Use of life cycle assessment (LCA) to advance optimisation of radiological protection and safety
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a modelling technique used to determine the cradle-to-grave environmental and human health impacts from the production of a good or the provision of a service. Radiological protection may benefit from employing tools like LCA to obtain a broader perspective and enable comparison with analyses of non-radiological systems. Despite structural similarities to other well-established decision-aiding techniques (DATs), the impact assessment within LCA (i.e. LCIA) is not commonly used in the optimisation of radiological protection process. This paper provides a brief review of LCA, including LCIA, al...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - September 14, 2023 Category: Physics Authors: Bryanna D Wattier, Nicole E Martinez, Michael Carbajales-Dale and Lindsay C Shuller-Nickles Source Type: research
On the value and costs of protective actions in a nuclear emergency
This paper reviews the current orthodoxy for the prompt application of shelter and evacuation advice in the event of a nuclear emergency in the light of the reassessment of the perceived costs and benefits of these protective actions that followed the Fukushima event. In particular, it discusses the mechanisms and criteria for the withdrawal of protective action advice or their continuation for more than a few hours and their impact on public perception. It suggests that lack of thought given to this area may lead to protective actions being kept in place for longer than necessary leading to more harm than good. It also co...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - September 14, 2023 Category: Physics Authors: Keith Pearce Source Type: research
Impacts of environmental decontamination on the rebuilding of returnees ’ lives after the Fukushima accident
Environmental decontamination after a nuclear disaster not only contributes to reducing the public ’s exposure to radiation, it also introduces waste disposal issues arising from the decontamination process. In addition to that issue, the optimisation of decontamination efforts necessitates the consideration of various environmental, economic, and societal factors. Stakeholders’ perspectives are important for identifying the multifaceted aspects to be considered. We conducted a semi-structured interview survey in 2019 with ten residents in a rural community in Fukushima, Japan, which experienced a six-year-long evacuat...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - September 11, 2023 Category: Physics Authors: Momo Takada, Yujiro Kuroda, Yumiko Kanai and Tetsuo Yasutaka Source Type: research
Influence of tube and patient positioning in thoracoabdominal CT examinations on radiation exposure –towards a better patient positioning
Although iso-centric patient positioning is enormously important in computed tomography (CT), it is complicated in thoracoabdominal imaging by the varying dimensions of the body. Patient positioning can affect the appearance of the patient on the localiser. Positioned too close to the x-ray tube, a patient appears considerably more voluminous. The goal of this study is to assess the difference in radiation exposure of combined chest and abdomen CT scans between scans with prior 0 °- and 180°-localisers in conjunction with patient positioning. In this IRB-approved retrospective study, patients who had two routine thoracoa...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - September 10, 2023 Category: Physics Authors: Birte Valentin, Benedikt Kamp, Jan Henke, Alexandra Ljimani, Elisabeth Appel, Gerald Antoch and Andrea Steuwe Source Type: research
New operational quantities (RBE × D
p lens/Φ) for eye lens neutron dosimetry as a function of energy and angle of incidence in the ICRU 95 formalism
This paper is a continuation of a study published recently by the authors. It presents and discusses computed personal absorbed dose in the lens of the eye (Dp lens/ Φ), and a relative biological effectiveness (RBE)-weighted absorbed dose (in terms of an newly proposed operational quantity RBE × Dp lens/Φ), conversion coefficients for the lens of the eye for neutron exposure at incident energies from thermal to ∼20 MeV and at angles of incidence from 0° to 90° in 15° increments, at 180° and for rotational incidence irradiation geometry (from 0° to 360° in 5° increments). These conversion coefficients were obtai...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - September 10, 2023 Category: Physics Authors: Salah Djeffal, Jacques Dubeau, Jiansheng Sun and Fawaz Ali Source Type: research
Redistribution of radionuclides in wall material and its effects on the room dose rate
Here we investigate the annual effective dose rate obtained from gamma radiation emitted from radionuclides in construction materials in a model room with fixed dimensions. The dose rate is calculated on the whole room area at half the room height. We focus our analyses on a comparison of the annual effective dose rate between the room centre and the room average at half the room height and provide wall-wise quadratic index equations for both. We find that the annual effective dose rate based on the room average is larger than for the room centre due to increased annual effective dose rates for positions in the room closer...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - September 6, 2023 Category: Physics Authors: Jens Fohlmeister and Bernd Hoffmann Source Type: research
Design and development of a detector system and software tool installed on a mobile laboratory to provide both radiological characterisation of large areas and a simple tool for localising radioactive sources
In emergency situations where an immediate response is required to make appropriate decisions by the competent authorities, it is essential to have measurement tools that provide results as accurate as possible in real-time. This paper presents the description of the upgrade of the mobile laboratory of the Radiological Alert Network of Extremadura, focusing on the characterisation of radioactive-contaminated land during emergency situations and the detection of radioactive sources. The detector system is based on two scintillation detectors and a car-borne dose rate monitor. Additionally, a software tool has been developed...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - September 4, 2023 Category: Physics Authors: P Rodr íguez-Oliver, J A Corbacho and J M Caballero Source Type: research
Progress with the regulation of radiation safety during recovery and removal of spent nuclear fuel from the site for temporary storage at Andreeva Bay on the Kola Peninsula
In the 1960s, a shore technical base (STB) was established at Andreeva Bay on the Kola Peninsula, in northwest Russia. The STB maintained nuclear submarines and the nuclear icebreaker fleet, receiving and storing fresh and spent nuclear fuel (SNF) as well as solid and liquid radioactive waste (RW). It was subsequently re-designated as a site for temporary storage (STS) for SNF and RW. Over time, the SNF storage facilities partly lost their containment functions, leading to radioactive contamination of workshops and the site above permitted values. The technological and engineering infrastructure at the site was also signif...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - August 23, 2023 Category: Physics Authors: A Simakov, M K Sneve, Y Abramov, A Grigoryev, G Goncharenko, K Siegien, N Proskuryakova, M Semenova and G M Smith Source Type: research
Evaluation of average glandular dose (AGD) in screening and diagnostic digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) towards establishing a reference dose range band (DRB): a developing country experience
This study represents the first national survey conducted in Sri Lanka to establish national diagnostic reference levels (NDRLs) for screening and diagnostic acquisitions in digital mammography (2D-DM) and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). Additionally, the study investigated the relationship between average glandular dose (AGD) and compressed breast thickness (CBT) and introduced a novel concept called dose range bands (DRBs) as a tool for optimizing radiation dose in mammography. DICOM metadata was used to extract dose data and exposure parameters from women undergoing either screening (350) or diagnostic (750) DM. The...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - July 25, 2023 Category: Physics Authors: Jeyasingam Jeyasugiththan, B G U Maheshika Bandara, S H DM Wickramarathna, Hashini Thenuwara, Duminda Satharasinghe, A S Pallewatte and Pandula Hettiarachchi Source Type: research
Visual impression and texture analysis of advanced modeled iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE): improved assessment of image quality in CT for better estimation of dose reduction potential
To evaluate the image quality (IQ) of advanced modeled iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE; Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany) applying image texture and image visual impression as a supplement to physical parameters such as noise level and spatial resolution. An ACR-phantom with four modules was examined at different radiation dose levels. To characterise the image texture, two Haralick texture parameters, contrast and entropy, were assessed at different dose levels and reconstruction algorithms. The visual impression of images and the low-contrast detectability were evaluated by the structural similarity index (SSIM). ...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - July 25, 2023 Category: Physics Authors: Babak Alikhani, Hans-J ürgen Raatschen, Frank Wacker and Thomas Werncke Source Type: research
Feasibility study of computational occupational dosimetry: evaluating a proof-of-concept in an endovascular and interventional cardiology setting
The objective of the PODIUM (Personal Online Dosimetry Using Computational Methods) project was to improve personal dosimetry by an innovative approach: the development of an online dosimetry application based on computer simulations without the use of physical dosimeters. Occupational doses were calculated based on the use of camera tracking devices, flexible individualised phantoms and data from the radiation source. When combined with fast Monte Carlo simulation codes, the aim was to perform personal dosimetry in real-time. A key component of the PODIUM project was to assess and validate the methodology in interventiona...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - October 4, 2022 Category: Physics Authors: U O'Connor, C Walsh, D Gorman, G O'Reilly, Z Martin, P Madhavan, R T Murphy, R Szirt, A Alm én, M Andersson, A Camp, V Garcia, M A Duch, M Ginjaume, M Abdelrahman, P Lombardo and F Vanhavere Source Type: research
A review of current inventory for major industries involving naturally occurring radioactive materials in Canada
Earth materials contain radionuclides of natural origin in varying concentrations. Exposure to natural sources dominates the occupational and public exposure to ionizing radiation. Canada has one of the largest and most diverse supplies of natural resources in the world. A large quantity of material production is associated with a large quantity of waste releases to the environment. Releases from industries involving naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) can concentrate trace amounts of natural radionuclides and are often poorly characterized. This raises concerns for occupational and public health. Currently, th...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - October 2, 2022 Category: Physics Authors: Jing Chen Source Type: research
Radiological risk evaluation applied to aerial evacuation procedures in a nuclear scenario
This study evaluates the risk assessment of a hypothetical scenario where an off-site radioactive release occurs at a nuclear power plant. By using the code Accident Reporting and Guiding Operational System (Prolog Development Center - PDC/ARGOS) a numerical simulation was performed to simulate exposure conditions in an atmospheric plume of contamination. Crews on a rescue mission traverse the plume through a pre-defined path to evaluate the risk from a hypothetical radiological exposure. Applying a sophisticated epidemiological assessment methodology, radiation doses and risks on the teams were evaluated. Core variables s...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - September 28, 2022 Category: Physics Authors: Daniel F Alves, Ricardo M Stenders, Claudio A Federico and Edson R Andrade Source Type: research
Radiation dose aspects and establishment of diagnostic reference levels for 90Y radioembolisation during angiographic procedure
90Y radioembolisation (RE) is an angiographic procedure used in patients with both primary and secondary hepatic malignancies. Local tumour control can be achieved by short range tumour irradiation by the regional intra-arterial administration of glass or resin microspheres loaded with 90yttrium that accumulate in the tumorous tissue. The aim of this study was to investigate the radiation exposure of RE and to establish a local diagnostic reference level (DRL). In this retrospective study, dose data from 397 procedures in 306 patients (mean age 67.4 ± 10.6 years, 82 female) who underwent RE between 06/2017 and 01/2022 usi...
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - September 27, 2022 Category: Physics Authors: Marcel Opitz, Sebastian Zensen, Johannes Maximilian Ludwig, Manuel Weber, Georgios Alatzides, Robert Seifert, Johannes Gr üneisen, Jens Matthias Theysohn, Denise Bos and Benedikt Michael Schaarschmidt Source Type: research
Radiation exposure to extremities in medical applications and its implications for the radiation protection of workers in the Philippines
This study thus shows the need to enhance the implementation of extremity and eye lens dose monitoring in the Philippines to further strengthen the radiation protection of workers in medical applications. (Source: Journal of Radiological Protection)
Source: Journal of Radiological Protection - September 25, 2022 Category: Physics Authors: Kristine Marie Romallosa Dean, Angelo Panlaqui, Christy Mae Betos and Jericissa Amberrose Acha Source Type: research
