• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.4
• /
• pp.1295-1300
• /
• 2022

There has been increased interest in researching risk perception of radiation to implement successful risk communication, particularly given the recent worldwide nuclear policy movement regarding nuclear energy. This study aimed to investigate characteristics of risk perception among residents living near normally operating nuclear power plants in South Korea by identifying factors associated with risk perception. A survey was conducted with face-to-face interviews for 1200 residents aged 20e84 years by gender- and age-stratified random sampling. Risk perception was associated with trust perception in nuclear safety, but was not highly correlated with benefit perception for utilizing nuclear power. Relatively high risk perception was observed in women, older age groups, and residents not having experience of nuclear-related education or work. This association remained after adjusting for other factors including benefit perception, trust perception, and psychological distress. In addition to these individual characteristics, risk perception was also associated with a residential district's own unique context, indicating that a strategy of risk communication should be developed differently for residents facing nuclear-related circumstances. Given that risk perception can be changed, depending on social values such as safety culture and economic setting, further studies are required to understand the changing characteristics of radiation risk perception.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.387-392
• /
• 2019

This study analyzed the influence of smartphone addiction on adaptation to school life by using the questionnaire survey method of 431 students of radiological science in six regions. The results showed that 89.6% of students are the general user group, 6.3% the high risk group and 4.2% the potential risk group. Adaptability to school life was found to be social adaptability 3.71, righteous adaptability 3.17 and academic adaptability 2.95. Academic adaptability was 3.06 for male students and 2.79 for female students. And righteous adaptability was 3.26 for male students and 3.03 for female students. As a result, male students were more adaptable than female students in academic adaptability and righteous adaptability, which was statistically significant. And Social adaptability was 3.73 for female students and 3.68 for male students, but there was no significant difference(p<.001). Adaptability to school life by smartphone addiction level was found to be the general user group 3.19, the potential risk group 3.05 and the high risk group 2.81. The difference of righteous adaptability between the general user group and the high risk group was statistically significant. And social and academic adaptability of the general user group and the high risk group was no significant(p<.01).

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.14-23
• /
• 2021

Background: For radiological protection and control, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) provides the nominal risk coefficients related to radiation exposure, which can be extrapolated using the excess relative risk and excess absolute risk obtained from the Life Span Study of atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor (DDREF). Materials and Methods: Since it is impossible to directly estimate the radiation risk at doses less than approximately 100 mSv only from epidemiological knowledge and data, support from radiation biology is absolutely imperative, and thus, several national and international bodies have advocated the importance of bridging knowledge between biology and epidemiology. Because of the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)'s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in 2011, the exposure of the public to radiation has become a major concern and it was considered that the estimation of radiation risk should be more realistic to cope with the prevailing radiation exposure situation. Results and Discussion: To discuss the issues from wide aspects related to radiological protection, and to realize bridging knowledge between biology and epidemiology, we have established a research group to develop low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation risk estimation methodology, with the permission of the Japan Health Physics Society. Conclusion: The aim of the research group was to clarify the current situation and issues related to the risk estimation of low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation exposure from the viewpoints of different research fields, such as epidemiology, biology, modeling, and dosimetry, to identify a future strategy and roadmap to elucidate a more realistic estimation of risk against low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation exposure.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.95-106
• /
• 2019

The decommissioning of nuclear power plants should be prepared by quantitative and qualitative risk assessment. Radiological and non-radiological hazards arising during decommissioning activities must be assessed to ensure the safety of decommissioning workers and the public. Decommissioning experiences by U.S. operators have mainly focused on deterministic risk assessment, which is standardized by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory commission (NRC) and focuses only on the consequences of risk. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has suggested an alternative to the deterministic approach, called the risk matrix technique. The risk matrix technique considers both the consequence and likelihood of risk. In this study, decommissioning stages, processes, and activities are organized under a work breakdown structure. Potential accidents in the decommissioning process of NPPs are analyzed using the composite risk matrix to assess both radiological and non-radiological hazards. The levels of risk for all potential accidents considered by U.S. NPP operators who have performed decommissioning were estimated based on their consequences and likelihood of events.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.165-171
• /
• 2008

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of panoramic radiological risk signs related with mandibular third molar extraction, and the relationship between these risk signs and inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury after tooth extraction. Cases were defined as 1000 mandibular third molars extracted by surgical approach at Samsung Medical Center during the period from March 2001 to December 2006. Seven radiological risk signs were assessed on the panoramic radiogram by three expert oral surgeons. Clinical demographic data and severity of IAN injury were examined on medical records. Bivariate analyses were completed to assess the relationship between radiological risk signs and IAN injury. The radiological risk signs showed in 381 cases(38.1%). The incidence of each radiological risk signs were; interruption of IAN white line, 152 cases(15.2%); deflected roots, 141 cases(14.1%); darkening root, 119 cases(11.9%); diversion of IAN, 57 cases(5.7%) ; IAN narrowing, 37 cases(3.7%); root narrowing, 17 cases(1.7%); dark and bifid apex, 10 cases(1.0%). The incidence of IAN injury in cases with risk signs were: in the case of any sign, 3.6%; interruption of IAN white line, 2.6%; deflected roots 5.7%; darkening root. 3.4%; diversion of IAN, 5.7%; IAN narrowing, 3.7%; root narrowing, 5.9%; dark and bifid apex, 0%. No IAN injury was showed in 619 cases without risk sign (p<0.05). In conclusion, the presence of panoramic risk signs was associated with an increased risk for IAN injury during mandibular third molar extraction, whereas the absence of risk signs was associated with a minimal risk of nerve injury.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.139-145
• /
• 2016

With the development in field of industry and medicine, new machines and techniques are being launched. Moreover, the complexity of the techniques is associated to an increasing risk of incident. Especially, a small error in radiotherapy can lead to a serious patient-related incident, risk management is necessary in radiotherapy in order to reduce the risk of incident. However, in field of radiotherapy, there are no legally binding clauses for risk management and there is an absence of risk management systems at an institutional level. Therefore, we analyzed institutional status of risk management, reporting & classification systems, and risk assessment & analysis in 31 countries. For risk management and reporting systems, 65% of countries investigated had legislation or regulations; however, only 35% of countries used classification systems. It was found that 43% more countries had legislation for risk management in healthcare than those for radiotherapy; 19% more countries had reporting systems for healthcare than those for radiotherapy. For classification systems, 60% more countries had legislation, recommendation, and guidelines in the field of radiotherapy than those for healthcare. Recently, international institutes have published several reports for risk management and patient safety in radiotherapy, owing to which, countries adopting risk management for radiotherapy will gradually increase. Before adopting risk management in Korea, we should precisely understand the procedures and functions of risk management, in order to increase efficiency of risk management because classification & reporting system and risk assessment & analysis are connected organically, and institutional management is needed for high quality of risk management in Korea.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.149-155
• /
• 2012

Purpose: Although serosal invasion is a critical predisposing factor for peritoneal dissemination in advanced gastric cancer, the accuracy of preoperative assessment using routine imaging studies is unsatisfactory. This study was conducted to identify high-risk group for serosal invasion using preoperative factors in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinicopathological features of 3,529 advanced gastric cancer patients with Borrmann type I/II/III who underwent gastrectomy at Korea Cancer Center Hospital between 1991 and 2005. We stratified patients into low-(${\leq}40%$), intermediate-(40~70%), and high-risk (>70%) groups, according to the probability of serosal invasion. Results: Borrmann type, size, longitudinal and circumferential location, and histology of tumors were independent risk factors for serosal invasion. Most tumors of whole stomach location or encircling type had serosal invasion, so they belonged to high-risk group. Patients were subdivided into 12 subgroups in combination of Borrmann type, size, and histology. A subgroup with Borrmann type II, large size (${\geq}7$ cm), and undifferentiated histology and 2 subgroups with Borrmann type III, large size, and regardless of histology belonged to high-risk group and corresponded to 25% of eligible patients. Conclusions: This study have documented high-risk group for serosal invasion using preoperative predictors. And risk stratification for serosal invasion through the combination with imaging studies may collaboratively improve the accuracy of preoperative assessment, reduce the number of eligible patients for further staging laparoscopy, and optimize therapeutic strategy for each individual patient prior to surgery.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.89-97
• /
• 2013

RADCONS Ver. 1.0 (RADiological CONSequence Assessment Program) was developed for radiological risk assessment in this study. A Gaussian plume model was used to analyze the fate and transport of radionuclides released into the air in case of accidents. Both single meterological data and time series meterological data can be used in RADCONS. To assess the radiological risk of the early phase after an accident, ED (Effective Dose) estimated by both deterministic and probabilistic approaches are presented. These EDs by deterministic and probabilistic will be helpful to efficient decision making for decision makers. External doses from deposited materials by time are presented for quantifying the effects of mid and late phases of an accident. A radiological risk assessment was conducted using RADCONS for an accident scenario of 1 Ci of Cs-137. The maximum of ED for radii of 1,000 meters from the accident point was 8.51E-4 mSv. After Monte-Carlo simulation, considering the uncertainty of the breathing rate and dispersion parameters, the average ED was 8.49E-4, and the 95 percentile was 1.10E-3. A data base of the dose coefficients and a sampling module of the meteorological data will be modified to improve the user's convenience in the next version.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.12
• /
• pp.5107-5111
• /
• 2016

Background: Epidemiological studies have indicated an increasing incidence of radiation induced secondary cancer (SC) in breast cancer patients after radiotherapy (RT), most commonly in the contra-lateral breast (CLB). The present study was conducted to estimate the SC risk in the CLB following 3D conformal radiotherapy techniques (3DCRT) including wedge field and forward intensity modulated radiotherapy (fIMRT) based on the organ equivalent dose (OED). Material and Methods: RT plans treating the chest wall with conformal wedge field and fIMRT plans were created for 30 breast cancer patients. The risks of radiation induced cancer were estimated for the CLB using dose-response models: a linear model, a linear-plateau model and a bell-shaped model with full dose response accounting for fractionated RT on the basis of OED. Results: The plans were found to be ranked quite differently according to the choice of model; calculations based on a linear dose response model fIMRT predict statistically significant lower risk compared to the enhanced dynamic wedge (EDW) technique (p-0.0089) and a non-significant difference between fIMRT and physical wedge (PW) techniques (p-0.054). The widely used plateau dose response model based estimation showed significantly lower SC risk associated with fIMRT technique compared to both wedge field techniques (fIMRT vs EDW p-0.013, fIMRT vs PW p-0.04). The full dose response model showed a non-significant difference between all three techniques in the view of second CLB cancer. Finally the bell shaped model predicted interestingly that PW is associated with significantly higher risk compared to both fIMRT and EDW techniques (fIMRT vs PW p-0.0003, EDW vs PW p-0.0032). Conclusion: In conclusion, the SC risk estimations of the CLB revealed that there is a clear relation between risk associated with wedge field and fIMRT technique depending on the choice of model selected for risk comparison.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.90-95
• /
• 2009

Objective : We aimed to identify clinico-radiological risk factors that may predict unfavorable neurological outcomes in traumatic brain injury (TBI), and to establish a guideline for patient selection in clinical trials that would improve neurological outcome during the early post TBI period. Methods : Initial clinico-radiological data of 115 TBI patients were collected prospectively. Regular neurological assessment after standard treatment divided the above patients into 2 groups after 6 months : the Favorable neurological outcome group (GOS : good & moderate disability, DRS : 0-6, LCFS : 8-10) and the Unfavorable group (GOS : severe disability-death, DRS : 7-29 and death, LCFS : 1-7 and death). Results : There was a higher incidence of age $\geq$35 years, low initial GCS score, at least unilateral pupil dilatation, and neurological deficit in the Unfavorable group. The presence of bilateral parenchymal lesions or lesions involving the midline structures in the initial brain CT was observed to be a radiological risk factor for unfavorable outcome. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that age and initial GCS score were independent risk factors. The majority of the Favorable group patients with at least one or more risk factors showed improvement of GCS scores within 2 months after TBI. Conclusion : Patients with the above mentioned clinico-radiological risk factors who received standard treatment, but did not demonstrate neurological improvement within 2 months after TBI were deemed at risk for unfavorable outcome. These patients may be eligible candidates for clinical trials that would improve functional outcome after TBI.