm^2$ and a clear space of about 20 cm was fabricated and placed on top of the rectangular polystyrene phantom representing the abdomen of the patient. The leaf pot for testicle shielding was made as various shape, sizes, thickness and supporting stand. The scattered photon with and without shielding were measured at the representative position of the fetus and testicle. Measurement of radiation scattered dose outside fields and critical organs, like fetus position and testicle region, from chest or pelvic irradiation by large fie]d of high energy radiation beam was performed using an ionization chamber and film dosimetry. The scattered doses outside field were measured 5 - 10% of maximum doses in fields and exponentially decrease from field margins. The scattered photon dose received the fetus and testicle from thorax field irradiation was measured about 1 mGy/Gy of photon treatment dose. Shielding construction to reduce this scattered dose was investigated using lead sheet and blocks. Lead pot shield for testicle reduced the scatter dose under 10 mGy when photon beam of 60 Gy was irradiated in abdomen region. The scattered photon dose is reduced when the lead shield was used while the no significant reduction of scattered photon dose was observed and 2-3 mm lead sheets refuted the skin dose under 80% and almost electron contamination. The results indicate that it was possible to improve shielding to reduce scattered photon for fetus and testicle when a young patients were treated with a high energy photon beam.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.189-195
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• 2017

Radiation protection equipment has widely used to protect human body from radiations, for example X-ray and gamma ray. The material of the radiation protection equipment is mainly lead (Pb) which has brought out lead poisoning and pollution when the equipment is fallen into disuse. This problem makes research and development find new Pb-free materials for use of radiation protection. Manufacturing and evaluation processes for developing those material were carried out repletely until obtaining the performance of protection rate. In this study, combination possibility of shielding material was studied using Geant4 monte carlo simulation. X-ray tube under the same condition in the real measurement of the protection rate was simulated, and X-ray tube spectrum was obtained. The X-ray tube spectrum was applied to study on the protection rate and lead equivalent. The porosity effect was simulated, and was one of key factors to determine protection rate or lead equivalent in radiation protection sheet of Pb-free.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.15-18
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• 2010

Main component of radiography barrier aprons is lead. To manufacture a lead-free barrier sheath, barium sulfate and organic iodine-based chemicals should be mixed with rubber. Barrier capacity was tested in the medical field. To improve adaptation of rubber with the mixture, raw materials went through milling, agitation, and extruding processes. Three sheaths were manufactured with 30%, 80%, and 120% sulfate barium, respectively. This study found 10% lower barrier capacity of lead-free barrier than the traditional lead-containing rubber sheath. Problems, however, were confronted during the agitation and extruding processes. Mixing with rubber was a technically demanding job. Inconsistent depth, problems with thermal processing and dissipation were encountered as well.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.15-20
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• 2002

The principal obstacle to selection of a laser processing method in production is its relatively high equipment cost and the natural unwillingness of production supervision to try something new until it is thoroughly proven. The major objective of this work is focused on the combined features of gas tungsten arc and a low-power cold laser beam. In this work, the laser beam from a 7 watts carbon monoxide laser was combined with electrical discharges from a short-pulsed capacitive discharge GTA welding power supply. When the low power CO laser beam passes through a special composition shielding gas, the CO molecules in the gas absorbs the radiation, and ionizes through a process blown as non-equilibrium, vibration-vibration pumping. The resulting laser-induced plasma(LIP) was positioned between various configurations of electrodes. The high-voltage impulse applied to the electrodes forced rapid electrical breakdown between the electrodes. Electrical discharges between tungsten electrodes and aluminum sheet specimens followed the ionized path provided by LIP. The result was well-focused melted spots.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.176-180
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• 2002

During the last two decades the laser beam has progressed from a sophisticated laboratory apparatus to an adaptable and viable industrial tool. Especially, in its welding mode, the laser offers high travel speed, low distortion, and narrow fusion and heat-affected zones (HAZ). The principal obstacle to selection of a laser processing method in production is its relatively high equipment cost and the natural unwillingness of production supervision to try something new until it is thoroughly proven. The major objective of this work is focused on the combined features of gas tungsten arc and a low-power cold laser beam. Although high-power laser beams have been combined with the plasma from a gas tungsten arc (GTA) torch for use in welding as early as 1980, recent work at the Ohio State University has employed a low power laser beam to initiate, direct, and concentrate a gas tungsten arcs. In this work, the laser beam from a 7 watts carbon monoxide laser was combined with electrical discharges from a short-pulsed capacitive discharge GTA welding power supply. When the low power CO laser beam passes through a special composition shielding gas, the CO molecules in the gas absorbs the radiation, and ionizes through a process known as non-equilibrium, vibration-vibration pumping. The resulting laser-induced plasma (LIP) was positioned between various configurations of electrodes. The high-voltage impulse applied to the electrodes forced rapid electrical breakdown between the electrodes. Electrical discharges between tungsten electrodes and aluminum sheet specimens followed the ionized path provided by LIP. The result was well focused melted spots.