17. ALARA: THE GOLD STANDARD OF RADIATION PROTECTION Flashcards

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1
Q
  1. What does ALARA stand for?
A
  • As Low As Reasonably Achievable
  • this helps to limit the dosages of Radiation Exposure
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2
Q
  1. What are the 3 Principles for Reducing Radiation Exposure?
A
  1. TIME
    - an decrease in time = a decrease in radiation
  2. DISTANCE
    - an increase in time= a decrease in radiation
    - the relation is squared
    - this is the most effective method
  3. SHIELDING
    • an increase in shielding = a decrease in radiation
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3
Q
  1. What does the Principle of Optimisation apply to?
A
  • it applies to all circumstances
  • it includes soft and hard restrictions

IT ADDRESSES THE CONSIDERATIONS OF:
- fairness
- restrictions
- doses
- risks
- to all individuals

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4
Q
  1. What are 2 examples of soft restrictions?
A
  • dose
  • risk constraints
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5
Q
  1. What is 1 example of hard restrictions?
A
  • dose limits
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6
Q
  1. What is Dose Limitation?
A
  • these limits do not apply to patients
    during their procedures
  • this means that there are no private
    limits
  • this is because doctor’s have justified this
    exposure
  • doctors have ensured that the benefit
    has outweighed the harm and risk
  • there are limits for public and
    professional bodies
  • these limits cannot be breached
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7
Q
  1. Where are Dose Limits typically introduced?
A
  • they are introduced into radiological protection
    legislation
  • they have penalties that are associated with causing an
    individual to exceed these limits
  • dose limits do not apply to all circumstances
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8
Q
  1. What is the Effective Dose Limit in:

8.1. Occupational (mSv)
8.2. Public (mSv)

A

8.1: 20 mSv per year
: this is the averaged over the defined period of 5
years

8.2: 1 mSv in a year

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9
Q
  1. What is the Annual Equivalent Dose Limit for for Lens
    of the eye in:

9.1. Occupational (mSv)
9.2. Public (mSv)

A

9.1: 20 mSv

9.2: 15 mSv

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10
Q
  1. What is the Annual Equivalent Dose Limit for for
    Skin in:

10.1. Occupational (mSv)
10.2. Public (mSv)

A

10.1: 500 mSv

10.2: 50 mSv

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11
Q
  1. What is the Annual Equivalent Dose Limit for for
    Hands and feet in:

11.1. Occupational (mSv)
11.2. Public (mSv)

A

11.1: 500 mSv

11.2: n.a mSv

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12
Q
  1. What are the two different ways that the system of Radiological Protection organises exposures to individuals?
A
  1. BY THE EXPOSURE SITUATION:
    - planned
    - existing
    - emergency
    NB: these address all conceivable circumstances
  2. BY THE CATEGORY OF EXPOSURE:
    • occupational
    • medical
    • public
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13
Q
  1. What are Planned Exposure Situations according to ICRP Report 103?
A
  • this is where radiological protection can be planned in
    advance
  • this can be planned before exposures occur
  • the magnitude and the extent of the exposures can be
    reasonably predicted

EXAMPLE:
- when you send a patient for an X-Ray

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14
Q
  1. What are Existing Exposure Situations according to ICRP Report 103?
A
  • these are the situations that already exist when a
    decision on control has to be taken
  • there are many types of existing exposure situations
    that may cause exposures
  • these exposures are high enough to warrant
    radiological protective actions or at least their
    considerations

EXAMPLES:
- Radon in dwellings
- Radon in the workplace
- Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM)

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15
Q
  1. What are Emergency Exposure Situations according to ICRP Report 103?
A
  • they are unexpected situations that may require
    urgent protective actions
  • they can also be longer-term protective actions that
    are to be implemented

EXAMPLES:
- Chernobyl
- Hiroshima
- Nagasaki

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16
Q
  1. What is an important simplification in the system of Radiological Protection?
A
  • individuals are subject to several categories of
    exposure
  • these can be dealt with separately

EXAMPLE:
- radiographers are exposed to radiation sources due to
their work
- they are exposed to environmental sources as
members of the public
- they are exposed to medical sources as patients
∴ the control of exposures in one category is not
influenced by the exposures from the other

17
Q
  1. What is Occupational Exposure according to ICPR Report 103?
A
  • it is the radiation exposure of workers
  • it is incurred as a result of their work
  • this can be reasonably regarded as being the
    responsibility of the operating management
18
Q
  1. In which kind of exposure situations can Operating Exposure occur?
A
  • in planned exposure situations
  • in existing exposure situations
  • in emergency exposure situations
19
Q
  1. What is Medical Exposure according to ICPR Report 103?
A
  • it is the exposure of individuals to radiation
  • this is for diagnostic, interventional and therapeutic
    purposes

IT CAN ALSO REFER TO:
- the exposures of non-occupational comforters and
carers
- they are exposed when they act as volunteers in
Biomedical Research

20
Q
  1. In which kind of exposure situations can Medical Exposures occur?
A
  • in planned exposure situations
21
Q
  1. What is Public Exposure according to ICPR Report 103?
A
  • it encompasses all exposures of the public
    OTHER than occupational exposures and medical
    exposures
22
Q
  1. In which kind of exposure situations can Public Exposures occur?
A
  • in planned situations
  • in existing situations
  • in emergency exposure situations
23
Q
  1. What is the Objective of Radiological Protection in Medicine?
A

TO PROVIDE OPTIMAL PROTECTION TO:
- staff
- patients
- members of the public

24
Q
  1. What kind of radiation use can pose a threat to the health of human beings?
A

THE USE OF RADIATION IN:
- Diagnosis (generally imaging)
- Treatment

AS WELL AS IN:
- Medical Procedures that do not fit neatly into just one
of these categories
- EG: fluoroscopically guided procedures

25
Q
  1. Which publication deals with all aspects of Radiation Protection in Medicine?
A
  • ICRP Publication 105
  • Radiological Protection in Medicine
  • there are also a variety of ICRP publications that are
    available for specific fields of Medicine
26
Q
  1. What is the purpose of Diagnostic Reference Levels?
A
  • they serve to help in the optimisation of the protection
    of patients

THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY:
- avoiding Radiation Dose that does not contribute to
the Clinical Purpose of the imaging procedure

27
Q
  1. According to the ICRP, what can the Diagnostic Reference Level be used for?
A
  1. TO IMPROVE REGIONAL, NATIONAL OR LOCAL
    DISTRIBUTION
    - of the observed results for a general medical imaging
    task
    - it does this by reducing the frequency of the
    unjustified high or low values
  2. TO PROMOTE THE ATTAINMENT OF A NARROW
    RANGE OF VALUES
    • that represent good practice for a more specific
      medical imaging task
  3. TO PROMOTE ATTAINMENT OF AN OPTIMUM RANGE
    OF VALUES
    - for a specified medical imaging protocol
28
Q
  1. Who should select the Diagnostic Reference Levels?
A
  • professional medical bodies
  • this decision must be made in conjunction with the
    National Health and Radiological Protection Authorities
29
Q
  1. What should the values of the Diagnostic Reference Levels be based on?
A
  • they should be based on relevant regional, national or
    local data
30
Q
  1. What should the Diagnostic Reference Levels be applied to?
A
  • they should apply to easily measured quantities
  • these quantities are reasonable relative indicators of
    the patient dose
  • this helps to see if a practice is safe
31
Q
  1. Give 4 examples of the easily measured quantities that the Diagnostic Reference Levels can be applied to?
A
  1. The Entrance Surface Air Kerma
    (in mGy)
  2. The Dose Length Product
    (DLP)
  3. The Dose Area Product
    (DAP)
  4. Milliampere Seconds
    (mAs)