• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 2005

In this study, we investigated the effect of time gating threshold on the delivered dose at a organ with internal motion by respiration. Generally, the internal organs have minimum motion at exhalation during normal breathing. Therefore to compare the dose distribution time gating threshold, in this paper, was determined as the moving region of target during 1 sec at the initial position of exhalation. The irradiated fields were then delivered under three conditions; 1) non-moving target 2) existence of the moving target in the region of threshold (1sec), 3) existence of the moving target region out of threshold (1.4 sec, 2 sec). And each of conditions was described by the moving phantom system. It was compared with the dose distributions of three conditions using film dosimetry. Although the treatment time increased when the dose distributions was obtained by the internal motion to consider the TGT, it could be obtained more exact dose distribution than in the treatment field that didn't consider the internal motion. And it could be reduced the unnecessary dose at the penumbra region. When we set up 1.4 sec of threshold, to reduce the treatment time, it could not be obtained less effective dose distribution than 1 sec of threshold. Namely, although the treatment time reduce, the much dose was distributed out of the treatment region. Actually when it is treated the moving organ, it would rather measure internal motion and external motion of the moving organ than mathematical method. If it could be analyzed the correlation of the internal and external motion, the treatment scores would be improved.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.226-230
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• 2012

The gross alpha analysis of nasal smear samples for the radiation emergency and the additional follow-up steps were established. Cotton swab sticks using in local hospitals for nasal smear in Korea were used for the verification. The measurement results of standard samples spiked with certified reference source were well agreed within ${\pm}20%$ compared with reference values. The clearance ratio of smear samples conducted with wet smear condition showed higher value. To eliminate the quenching effect of liquid scintillation samples, dry of smear samples should be followed up before counting samples. Based on the measurement results, medical decision levels and internal dose assessment were established for the victims in the beginning of radiation emergency.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.274-281
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• 2016

Background: Whole-body counters are widely used to evaluate internal contamination of the internal presence of gamma-emitting radionuclides. In internal dosimetry, it is a basic requirement that quality control procedures be applied to verify the reliability of the measured results. The implementation of intercomparison programs plays an important role in quality control, and the accuracy of the calibration and the reliability of the results should be verified through intercomparison. In this study, we evaluated the reliability of 2 whole-body counting systems using 2 calibration methods. Materials and Methods: In this study, 2 whole-body counters were calibrated using a reference male bottle manikin absorption (BOMAB) phantom and a Radiation Management Corporation (RMC-II) phantom. The reliability of the whole-body counting systems was evaluated by performing an intercomparison with International Atomic Energy Agencyto assess counting efficiency according to the type of the phantom. Results and Discussion: In the analysis of counting efficiency using the BOMAB phantom, the performance criteria of the counters were satisfied. The relative bias of activity for all radionuclides was -0.16 to 0.01 in the Fastscan and -0.01 to 0.03 in the Accuscan. However, when counting efficiency was analyzed using the RMC- II phantom, the relative bias of $^{241}Am$ activity was -0.49 in the Fastscan and 0.55 in the Accuscan, indicating that its performance criteria was not satisfactory. Conclusion: The intercomparison process demonstrated the reliability of whole-body counting systems calibrated with a BOMAB phantom. However, when the RMC-II phantom was used, the accuracy of measurements decreased for low-energy nuclides. Therefore, it appears that the RMC-II phantom should only be used for efficiency calibration for high-energy nuclides. Moreover, a novel phantom capable of matching the efficiency of the BOMAB phantom in low-energy nuclides should be developed.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.170-177
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• 2021

Background: The International Commission on Radiological Protection is preparing to provide reference dose coefficients for environmental radioiodine intake based on newly developed age-specific biokinetic models. However, the biokinetics of iodine has been reported to be strongly dependent on the dietary intake of stable iodine; for example, the thyroidal uptake of iodine may be substantially lower in iodine-rich regions than in iodine-deficient regions. Therefore, this study attempted to establish a system of age-specific thyroid dose estimation for South Koreans, whose daily iodine intakes are significantly higher than that of the world population. Materials and Methods: Korean age-specific biokinetic parameters and thyroid masses were derived based on the previously developed Korean adult model and the Korean anatomical reference data for adults, respectively. This study complied with the principles used in the development of age-specific biokinetic models for world population and used the ratios of baseline values for each age group relative to the value for adults to derive age-specific values. Results and Discussion: Biokinetic model predictions based on the Korean age-specific parameters showed significant differences in iodine behaviors in the body compared to those predicted using the model for the world population. In particular, the Korean age-specific thyroid dose coefficients for ¹²⁹I and ¹³¹I were considerably lower than those calculated for the world population (25%-76% of the values for the world population). Conclusion: These differences stress the need for Korean-specific internal dose assessments for infants and children, which can be achieved by using the data calculated in this study.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.129-136
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• 2009

During the maintenance period at Korean nuclear power plants, internal exposure of radiation workers occurred by the inhalation of $^{131}I$ released to the reactor building when primary system opened. The internal radioactivity of radiation workers contaminated by $^{131}I$ was measured using a whole body counter. Intake estimation and the calculation of committed effective dose were also conducted conforming to the guidance of internal dose assessments from publications of International Commission on Radiological Protection. Because the uptake and excretion of $^{131}I$ in a body occur quickly and $^{131}I$ is accumulated in the thyroid gland, the estimated intakes showed differences depending on the counting time after intake. In addition, since ICRP publications do not provide the intake retention fraction (IRF) for whole body of $^{131}I$, the IRF for thyroid was substitutionally used to calculate the intake and subsequently this caused more error in intake estimation. Thus, intake estimation and the calculation of committed effective dose were conducted by manual calculation. In this study, the IRF for whole body was also calculated newly and was verified. During this process, the estimated intake and committed effective dose were reviewed and compared using several computer codes for internal dosimetry.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.57-68
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• 1994

Purpose : The purposes are to discuss the reason to measure dose distributions of circular small fields for stereotactic radiosurgery based on medical linear accelerator, finding of beam axis, and considering points on dosimetry using home-made small water phantom, and to report dosimetric results of 10MV X-ray of Clinac-18, like as TMR, OAR and field size factor required for treatment planning. Method and material : Dose-response linearity and dose-rate dependence of a p-type silicon (Si) diode, of which size and sensitivity are proper for small field dosimetry, are determined by means of measurement. Two water tanks being same in shape and size, with internal dimension, 30${\times}$30${\times}$30cm$^3$ were home-made with acrylic plates and connected by a hose. One of them a used as a water phantom and the other as a device to control depth of the Si detector in the phantom. Two orthogonal dose profiles at a specified depth were used to determine beam axis. TMR's of 4 circular cones, 10, 20, 30 and 40mm at 100cm SAD were measured, and OAR's of them were measured at 4 depths, d$\sub$max/, 6, 10, 15cm at 100cm SCD. Field size factor (FSF) defined by the ratio of D$\sub$max/ of a given cone at SAD to MU were also measured. Result : The dose-response linearity of the Si detector was almost perfect. Its sensitivity decreased with increasing dose rate but stable for high dose rate like as 100MU/min and higher even though dose out of field could be a little bit overestimated because of low dose rate. Method determining beam axis by two orthogonal profiles was simple and gave 0.05mm accuracy. Adjustment of depth of the detector in a water phantom by insertion and remove of some acryl pates under an auxiliary water tank was also simple and accurate. TMR, OAR and FSF measured by Si detector were sufficiently accurate for application to treatment planning of linac-based stereotactic radiosurgery. OAR in field was nearly independent of depth. Conclusion : The Si detector was appropriate for dosimetry of small circular fields for linac-based stereotactic radiosurgery. The beam axis could be determined by two orthogonal dose profiles. The adjustment of depth of the detector in water was possible by addition or removal of some acryl plates under the auxiliary water tank and simple. TMR, OAR and FSF were accurate enough to apply to stereotactic radiosurgery planning. OAR data at one depth are sufficient for radiosurgery planning.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.169-173
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• 2007

During laser irradiation, mechanically deformed cartilage undergoes a temperature dependent phase transformation resulting in accelerated stress relaxation. Clinically, laser-assisted cartilage reshaping may be used to recreate the underlying cartilaginous framework in structures such as ear, larynx, trachea, and nose. Therefore, research and identification of the biophysical transformations in cartilage accompanying laser heating are valuable to identify critical laser dosimetry and phase transformation of cartilage for many clinical applications. quasi-elastic light scattering was investigated using Ho : YAG laser $(\lambda=2.12{\mu}m\;;\;t_p\sim450{\mu}s)$ and Nd:YAG Laser $(\lambda=1.32{\mu}m\;;\;t_p\sim700{\mu}s)$ for heating sources and He : Ne $(\lambda=632.8nm)$ laser, high-power diode pumped laser $(\lambda=532nm)$, and Ti : $Al_2O_3$ femtosecond laser $(\lambda=850nm)$ for light scattering sources. A spectrometer and infrared radiometric sensor were used to monitor the backscattered light spectrum and transient temperature changes from cartilage following laser irradiation. Analysis of the optical, thermal, and quasi-elastic light scattering properties may indicate internal dynamics of proteoglycan movement within the cartilage framework during laser irradiation.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.11-20
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• 1998

The propagation of light radiation in a turbid medium is an important problem that confronts dosimetry of therapeutic laser delivery and the development of diagnostic spectroscopy. Scattered light is measured as a function of the position(distance r, depth z) between the axis of the incident beam and the detection spot. Turbid sample yields a very forward-directed scattering pattern at short range of position from source to detector, whereas the thicker samples greatly attenuated the on-axis intensity at long range of position. The portions of scattered light reflected from or transmitted throughphantom depend upon internal reflectance and absorption properties of the phantom. Monte Carlo simulation method for modelling light transport in tissue is applied. It uses the photon is moved a distance where it may be scattered, absorbed, propagated, internally reflected, or transmitted out of tissue. The photon is repeatedly moved until it either escape from or is absorbed by the phantom. In order to obtain an optimum therapeutic ratio in phantom material, optimum control the light energy fluence rate is essential. This study is to discuss the physical mechanisms determining the actual light dose in phantom. Permitting a qualitative understanding of the measurements. It may also aid in designing the best model for laser medicine and application of medical engineering.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.81-98
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• 2020

This review aims to provide a brief, comprehensive overview of advanced technologies of nuclear medicine physics, with a focus on recent developments from both hardware and software perspectives. Developments in image acquisition/reconstruction, especially the time-of-flight and point spread function, have potential advantages in the image signal-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution. Modern detector materials and devices (including lutetium oxyorthosilicate, cadmium zinc tellurium, and silicon photomultiplier) as well as modern nuclear medicine imaging systems (including positron emission tomography [PET]/computerized tomography [CT], whole-body PET, PET/magnetic resonance [MR], and digital PET) enable not only high-quality digital image acquisition, but also subsequent image processing, including image reconstruction and post-reconstruction methods. Moreover, theranostics in nuclear medicine extend the usefulness of nuclear medicine physics far more than quantitative image-based diagnosis, playing a key role in personalized/precision medicine by raising the importance of internal radiation dosimetry in nuclear medicine. Now that deep-learning-based image processing can be incorporated in nuclear medicine image acquisition/processing, the aforementioned fields of nuclear medicine physics face the new era of Industry 4.0. Ongoing technological developments in nuclear medicine physics are leading to enhanced image quality and decreased radiation exposure as well as quantitative and personalized healthcare.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4167-4172
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• 2023

Miniaturized tissue equivalent proportional counters (mini-TEPCs) are proper for radiation dosimetry in medical application because the small size of the dosimeter could prevent pile-up effect under the high intensity of therapeutic beam. However, traditional methods of calibrating mini-TEPCs using internal alpha sources are not feasible due to their small size. In this study, we investigated the use of electron and proton edges on Monte Carlo-generated lineal energy spectra as markers for calibrating a 0.9 mm diameter and length mini-TEPC. Three possible markers for each spectrum were calculated and compared using different simulation tools. Our simulations showed that the electron edge markers were more consistent across different simulation tools than the proton edge markers, which showed greater variation due to differences in the microdosimetric spectra. In most cases, the second marker, y_δδ, had the smallest uncertainty. Our findings suggest that the lineal energy spectra from mini-TEPCs can be calibrated using Monte Carlo simulations that closely resemble real-world detector and source geometries.