Radiation Protection

This topic is concerned with the protection of patients, staff and the general public from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. It includes topics such as dose limits, radiation shielding, and radiation safety culture.

What is radiation protection also known as?

"The protection of people from harmful effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, and the means for achieving this."

How does exposure to radiation occur?

"Exposure can be from a source of radiation external to the human body or due to internal irradiation caused by the ingestion of radioactive contamination."

What are the two main categories of ionizing radiation health effects?

"At high exposures, it can cause 'tissue' effects, also called 'deterministic' effects due to the certainty of them happening, conventionally indicated by the unit gray and resulting in acute radiation syndrome. For low-level exposures, there can be statistically elevated risks of radiation-induced cancer, called 'stochastic effects' due to the uncertainty of them happening, conventionally indicated by the unit sievert."

What are the simple protective measures in radiation protection?

"The avoidance or reduction of dose using the simple protective measures of time, distance, and shielding."

How should the duration of exposure be managed?

"The duration of exposure should be limited to that necessary."

What should be maximized in terms of distance from the source of radiation?

"The distance from the source of radiation should be maximized."

What is the importance of shielding in radiation protection?

"The source or the target should be shielded wherever possible."

What are the instruments used for measuring personal dose uptake in radiation exposure?

"For external radiation personal dosimeters are used."

What techniques are used for measuring internal dose due to the ingestion of radioactive contamination?

"For internal dose to due to ingestion of radioactive contamination, bioassay techniques are applied."

Which organizations publish recommendations and data for radiation protection and dosimetry assessment?

"The International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP) and International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) publish recommendations and data."

What is the purpose of radiation protection?

"The protection of people from harmful effects of exposure to ionizing radiation."

What is the unit used to conventionally indicate high exposures' effects?

"Conventionally indicated by the unit gray."

What are deterministic effects of radiation?

"Tissue effects due to the certainty of them happening, resulting in acute radiation syndrome."

What are stochastic effects of radiation?

"Statistically elevated risks of radiation-induced cancer due to the uncertainty of them happening."

What is the role of time in radiation protection?

"The duration of exposure should be limited to that necessary."

What is the role of distance in radiation protection?

"The distance from the source of radiation should be maximized."

How can radiation exposure be reduced?

"The source or the target should be shielded wherever possible."

How is personal dose uptake measured in occupational or emergency exposure?

"For external radiation personal dosimeters are used."

How is internal dose measured in cases of radioactive contamination ingestion?

"Bioassay techniques are applied."

What do the International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP) and International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) provide?

"Recommendations and data used to calculate the biological effects on the human body of certain levels of radiation and advise acceptable dose uptake limits."