• 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 Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.67-71
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• 2001

In order to shield the neutrons affecting the background of Low Level Gamma Ray Spectrometer, a neutron shielder was designed. The method used in this study for neutron shielding was the deceleration of fast neutrons by high density polyethylene(HDPE) and the absorption of those slowing-down neutrons by $B_4C$. The calculation results of neutron Interaction in HDPE using Monte Carlo simulation code MCNP4B showed that the thermal-neutron flux was maximum at 10 cm thickness of HDPE. The results also showed that 95% of the thermal neutrons were absorbed by 2 mm thickness of $B_4C$ absorber Consisted of 30 w% $B_4C$ and 70 w% polymer. The results of the Monte Carlo calculation were in good agreement with the experimental value obtained by a neutron shielding apparatus designed for this purpose.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1535-1541
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• 2019

To carry out safe and rapid decontamination in radiological accident areas, acquisition of various information on radiation sources is needed. In particular, to figure out the location and distribution of radiation sources is essential for rapid follow-up and removal of contaminants as well as minimizing worker damage. The radiation distribution detection device is used to obtain the position and distribution information of the radiation source. In the case of a radiation distribution detection device, a detection sensor unit is generally composed of a single sensor, and the detection range is limited due to the physical characteristics of the single sensor. We applied a calibration detector for controlling the detection sensitivity of a single sensor for radiation detection and improved the limited detection range of radiation dose rate. Also, gamma irradiation test confirmed the improvement of radiation distribution detection range.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.387-394
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• 2010

In the field of healthcare, the conventional sterilization treatments have been replaced by irradiation methods which are in accordance with internationally well established quality standards. The quality control in radiation sterilization assures that the absorbed dose of the irradiated material is in agreement with its requirements and standards. The electron beam irradiation requires technical assessments of more process parameters than gamma irradiation does. Korea has witnessed wide uses of electron accelerators since early 2000 but there hasn't been research experiences relating to quality system in accordance with international standards. The new large scale e-beam irradiation system with the specification of 10 MeV, 8 kW was installed and operated in 2008 by Seoul Radiology Services Co. It consists of the electron accelerator, product handling system, safety, documentation and control subsystems into an integrated system to meet the requirement of the Good Manufacturing Practice such as process quality assurance and management of product tracking records. To implement the international standard such as EN ISO11137, it is necessary to understand the purposes aimed in the standard and carry out the tests following the procedures required. This study presented the specification of the e-beam facility and showed what its design requirements and features are. The test results on a variety of process parameters were presented and validated it they are within the required limits.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.309-322
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• 2007

This study deals with the irradiation effects on some selected components which are being used in an Advanced Spent Fuel Conditioning Process (ACP). Irradiation test components have a higher priority from the aspect of their reliability because their degradation or failure is able to critically affect the performance of an ACP equipment. Components that we chose for the irradiation tests were the AC servo motor, potentiometer, thermocouples, accelerometer and CCD camera. ACP facility has a number of AC servo motors to move the joints of a manipulator and to operate process equipment. Potentiometers are used for a measurement of several joint angles in a manipulator. Thermocouples are used for a temperature measurement in an electrolytic reduction reactor, a vol-oxidation reactor and a molten salt transfer line. An accelerometer is installed in a slitting machine to forecast an incipient failure during a slitting process. A small CCD camera is used for an in-situ vision monitoring between ACP campaigns. We made use of a gamma-irradiation facility with cobalt-60 source for an irradiation test on the above components because gamma rays from among various radioactive rays are the most significant for electric, electronic and robotic components. Irradiation tests were carried out for enough long time for total doses to be over expected threshold values. Other components except the CCD camera showed a very high radiation hardening characteristic. Characteristic changes at different total doses were investigated and threshold values to warrant at least their performance without a deterioration were evaluated as a result of the irradiation tests.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.324-326
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• 2006

CCD형 영상소자는 방사선 피폭 시 표면과 격자내부에 모두 손상을 받게 되며, 감마방사선이나 X선과 같은 고에너지의 이온화 방사선에 노출될 경우 격자 실리콘 내부에 전자-전공쌍(Electron-hole pair, EHP)이 발생된다. 이러한 EHP는 CCD의 순간 출력 광전류로 변환되어 백색 화소 형태의 영상잡음으로 가시화되며, 이 화소 수는 피폭 방사선량에 비례하여 증가하는 특성을 지니고 있다. 따라서 출력 영상정보를 분석하면 조사된 방사선의 양과 특성을 측정할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 CCD를 이용하여 가상의 방사능 물질 누출 공간에서 방사선원의 방향과 거리정보를 고속으로 탐지하기 위한 장치와 고속 측정 알고리즘을 구현하고 실제 방사선장에서 실증시험을 수행하였다. 방사선 탐지기는 콘형 납 콜리메이터(Collimator)와 가시광 변환용 신틸레이터(CsITl) 및 차폐체로 구성된 센서부와 제어 및 방사광 신호처리를 수행하는 PC부로 구성된다. 감마방사선($^{60}Co$) 방사선장 실증시험에서 방사선원간 거리 83cm에서 측정된 거리 탐지는 5.3%의 오차로 확인되었다. 이 방사선 탐지기는 임의의 고방사선 누출사고에 대한 초기대응 작업을 수행하기 위한 무인 이동로봇용 방사선 탐지기로 활용이 가능하다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.229-236
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• 1998

In order to establish a testing system for personnel dosimetry performance, the radiation fields from photons, beta particles and neutrons are required, in recent, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety(KINS) established the reference radation fields except neutrons and tested a variety of their properties. As a result of the test, the reference beams were shown to meet satisfactorily not only the standards of the International Organization for Standardization(ISO), but also the standard levels of the developed countries which are intercomparable with the international traceability. This paper describes the reference beam of gamma radiation. The self-designed and established reference radiation fields were investigated and analyzed by ISO and other international standards. The secondary photon contribution and the beam uniformity of the gamma radiation field were measured and evaluated to fulfill those requirements suggested by the ISO-4037. The measured air kerma rate for the $^{137}$Cs and $^{60}$Co gamma fields was 0.1891 $\sim$ 23.4967 $\mu$Gy/s sand 0.5844 $\sim$ 15.9954 $\mu$Gy/s respectively. The uncertainty with 95 % confidence level of the measured air kerma rate was determined to be less than 2.5 % which is comparable to the international reference gamma radiation fields. It was found that the evaluated air kerma calibration factors of Exradin ionization chamber were in good agreement within 0.9 % and 0.03 % with those given by PTB and NIST, respectively. The gamma radiation fields installed at KINS can maintain traceability systems in Korea, Germany and United State.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2007

A thermal neutron beam facility utilizing a typical tangential beam port for Neutron Capture Therapy was installed at the HANARO, 30 MW multi-purpose research reactor. Mixed beams with different physical characteristics and relative biological effectiveness would be emitted from the BNCT irradiation facility, so a quantitative analysis of each component of the mixed beams should be performed to determine the accurate delivered dose. Thus, various techniques were applied including the use of activation foils, TLDs and ionization chambers. All the dose measurements were perform ed with the water phantom filled with distilled water. The results of the measurement were compared with MCNP4B calculation. The thermal neutron fluxes were $1.02E9n/cm^2{\cdot}s\;and\;6.07E8n/cm^2{\cdot}s$ at 10 and 20 mm depth respectively, and the fast neutron dose rate was insignificant as 0.11 Gy/hr at 10 mm depth in water The gamma-ray dose rate was 5.10 Gy/hr at 20 mm depth in water Good agreement within 5%, has been obtained between the measured dose and the calculated dose using MCNP for neutron and gamma component and discrepancy with 14% for fast neutron flux Considering the difficulty of neutron detection, the current study support the reliability of these results and confirmed the suitability of the thermal neutron beam as a dosimetric data for BNCT clinical trials.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.91-102
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• 2009

Purpose: To compare the accuracy and efficacy of EDR2 film, a 2D ionization chamber array (MatriXX) and an amorphous silicon electronic portal imaging device (EPID) in the pre-treatment QA of IMRT. Materials and Methods: Fluence patterns, shaped as a wedge with 10 steps (segments) by a multi-leaf collimator (MLC), of reference and test IMRT fields were measured using EDR2 film, the MatriXX, and EPID. Test fields were designed to simulate leaf positioning errors. The absolute dose at a point in each step of the reference fields was measured in a water phantom with an ionization chamber and was compared to the dose obtained with the use of EDR2 film, the MatriXX and EPID. For qualitative analysis, all measured fluence patterns of both reference and test fields were compared with calculated dose maps from a radiation treatment planning system (Pinnacle, Philips, USA) using profiles and $\gamma$ evaluation with 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm criteria. By measurement of the time to perform QA, we compared the workload of EDR2 film, the MatriXX and EPID. Results: The percent absolute dose difference between the measured and ionization chamber dose was within 1% for the EPID, 2% for the MatriXX and 3% for EDR2 film. The percentage of pixels with $\gamma$%>1 for the 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm criteria was within 2% for use of both EDR2 film and the EPID. However, differences for the use of the MatriXX were seen with a maximum difference as great as 5.94% with the 2%/2 mm criteria. For the test fields, EDR2 film and EPID could detect leaf-positioning errors on the order of -3 mm and -2 mm, respectively. However it was difficult to differentiate leaf-positioning errors with the MatriXX due to its poor resolution. The approximate time to perform QA was 110 minutes for the use of EDR2 film, 80 minutes for the use of the MatriXX and approximately 55 minutes for the use of the EPID. Conclusion: This study has evaluated the accuracy and efficacy of EDR2 film, the MatriXX and EPID in the pre-treatment verification of IMRT. EDR2 film and the EPID showed better performance for accuracy, while the use of the MatriXX significantly reduced measurement and analysis times. We propose practical and useful methods to establish an effective QA system in a clinical environment.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.135-141
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• 1997

The study of anneal characteristics is important for TL dosimeter to reuse. To obtain the annealing condition of the recently developed, new TL dosimeter, LiF:Mg,Cu,Na,Si Teflon Tills in a disk type (diameter 4.5 mm, thickness about $90mg/cm^2$), we studied for pre-irradiation annealing, readout procedure and post-readout annealing, in order. The gamma irradiations were carried out with a $^{60}Co$, dose of 0.1 Gy. We have used the method that observe the variation of thermoluminescent(TL) intensity of these Teflon TLDs over repeated cycles by changing both anneal temperature and anneal time with the TLD reader and the oven. There is a 5% loss in sensitivity over the ten repeated readouts by the annealing condition:pre-irradiation annealing at $80^{\circ}C$ for one hour, readout to $280^{\circ}C$ and post-readout annealing at $270^{\circ}C$ for 20 seconds.