Earticle

The study aimed to measure the levels of radiation protection for radiologists in medical institutions in three environmental categories (physical, administrative and social) and to establish a data base which can be used to increase awareness of environmental radiation protection in medical institutions within Korea. The study surveyed 10% of radiologists working in radiology departments in medical institutions which are supervised by the National Dose Registry overseen by the Korean Food and Drug Administration(KFDA). This study found that the level of environmental radiation protection was higher in the capital area and in larger hospitals. On the other hand, the study shows environmental radiation protection was lower in the Youngnam area and in clinics. Results from the questionnaires indicate the level of environmental radiation protection was higher when radiologists were given an individual dosimeter but lowest when the radiation protection apron quality test was conducted. Environmental radiation protection is an important factor for radiologists to conduct activities in a safe and protected environment. However, this study shows there are differences in the level of environmental radiation protection in medical institutions and location within Korea. In particular, the level of environmental radiation protection was lower in clinics, appropriate intervention strategies befitting these conditions are needed based on medical institution classification and location in order to improve the level of environmental protection.

Medical use of radiation is increasing in recent times and its influence on the population creates almost the same amount of annual natural background radiation in industrialized countries in particular. Thus, medical radiation has become a social issue. This paper is a brief report on the status of medical exposure in Korea by way of consulting from the radiation-related medical societies in Korea.

The potential ability of environmental temperature to enhance the effect of microwave radiation (7 GHz) was experimentally studied for rabbit heating after simultaneous application of both agents. The tested ambient temperatures (30 and 38℃) didn’t exert a considerable influence upon rabbit heat homeostasis after the used duration of exposure (3 hours and 15 minutes, correspondingly). The synergistic interaction of microwave irradiation and ambient temperature was demonstrated for rabbit heating. Power flux density of microwave irradiation was shown to be a determinant of the synergistic interaction effectiveness. For the fixed ambient temperature (30℃), the synergism was shown to be observed only within a definite power flux density (0–100 mW·cm‐2), inside of which there was an optimal intensity (20 mW·cm‐2), which maximized the synergistic effect. Any deviation of the power flux density from the optimal value resulted in a reduction of the synergy. It is concluded that any assessment of the health or environmental risks should take into account the synergistic interaction between ambient temperature and microwave radiation.

고순도 반도체 감마분광시스템을 이용하여 토양 시료를 파괴하지 않고 화학 전처리 단계가 필요없는 우라늄 방사능 분석 기술을 개발하였다. 본 논문에서 제시한 방법을 이용한 분석결과와 기존에 일반적으로 사용하는 알파분광분석법 (Alpha Spectrometry)의 결과를 비교하였다. 비교결과 불확도 범위 내에서 비슷한 측정값을 보였다. 따라서 본 논문에 서 제시한 방법은 토양시료의 우라늄 분석에 이용될 수 있을 것이다.

Using N-type HPGe gamma spectrometer, uranium analysis technique of soil sample is developed where the chemical preprocessing is not a necessity. The results of uranium activities using the method presented in this paper were compared with those results with conventional alpha spectrometer and two results were similar from within uncertainty range. Therefore, this new method will be applied in uranium activity analysis of soil sample.

진단을 위한 엑스선검사는 의료분야에서 전리방사선을 가장 많이 사용하고 있으며 인공 방사선피폭중 가장 높은 비율 을 차지하고 있다. 우리나라에서도 진단 엑스선검사에 의한 의료피폭은 전체 방사선 피폭 중 17.4%를 차지하고 있으 며 인공방사선피폭 중에서는 92%를 차지하고 있다. 두부진단을 위한 엑스선 촬영 횟수도 2007년의 경우에는 111,567 건으로서 2004년 이후 매년 3% 정도의 증가 추세를 나타내고 있다. 따라서 환자선량 권고량을 국내의료기관 실정에 맞도록 설정하여 두부촬영시 환자가 받는 방사선량을 줄이고 환자의 방사선 방어를 최적화 하는 것이 필요하다. 본 논문에서는 전국 114개 의료기관에서의 두부 촬영시 피폭되는 방사선량을 인체팬텀과 유리선량계를 사용하여 측정하 고 환자선량권고량(DRL, Diagnostic Reference Level)을 확립하였다. 이 결과에 따라 두부 후전면 촬영에서의 환자선 량 권고량은 2.23 mGy이며, 이는 세계보건기구, 국제원자력기구 등 국제기구가 권고하는 선량 5 mGy 보다 낮았으며, 두부 측면찰영에서의 환자선량 권고량인 1.87 mGy는 국제기구가 권고하는 선량 3mG 보다 낮았다.

Ionizing radiation is most widely used for X-Ray examination – among all artificial radiation exposure, it takes up the largest proportion. Even in Korea, the medical exposure by diagnostic X-Ray examination takes up 17.4% of all radiation exposure. It takes up 92% even in artificial radiation exposure. There were 111,567 cases X-Ray radiography for skull diagnosis in 2007, which is 3% annual increase since 2004. Thus, It is need to establish the diagnostic reference level and the medical facilities as a diagnostic reference level to optimize radiation protection of the patients and to reduce the doses of X-ray. In this paper, we survey patient dose on skull radiography - collected from 114 medical facilities nationwide by using human phantom and glass dosimeter. When the patient dose for the skull radiography was measured and evaluated to establish the diagnostic reference level, 2.23 mGy was established for posterior-anterior imaging and 1.87 mGy for lateral imaging was established. The posterior-anterior skull radiography entrance surface dose of 2.23 is less than the guidance level of 5 mGy from the global organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and 1.87 mGy for the lateral skull imaging is less than the guidance level of 3 mGy, which is guided by the global organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Pu 동위원소는 기원에 따라 각기 다른 240Pu/239Pu 동위원소비를 나타내는 특성이 있다. 질량분석법은 극미량 장반감기 핵종 분석에 매우 유용한 방법으로서 검출기 특성상 낮은 검출한계를 갖고 있으며, 소량의 시료를 이용하여 짧은 시간 에 측정을 할 수 있다는 장점을 갖고 있으므로 Pu을 비롯한 장반감기 핵종 분석에 유용하다. 다중검출기유도결합플라 즈마질량분석기(Multicollector ICP-MS)는 다중검출시스템을 이용하여 분석하고자 하는 여러 핵종의 동시분석이 가능 하며, 특별히 본 연구에서는 극미량 핵종의 검출이 가능한 multiple ion counter (MIC)를 사용하여 Pu 동위원소 분석 에 적용하였다. 본 연구방법의 검출한계(detection limit)는 최적화된 조건에서 239Pu 와 240Pu 각각 0.10 fg ml-1 (0.24 μBq ml-1), 0.12 fg ml-1 (0.97 μBq ml-1) 이었으며, 240Pu 기준으로 약 200 cps 정도의 매우 낮은 농도수준에서 1% 이하의 240Pu/239Pu 동위원소비 계측편차를 나타내었다. 본 연구방법은 표준용액 및 다양한 매트릭스의 표준물질 분석 에 적용함으로써 검증 확인하였다.

Plutonium is by far the most important of the transuranic elements which have been released into the environment due to radio-toxicity and long term radiation effects on humans. And Pu isotope ratio (240Pu/239Pu) is of great interest because this ratio is used as a fingerprint for different sources. Mass spectrometry has been used as an useful atom counting technique with several advantages over decay counting techniques for the determination of Pu isotopes. It enables a determination of Pu isotope ratio in the environmental samples with a low detection limit and a short determination time. An ICP-MS is the representative mass spectrometry for Pu determination. In this study, the precision of 240Pu/239Pu isotope ratio was improved by using 4 multiple ion counters of MC-ICP-MS. The detection limit of 239Pu and 240Pu were 0.10 fg ml-1 (0.24 μBq ml-1), 0.12 fg ml-1 (0.97 μBq ml-1), respectively. The relative standard deviation of 240Pu/239Pu isotope ratio was less than 1 % in trace level. The various reference materials (seawater, soil and sediment) were analyzed to verify this method and their analytical results were in good agreement with the certified (or recommended value) value.

Geant4 전산모사 toolkit은 버전에 따라 개선되거나 새로워진 물리적 모델을 제공한다. 최근 재 코드화 된 Geant4.9.3 은 저 에너지 전자기 물리 모델에 대해 Livermore 데이터 삽입과 새로운 물리적 모델을 적용시키고, 코드를 수정하여 물리적 요소를 개선시켰다. 본 연구에서는 향후, 전자 또는 입자를 이용한 신뢰성 있는 전산모사를 위하여 Geant4.9.2 와 9.3에 포함된 전자기 물리모델을 이용하여 물질 내부를 통과하는 입자의 저지능(Stopping power)과 CSDA (Continuously Slowing Down Approximation) range 데이터를 획득하였으며, 이 결과를 미국국립기술표준원(Nation al Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST)에서 제공하는 각각의 데이터와 비교하여, Geant4.9.2에 대한 Geant4.9.3의 저 에너지 전자기 물리 모델의 개선 여부를 알아보고자 하였다.

The Geant4 simulation toolkit provides improved or renewed physics model according to the version. The latest Geant4.9.3 which has been recoded by developers applies inserted Livermore data and renewed physics model to the low energy electromagnetic physics model. And also, Geant4.9.3 improved the physics factors by modified code. In this study, the stopping power and CSDA(Continuously Slowing Down Approximation) range data of electron or particles were acquired in various material and then, these data were compared with NIST(National Institute of Standards and Technology) data. Through comparison between data of Geant4 simulation and NIST, the improvement of physics model on low energy electromagnetic of Geant4.9.3 was evaluated by comparing the Geant4.9.2.