• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2024

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) lowered the annual equivalent dose limit of lens of the eye for radiation workers from 150 to 20 mSv in April 2011. This trend of lowering the equivalent dose limit for radiation workers has been observed worldwide, including international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the European Commission (EC). In 2016, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission of South Korea published research results that included a proposal for lowering the equivalent dose limit of lens of the eye for radiation workers in line with the ICRP recommendation. However, as of now, South Korea's Nuclear Safety Act and related regulations still specify an annual equivalent dose limit of lens of the eye as 150 mSv for radiation workers. The IAEA and ISO have issued guidelines regarding radiation protection for lens of the eye and recommended a dose level for the lens of the eye at 5 or 6 mSv per year for periodic monitoring of the equivalent dose for the lens of the eye.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.59-64
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a flexible eye shield phantom to acquire artifact-free computed tomography (CT) images for electron beam radiotherapy. Methods: A flexible eye shield phantom for a newly designed eye shield was fabricated. Because of metal artifacts caused by an eye shield composed of high-density materials such as tungsten or lead, CT image acquisition is not appropriate for treatment planning because of inaccurate dose calculation and organ-at-risk delineation. To acquire artifact-free CT images, a mold of the same size as the outer dimension of the metallic eye shield was manufactured using 3D printing. The flexible eye shield phantom was imaged using a Philips Brilliance CT Big Bore under the same condition as the measurement. The phantom image with an average of 200 Hounsfield unit (HU) was imported into the treatment planning systems (TPS) and assigned a value of 26,750 HU to consider the material density of tungsten. The dosimetric comparison using a 6-MeV electron beam was performed. Measurement was performed using a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor detector for point doses at 3 and 10 mm. Results: The artifact-free CT images using a flexible eye shield phantom without air bubbles were transferred into the TPS. The dose at 10 mm calculated using the TPS agreed with the ion-chamber measurements within 2 cGy. Conversely, a larger dose discrepancy between the measured and calculated doses was found at 3 mm depth. Conclusions: The flexible eye shield phantom was successfully fabricated to apply electron treatment planning by acquiring artifact-free CT images. The dose calculated using the artifact-free image was comparable to the measured dose at lens depth when applying an eye shield.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.189-194
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• 2021

This study was conducted to reduce the exposure dose to the breast and adjacent organs as the number of Mammography increased. Therefore, it has been designed a shield in lead, bismuth + tungsten, and bismuth that does not require to be equipped by the patient, in which each type of shield was compared and analyzed of radiation exposure dose to breast, thyroid, and eye. Using a mammography machine, optically stimulated luminescent dosimeter(OSLD) was inserted to bilateral breast, thyroid, and eye of a dosimetry phantom to measure dose radiated onto the phantom. Shielding device was made in different thickness of 2mm, 3mm, and 5mm and dose evaluation was performed by measuring the dose while using lead, bismuth, and bismuth + tungsten prosthesis. When each shields combined with shielding device, were compared of dose, all showed similar does reduction in the dose to breast, thyroid, and eye in both cranialcaudal and mediolateraloblique view. Based on the current study, bismuth and bismuth + tungsten can replace conventional lead shield and it is anticipated to safely and conveniently reduce radiation exposure to breast, thyroid, and eye with the shield that does not require to be equipped.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2010

This study concerning the surface dose of eye and thyroid from panoramagraphy used thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) and photoluminescent dosimeter (PLD) to take measurements at ten hospitals in the Gwangju metropolitan area. The recommendations from ICRP 60 and ICRP 73 on the allowance standard for eye are 15 mSv and for thyroid is 1 mSv. The left eye TLD and PLD values are 0.19 mSv and 0.24 mSv respectively. The right eye TLD and PLD values are 0.23 mSv and 0.25 mSv respectively. Thyroid TLD and PLD values are 0.08 mSv and 0.25 mSv respectively and did not exceed the allowance standards(p<0.001). Also comparisons are made between TLD and PLD for each organ and PLD has higher dose measurements than TLD. There are statistically significant differences in left eye measurements and thyroid measurements (p<0.01). There is no significant difference in measurements for the right eye (p>0.05). The TLD and PLD measured dose from panoramagraphy instruments on eyes and thyroid from each hospital did not exceed the recommended dose from ICRP 60 for surface dose measurements. However, due to the probability of influence, consideration should be made for all levels of dose.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.279-285
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• 2015

The eye of human is a radiation sensitive organ and this organ should be shielded from radiation exposure during brain CT procedures. In the brain CT procedures, bismuth protector using to reduce the radiation exposure dose for eye. But protecting the bismuth always accompanies problem of the image quality reduction including artifact. This study aim is the eye radiation exposure dose and image quality evaluation of the new tube current modulation such as new organ based-tube current modulation, longitudinal-TCM, angular-TCM between shielding scan technique using bismuth and lead glasses. As a result, radiation dose of eye is reduced 25.88% in new OB TCM technique then reference scan technique and SNR new OB TCM is 6.05 higher than bismuth shielding scan technique and lower than reference scan technique. In clinical brain CT, new OB TCM technique will contribute to reduction of radiation dose for eye without decrease of image quality.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.3035-3043
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• 2021

Epidemiological research has revealed that radiation exposure can cause cataracts. The Korean nuclear regulatory body has proposed the reduction of the occupational dose limit for the lens of the eye from 150 mSv/y to 100 mSv/5y, with an additional limitation of not exceeding 50 mSv/y for a specific year, taking into account the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. This means that radiation workers should receive the same level of radiation safety for the lens of the eye as for whole-body protection. Korean nuclear power plants (NPPs) are conducting research to establish the radiation protection program for the lens of the eye. In terms of the preliminary results of the implementation of the radiation protection program for the lens of the eye dedicated to Korean NPPs, this review article summarizes the current state of understanding of the regulations, technical guidance, eye lens dosimeters, and radiation field conditions resulting in lens dose.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.96-102
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• 2012

International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has revised its recommendations concerning the tissue reaction to ionizing radiation in accordance with consideration of the detriment arising from non-cancer effects of radiation on health based on recent epidemiological basis. Particularly, for the lens of the eye, the threshold in absorbed dose revised to be 0.5 Gy, for occupational exposure in planned exposure situation the commission recommended "An equivalent dose limit for the lens of the eye of 20 mSv in a year, averaged over defined periods of 5 years, with no single year exceeding 50 mSv." To monitor the radiation exposure of radiation worker, TLD is typically provided and the lens of eye dose can be assessed by run of dose calculation algorithm with TL element response data. This study is to assess equivalent dose of the lens of eye using the Harshaw TLD system and its two different dose calculation algorithms. The result provides the Harshaw TLD system showed the assessment of the lens of eye dose with 48.84% error range.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 1992

The eye lens is known to be radiosensitive organ and catarat can be induced by relatively low dose of radiation. In the treatment of head and neck tumors, shielding blocks are frequently used to minimize dose on sensitive organs. The shielding block, which is made of high atomic number materials (cerrobend), produce significant dose perturbations in megavoltage photon beams. The effects of these perturbations of eye shielding blocks are measured with film and ion chambers for the treatment of head and neck malignancies. Optimum parameters for the treatment are suggested.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.87-95
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• 2015

Purpose : This study presents the usefulness assessment of secondary shield for the lens exposure dose reduction during radiation treatment of peripheral orbit. Materials and Methods : We accomplished IMRT treatment plan similar with a real one through the computed treatment planning system after CT simulation using human phantom. For the secondary shield, we used Pb plate (thickness 3mm, diameter 25mm) and 3 mm tungsten eye-shield block. And we compared lens dose using OSLD between on TPS and on simulation. Also, we irradiated 200 MU(6 MV, SPD(Source to Phantom Distance)=100 cm, $F{\cdot}S\;5{\times}5cm$) on a 5cm acrylic phantom using the secondary shielding material of same condition, 3mm Pb and tungsten eye-shield block. And we carried out the same experiment using 8cm Pb block to limit effect of leakage & transmitted radiation out of irradiation field. We attached OSLD with a 1cm away from the field at the side of phantom and applied a 3mm bolus equivalent to the thickness of eyelid. Results : Using human phantom, the Lens dose on IMRT treatment plan is 315.9cGy and the real measurement value is 216.7cGy. And after secondary shield using 3mm Pb plate and tungsten eye-shield block, each lens dose is 234.3, 224.1 cGy. The result of a experiment using acrylic phantom, each value is 5.24, 5.42 and 5.39 cGy in case of no block, 3mm Pb plate and tungsten eye-shield block. Applying O.S.B out of the field, each value is 1.79, 2.00 and 2.02 cGy in case of no block, 3mm Pb plate and tungsten eye-shield block. Conclusion : When secondary shielding material is used to protect critical organ while irradiating photon, high atomic number material (like metal) that is near by critical organ can be cause of dose increase according to treatment region and beam direction because head leakage and collimator & MLC transmitted radiation are exist even if it's out of the field. The attempt of secondary shield for the decrease of exposure dose was meaningful, but untested attempt can have a reverse effect. So, a preliminary inspection through Q.A must be necessary.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to minimize of entrance surface dose (ESD) at the eye using high kVp technique in the computed radiography. We used REX-650R (Listem, Korea) general X-ray unit, and external detector with ESD dosimeter of Piranha 657 (RTI Electronics, Sweden). We used head of the whole body phantom. The total 64 images of X-ray anterior-posterior of skull were acquired using the film/screen (F/S) method and the digital of computed radiography method. The three radiology professor of more 10 years of clinical career evaluated a X-rays images in the same space by 5-point scale. The external detector was performed measurement of ESD of three times by same condition on the eye of the head phantom. The good image quality in the F/S method (90 kVp, 2.5 mAs) showed at the minimized ESD of 0.310 ${\pm}$ 0.001 mGy. the good image quality in the computed radiography method (90 kVp, 2.0 mAs) showed at the minimized ESD of 0.180 ${\pm}$ 0.002 mGy (P = 0.002). Finally the radiation dose could reduced about 50% in the computed radiography method more than the F/S method. In addition the eye entrance surface dose using high kVp technique with the computed radiography was reduced 92% more than conventional technique (F/S method).