Lec 4 Sources of Radiation Exposure Flashcards
Background exposure (percentage) of the ff.:
- Radon
- Space radiation
- Internal radionuclides
- Terrestrial radiation
- Radon = 73%
- Space radiation = 11%
- Internal radionuclides = 9%
- Terrestrial radiation = 7%
Background radiation
- US average exposure = ?
- Global average exposure = ?
- Typical global range = ?
- US average exposure = 3.1 mSv
- Global average exposure = 2.4 mSv/yr
- Typical global range = 1-13 mSv
Radioactive element from decay of uranium 238
Radon (Radon-222)
Cause for 10000-20000 lung cancer deaths per year.
Radon
Comes from the sun or cosmic rays
Space radiation
Comes from foods containing uranium and thorium and their decay products.
Internal radionuclides
Radioactive nuclides in the soil, primarily potassium-40 and decay products of uranium-238 and thorium-232.
Terrestrial radiation
Medical Exposure
- _______ x-ray and nuclear medicine examinations performed yearly worldwide
- ___% dental radiographic examinations.
-___________ contribute more than half of medical radiation exposure.
- ___% dental imaging of the total exposure from medical imaging.
- 3.6 billion
- 14%
- CT scans
- 0.26%
Give an example of consumer products that emit radiation.
Cigarette smoking, building materials, air travel, mining and agriculture, and combustion of fossil fuels.
Air travel produce _____ radiation.
cosmic radiation
Minor sources of consumer product exposure: (3)
dental porcelains, television receivers, and smoke alarms
Consumer products total average exposure?
1.6%
Other sources average annual exposure?
0.1%
Give an example of other sources of radiation?
Caregivers or people who are in contact with patients receiving nuclear medicine treatments; people working in nuclear plants; individuals involved in areas of industrial, medical, educational, or research activities; workers in medical and dental x-ray facilities; workers in airport baggage inspection systems; and commercial flight personnel.
