AIM: Ch 21: Radiation Protection Flashcards
The majority of the effective dose caused by cosmogenic radionuclides is from ____
Carbon 14
The radioactive materials that have been present on the Earth since its formation are called ____
Primordial radionuclides
Primordial radionuclides with physical half-lives comparable to the age of the Earth (~4.5 billion years) and their radioactive decay products are the LARGEST sources of terrestrial radiation exposure
Most radionuclides with atomic numbers greater than lead decay to stable isotopes of lead through a series of radionuclide decays called ____
Decay chains
The short-lived alpha particle-emitting decay products of ____ are believed to be the most significant source of exposure from the inhalation of naturally occurring radionuclides
Radon 222 (Rn-222)
Radon-222, a noble gas, is produced in the U-238 decay chain by the decay of radium 226 (Ra-226)
The single greatest controllable source of radiation exposure in the US population is from ____
Medical imaging
The majority of the exposure is from x-ray imaging (primarily from diagnostic radiology), with a smaller contribution from nuclear medicine.
The following radiologic procedure deliver majority, approximately 75%, of the collective effective dose:
I: CT
II: Nuclear medicine
III: Conventional radiography
IV: Fluoroscopy
a. I
b. I and II
c. I, II, III
d. I, II, III and IV
b. I and II
Identify the personel dosimeter and its parts
Film Badge
A: Film pack
B: Envelope
C: Film
D. Film badge
Film badges typically have an area where the film is not covered by a metal filter or plastic and thus is directly exposed to the radiation. This ____ is used to detect medium and high-energy beta radiation that would otherwise be attenuated
“Open window”
A film badge consists of a small sealed packet of radiation sensitive film, similar to dental x-ray film, placed inside a special plastic holder that can be clipped to clothing. Radiation striking the emulsion causes a darkening of the developed film. The amount of darkening increases with the absorbed dose to the film emulsion and is measured with a ____.
Densitometer
In film badges, the film emulsion contains grains of ____, resulting in a higher effective atomic number than tissue; therefore, the dose to the film is not equal to the dose to tissue.
Silver bromide
Most film badges can record doses from about 100 μSv to 15 Sv (10 mrem to 1,500 rem) for photons and from 500 μSv to 10 Sv (50 mrem to 1,000 rem) for beta radiation. The film in the badge is usually replaced monthly and sent to the commercial supplier for processing. The developed film is usually kept by the vendor, providing a permanent record of radiation exposure
The most commonly used TLD material for personnel dosimetry is ____
Lithium fluoride (LiF)
These dosimeters can be used over a long time interval (up to 6 months if necessary) before being returned to the vendor for analysis.
TLD
(Thermoluminescent Dosimeters)
Some dosimeters contain storage phosphors in which a fraction of the electrons, raised to excited states by ionizing radiation, become trapped in excited states. When these trapped electrons are released, either by heating or by exposure to light, they fall to lower energy states with the emission of light. The amount of light emitted can be measured and indicates the radiation dose received by the phosphor material.
Name the dosimeter
Finger ring dosimeter
TLDs are routinely used in nuclear medicine as extremity dosimeters; a finger ring containing a chip of LiF worn on the hand is expected to receive the highest exposure during radiopharmaceutical preparation and administration.
Name the parts of the TLD
These dosimeters are similar to that of TLDs, except that the release of trapped electrons and light emission are stimulated by laser light instead of by heat
Optically stimulated luminance (OSL)
T/F: OSL dosimeters have certain advantages over TLDs in that they can be reread several times and an image of the filter pattern can be produced to differentiate between static (i.e., instantaneous) and dynamic (i.e., normal) exposure
True
Dosimeters of choice when longer dose assessment intervals (e.g., quarterly) are required
TLDs or OSLs
It is a relatively new technology in which a nonvolatile analog memory cell, surrounded by a gas-filled ion chamber, is used to record radiation exposure
Direct ion storage dosimeters
The initial interactions of the x-ray and gamma-ray photons occur in the wall material, and secondary electrons ionize the gas of the chamber. The positive ions are collected on a central negative electrode resulting in a reduction in voltage that is proportional to the dose received by the dosimeter. The dose recorded by the dosimeter can be read at any time by connecting it to the USB port of any computer with Internet access.
The advantages of this technology include a broad dose and photon energy response range (0.01 mSv to 5 Sv and 5 keV to 6 MeV), unlimited real-time dose readings by the user without the need for a special reader, online management of dosimeter assignment and dosimetry reports, and elimination of the periodic distribution and collection of dosimeters as well as the delay and cost associated with returning the dosimeters for processing by the dosimetry vendor
Identify the dosimeter
T/F: A dosimeter is typically worn on the part of the torso that is expected to receive the largest radiation exposure or is most sensitive to radiation damage
True
Most radiologists, x-ray technologists, and nuclear medicine technologists wear a dosimeter at ____ or ____ level
Waist
Shirt-pocket
During fluoroscopy, a dosimeter is typically placed at ____ level ____ (underneath or in front?) of the lead apron to measure the dose to the thyroid and lens of the eye because most of the body is shielded from exposure
Collar
In front
Alternatively, a dosimeter can be placed at the ____ level ____ of the radiation-protective apron, and a second dosimeter can be worn on the ____ level ____ the apron
Collar, in front
Torso, underneath
A pregnant radiation worker typically wears an additional dosimeter at ____ level ( ____ the lead apron, if worn) to assess the fetal dose.
Waist, behind
The only pesonnel monitoring device with permanent record of radiation exposure
Film badge
The only pesonnel monitoring device which can measure gamma rays
Pocket dosimeter
Identify the device
Pocket dosimeter
These are used to detect the presence and provide semiquantitative estimates of the intensities of radiation fields
Geiger-Mueller survey instruments
These are used when accurate measurements of radiation exposure rates are required
Portable ionization chamber survey meters