• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.180-188
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• 2016

Acuros XB advanced dose calculation algorithm (AXB, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) has been released recently and provided the advantages of speed and accuracy for dose calculation. For clinical use, it is important to investigate the dosimetric performance of AXB compared to the calculation algorithm of the previous version, Anisotropic Analytical Algorithm (AAA, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). Ten volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans for each of the following cases were included: head and neck (H&N), prostate, spine, and lung. The spine and lung cases were treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) technique. For all cases, the dose distributions were calculated using AAA and two dose reporting modes in AXB (dose-to-water, $AXB_w$, and dose-to-medium, $AXB_m$) with same plan parameters. For dosimetric evaluation, the dose-volumetric parameters were calculated for each planning target volume (PTV) and interested normal organs. The differences between AAA and AXB were statistically calculated with paired t-test. As a general trend, $AXB_w$ and $AXB_m$ showed dose underestimation as compared with AAA, which did not exceed within -3.5% and -4.5%, respectively. The maximum dose of PTV calculated by $AXB_w$ and $AXB_m$ was tended to be overestimated with the relative dose difference ranged from 1.6% to 4.6% for all cases. The absolute mean values of the relative dose differences were $1.1{\pm}1.2%$ and $2.0{\pm}1.2%$ when comparing between AAA and $AXB_w$, and AAA and $AXB_m$, respectively. For almost dose-volumetric parameters of PTV, the relative dose differences are statistically significant while there are no statistical significance for normal tissues. Both $AXB_w$ and $AXB_m$ was tended to underestimate dose for PTV and normal tissues compared to AAA. For analyzing two dose reporting modes in AXB, the dose distribution calculated by $AXB_w$ was similar to those of AAA when comparing the dose distributions between AAA and $AXB_m$.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to perform a survey of the radiation shielding design goals (P) and workload (W) based on the radiation safety reports concerned with structural shielding design for the IMRT treatment technique in Tomotherapy vaults. The values of the P and W factors as well as of a verified concrete thickness of the ceiling, bottom, sidewalls (sidewall-1 and sidewall-2), and door have been obtained from radiation safety reports for a total of 16 out of 20 vaults. The recommended and most widely used report for P values was the NCRP No. 151 report, which stated that the P factor in controlled and uncontrolled areas was 0.1 and 0.02 mSv/week, respectively. The range of the W factor was 600~14,720 Gy/week. The absorbed dose delivered per patient was 2~3 Gy. The maximum number of patients treated per day was 10~70. The quality assurance (QA) dose was 100~1,000 Gy/week. Fifteen values of the IMRT factor (F) were mostly used but a maximum of 20 values was also used. The concrete thickness for primary structures including the ceiling, bottom, sidewalls, and door was sufficient for radiation shielding. The P and W factors affect the calculation of the structural shielding design, and several parameters, such as the absorbed dose, patients, QA dose, days and F factor can be varied according to the type of shielding structure. To ensure the safety of the radiation shielding, it is necessary to use the NCRP No. 151 report for the standard recommendation values.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.30
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• pp.5.1-5.8
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• 2015

Objectives We aimed to assess the radiation exposure for epidemiologic investigation in residents exposed to radiation from roads that were accidentally found to be contaminated with radioactive cesium-137 ($^{137}Cs$) in Seoul. Methods Using information regarding the frequency and duration of passing via the $^{137}Cs$ contaminated roads or residing/working near the roads from the questionnaires that were obtained from 8875 residents and the measured radiation doses reported by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, we calculated the total cumulative dose of radiation exposure for each person. Results Sixty-three percent of the residents who responded to the questionnaire were considered as ever-exposed and 1% of them had a total cumulative dose of more than 10 mSv. The mean (minimum, maximum) duration of radiation exposure was 4.75 years (0.08, 11.98) and the geometric mean (minimum, maximum) of the total cumulative dose was 0.049 mSv (<0.001, 35.35) in the exposed. Conclusions An individual exposure assessment was performed for an epidemiological study to estimate the health risk among residents living in the vicinity of $^{137}Cs$ contaminated roads. The average exposure dose in the exposed people was less than 5% of the current guideline.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.290-295
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• 2018

Background: There is little information on the dose-response relationship between exposure to occupational carcinogenic agents and mesothelioma. This study aimed to investigate this association as well as the existence of agents other than asbestos that might cause mesothelioma. Methods: The Swedish component of the Nordic Occupational Cancer (NOCCA) study consists of 6.78 million individuals with detailed information on occupation. Mesothelioma diagnoses recorded in 1961-2009 were identified through linkage to the Swedish Cancer Registry. We determined cumulative exposure, time of first exposure, and maximum exposure intensity by linking data on occupation to the Swedish NOCCA job-exposure matrix, which includes 29 carcinogenic agents and corresponding exposure for 283 occupations. To assess the risk of mesothelioma, we used conditional logistic regression models to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: 2,757 mesothelioma cases were identified in males, including 1,416 who were exposed to asbestos. Univariate analyses showed not only a significant excess risk for maximum exposure intensity, with a hazard ratio of 4.81 at exposure levels 1.25-2.0 fb/ml but also a clear dose-response effect for cumulative exposure with a 30-, 40-, and 50-year latency time. No convincing excess risk was revealed for any of the other carcinogenic agents included in the Swedish NOCCA job-exposure matrix. Conclusion: When considering asbestos exposure, past exposure, even for short periods, might be enough to cause mesothelioma of the pleura later in life.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.107-117
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• 2008

The pharmacokinetic properties of oxytetracycline (OTC) were studied after dipping and oral administration to cultured olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus (600 g). Plasma concentrations of OTC were determined after oral dosage (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight) and dipping (50, 100 and 200 ppm, 1 h) in olive flounder (average 600 g, 23±1℃). Plasma samples were taken at 3, 5, 10, 15, 24, 32, 48, 72, 120, 168 and 240 h post-dose. In oral dosage of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, the peak plasma concentrations of OTC, which attained at 3 h post-dose, were 0.34, 0.44 and 1.18 ㎍/㎖, respectively. In dipping of 50, 100 and 200 ppm, those of OTC which also observed at 5 h post-dose, were 0.43, 0.38 and 0.64 ㎍/㎖, respectively. Plasma concentrations of OTC were not measurable at 240 h post-dose in all experiments. The kinetic profile of absorption, distribution and elimination of OTC in plasma were analyzed fitting to a one-compartment model by WinNonlin program. The following parameters were calculated for a single dosage of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight, respectively: AUC (the area under the concentration-time curve)=31.40, 28.07 and 32.97 ㎍∙h/㎖; T1/2 (half-life)􀆫0.89, 1.12 and 0.43 h; Tmax (time for maximum concentration)= 5.25, 3.70 and 7.30 h, Cmax (maximum concentration)=0.25, 0.38 and 0.61 ㎕/㎖. Following dipping at 50, 100 and 200 ppm, these parameters were AUC􀆫15.51, 14.63 and 19.72 ㎍∙h/㎖; T1/2= 0.75, 0.41 and 0.74 h; Tmax=4.90, 7.08 and 4.68 h, Cmax=0.40, 0.32 and 0.46 ㎕/㎖.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.179-188
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• 2020

Purpose: We compared noncoplanar volumetric modulated arc therapy (ncVMAT) plans to coplanar VMAT (cVMAT) plans by evaluating the dosimetric quality of each for esophageal cancer. Methods: Twenty patients treated for esophageal cancer with the cVMAT technique were retrospectively selected. The cVMAT plans consisted of three coplanar full arc beams. The ncVMAT plans consisted of two coplanar full arc beams and one noncoplanar partial arc beam ranging from 45° to 315° with a couch rotation angle of 315°±5°. For dosimetric evaluation, the dose-volumetric (DV) parameters of the planning target volume (PTV) and organs at risk (OARs) were calculated for all VMAT plans. Results: No clinically noticeable differences between the cVMAT and ncVMAT plans were observed in the DV parameters of the PTV. For the lungs, the V_{13 Gy} and mean dose for ncVMAT plans were smaller than those for cVMAT plans, showing statistically significant differences. For the heart, the values of the maximum dose for cVMAT and ncVMAT plans were 53.8±2.9 and 50.9±3.3 Gy, respectively (P=0.004). For the spinal cord, the values of the maximum dose for cVMAT and ncVMAT plans were 37.1±5.1 and 34.7±5.7 Gy, respectively (P<0.001). Conclusions: The use of ncVMAT plans provides better PTV coverage and sparing of OARs compared to that of cVMAT plans for long, tube-like esophageal cancer. For esophageal cancer, the ncVMAT plans showed a more favorable plan quality than the cVMAT plans.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.123-133
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• 2015

The new formular for herbal medicine-safety classification in terms of evidence-based medicine was developed and applied to evaluate various herbal medicines in the previous study. This study is aimed to evaluate the frequently-used herbal medicines inducing toxic metabolites or reactive intermediates(RI), such as Ligusticum wallichii Franch, Angelica sinensis, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Rehmanniae Radix, based on 6 safety grades calculated from human equivalent dose(HED)-based MOS(margin of safety). HED-based MOS can be explained as the ratio of theoretical ALD(approximate lethal dose) of human as $LD_1$(lethal dose of 1%)/ clinical maximum dose as $ED_{99}$(Effective dose of 99%). The herbal medicine showing the ratio less than 1 belongs to Class 1, but the herbal medicine showing the ratio more than 500 belongs to Class 6 with the lowest toxicity. As a result, they were evaluated as class 2 for Angelica sinensis and Glycyrrhizae Radix, class 3 for Ligusticum wallichii Franch and Rehmanniae Radix. These resultant grades for 4 herbal medicines were lower than the grade expected under consideration that these herbal medicines are used very frequently in oriental clinics. These low grades would be due to their ingredients which is biotransformed to toxic metabolites.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.143-147
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• 2001

The dosimetric properties of Ge- and Er-doped optical fibres are studied. The Ge-doped fibre is found to be more sensitive to radiation and there is little fading of TL signal compared with Er-doped fibre. The Ge- and Er-doped fibres showed a linear response over a range of ${\sim}1\;Gy$ to about 120 Gy and ${\sim}1Gy$ to about 250Gy respectively. The Ge-doped fibre is found to be dose-rate independent both for photons and electron beams of energy ranging from 6 to 10 MeV and 6 to 12 MeV respectively. The fibre is energy independent for energy greater than ${\sim}0.1\;MeV$ for photon or 0.1 MeV for electron beam. From the depth-dose measurement, it was found that the position of maximum dose, dmax, increased with increasing energy ranging from ${\sim}2\;cm$ and ${\sim}2.5\;cm$ for 6 MeV and 10 MeV photons respectively. The central axis percentage depth dose at 10 cm depth was found to be in good agreement with the value obtained using ionization chamber.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.285-293
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• 1975

A result of the study to determine the depth-dose distribution along the central axis of a polyethylene sphere in diameter of 30cm is described. Depth-dose distribution in the polyethylene sphere for broad beam of monoenergetic photons has been experimentally determined with thermoluminescent dosimeter as a cavity dosimeter. The conversion of dose absorbed in the LiF TLD to dose in the surrounding medium was carried out on the basis of Burlin's generalized cavity theory. Presented in graphical forms are the results obtained. The maximum absorbed doses in the sphere were observed at the depth of about 0.3cm and 0.5cm from the surface of the sphere for the gamma-rays of $^{137}$ Cs and $^{60}$ Co, respectively.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.165-169
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• 2009

Two dosimeters are provided to radiation workers participating in tasks where high radiation exposure is expected during maintenance at nuclear power plants. At Korean nuclear power plants, two dosimeters are currently provided for tasks where exposure rates exceed 1 mSv/hr, the difference of equivalent dose to specific parts of the body is more than 30% and an exposure of more than 2 mSv is expected in a single task. These conditions for the provisioning of two dosimeters are based on previous field test results, and it is recommended that the dosimeters be worn on the chest and back. It was also found that the workers felt it was more convenient when they wore two dosimeters on chest and back rather than on chest and head. After the application of previous field test results to practice, it was found that the calculated effective dose for workers during radiation work was lower than the maximum dose of chest or back dosimeter by approximately 10%-30%. This performance is regarded not only to meet the international guideline but also to provide convenience for workers during radiation work.