ICRP, exposures, and guidelines

Question 1

What does ICRP stand for

Answer 1

International commission on radiological protection

Question 2

What are the 3 principles the IRCP suggest

Answer 2

Justification
Optimisation
Dose and Risk limits

Question 3

What is Justification?

Answer 3

• The radiation use needs to have a positive total gain
• Needs valid clinical indications to take place
• There needs to be a higher level of justification for kids

Question 4

What is optimisation?

Answer 4

• Although there is no dose limit, try use as little as possible

Question 5

How can optimisation be achieved

Answer 5

• Good staff training
• Good equipment
• QA programmes
• Good techniques and protocols

Question 6

What is Limitation?

Answer 6

Different dose limits for different people, Radiation workers, and the General Public.

Question 7

Radiation worker’s effective, equivalent doses allowed

Answer 7

Effective Dose 20 mSv/yr averaged over 5 years; 50mSv in any one year

Equivalent Dose 500mSv to skin in any one year

Equivalent Dose 20mSv to lens of eye in any one year

Question 8

The general publics effective, equivalent doses allowed

Answer 8

Effective Dose 1 mSv/yr

Equivalent Dose 50mSv to skin in any one year

Equivalent Dose 15mSv to lens of eye in any one year

Question 9

What is ORSC1

Answer 9

the Code of Practice for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, issued in compliance with radiation safety regulations in New Zealand. Basically is legislation to ensure medical imaging staff are compliant with the radiation safety act 2016.

Question 10

What are the three sources of exposure

Answer 10

1. Occupational (voluntary)
2. Medical
3. Public (involuntary)

Question 11

What is different about Medical exposure than the other two

Answer 11

• There are no dose limits however reference dose levels are recommended. The reference dose limits are published for dose area product and entrance surface dose for common exams.

Question 12

What are the basis for our current concepts of biological effects and risks. (There are 4)

Answer 12

• Situations and concequences
• Fallout incidents
• Atomic bombs x
• Overexposure of patients during medical procedures

Question 13

IRCP estimates what percentage for the risk of cancer types from radiation exposure (per sievert) for each population

Answer 13

Risk of fatal cancer from radiation exposure
*5% per Sievert for the whole population
*4% per Sievert for adult workers (18 to 64 years)

The risk of non-fatal cancer is estimated as:
*1% per Sievert for a whole population
*0.8% per Sievert for adult workers

Risk of severe hereditary effects as:
*1.3% per Sievert (whole population)
*0.8% (adult workers)

Question 14

What are the main Aims of radiation protection

Answer 14

• To prevent deterministic effects by keeping doses low, below the threshold doses.
• To reduce the risks of stochastic effects.