RADIATION
PROTECTION
For MRT YII Students
Detect and measuring ionizing radiation
• The radiographer and other occupationally exposed persons
must be aware of the various personnel and area radiation
exposure monitoring devices and their functions.
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Personnel monitoring
• Exposure monitoring of personnel is required when
ever radiation workers are likely to risk receiving 10%
or more of the annual total dose equivalent limit of
50msv (5 rem) in any single year.
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Continuing….
• In keeping with the ALARA concept, most institutions issue
dosimeter devices when personnel might receive about 1% of
the annual total dose equivalent limit in any month or
approximately 0.5 msv
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Continuing ….
• The personnel dosimeter indicates occupational exposure by
detecting and measuring the quantity of ionizing radiation to
which the dosimeter has been exposed over a period of time.
• This instrument does not protect the wearer from exposure
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Characteristics of personnel dosimeters
• Light weight and easy to carry
• Should made of durable materials
• Should be able to detect and record both small and significant exposures in a
consistent, reliable manner
• Should be outside influences such as heat, humidity and mechanical shock
• Inexpensive, to access easily for all staff
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Types of personnel dosimeter
• Three types of personnel dosimeters are used to measure
individual exposure to ionizing radiation are:- film badges,
pocket ionization chambers and thermo luminescent
dosimeters
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1. Film badge
• Contain radiation dosimeter film
• Used to determine whether the exposure
was due to scattered or primary beam
(scattered form fuzzy image and primary
sharply defined image
• Densitometer used to measure density of
exposed film
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Advantage of film badge
• Constitutes a permanent, Legal record of personnel exposure
• Can discriminate between the types of radiation and the energies of each
radiation
• Not damaged if accidentally dropped
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Disadvantage of film badge
• Temperature and humidity cause fogging over long period of time
• Used only for one month
• Reading is done by company and takes time to know worker’s exposure
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2. Pocket ionization chamber (pocket dosimeters)
• Are the most sensitive personal
dosimeters
• The use of this monitoring equipment
in diagnostic imaging is infrequent
• Contain a thimble ionization chamber
that measures radiation exposure
• A clip is present on the eyepiece end,
allowing the dosimeter to be attached to
an individual’s apparel
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Advantage of pocket ionization chamber
• They provide an immediate exposure read out for radiation worker’s who work in
high exposure areas
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Disadvantage of pocket ionization chamber
• If not read each day, the dosimeter may give an inaccurate reading because
electric change tends to escape.
• No permanent, legal record of exposure
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3. Thermo luminescent dosimeters (TLD)
• Use lithium fluoride (LIF) as sensing material
• When the LIF crystals are passed through a
special heating process they release the
absorbed radiation in the form of visible
light.
• The intensity of the light is proportional to
the amount of radiation that interacted with
the crystals.
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Advantage of TLD
• Humidity, pressure and normal temperature changes do not affect
• May be worn up to 3 months
• After the TLD reading has been obtained, the crystals can be reused.
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Disadvantage of TLD
• A TLD can be read only once. The readout process destroys the stored information
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Radiation survey instruments for Area monitoring
• Radiation survey instruments are area monitoring devices that detect & measure
radiation
• The detection system indicates the presence or absence or radiation, where as the
dosimeter system measures only cumulative radiation intensity.
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Continuing….
• Three different gas-filled radiation detectors that serve as field survey
instruments.
• Each has its own special use, and they are not all equally sensitive in the detection
of ionizing radiation.
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Radiation survey instrument requirements
• Must be easy to carry
• Durable enough
• Reliable
• Should interact with ionizing radiation in a manner similar to the way human
tissue reacts
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Continuing….
• Should be able to detect all common types of ionizing radiation
• The energy of the radiation should not affect
• Cost effective
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Types of Gas-filled radiation survey instruments
1. Ionization chamber – type survey meter (cutie pie)
2. Proportional counter
3. Geiger – Muller (G-M) detector
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[Link] chamber – type survey meter (cutie pie)
• This device measures X or gamma
radiation and if equipped with a
suitable window, can also record
beta radiation.
• Ionization chambers can be used to
calibrate radiographic and
fluoroscopic X-ray equipment.
• Calibrations include X-ray out put,
timer accuracy etc.
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Ionization Chamber
[Link] counter
• No useful purpose in diagnostic image
• Used in laboratory setting to detect
alpha and beta radiation and small
amounts of other types of low-level
radioactive contamination.
• Can discriminate alpha and beta
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[Link] – Muller (G-M) detector
• Primary radiation survey
instrument in nuclear
medicine facility.
• Has on audible sound system
that alerts the operator to the
presence of ionizing radiation
• Continuous
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Cardinal Principles Of Radiation Protection
• All health physics activity in radiology is designed to minimize the radiation
exposure of patients and personnel.
• Three cardinal principles of radiation protection developed for nuclear activities
Time, Distance & Shielding
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THANK YOU
Any Questions ?