Este estudo tem por objetivo formular um composto cerâmico para revestimento de paredes visando contribuir para a otimização da blindagem de salas de diagnóstico. O trabalho foi baseado em medidas experimentais de atenuação da radiação X (80 e 100 kV) empregando materiais cerâmicos de revestimento contendo diferentes suportes cerâmicos (vermelho, branco, grês, porcelanatos, etc). Dentre os suportes cerâmicos avaliados, o grês branco apresentou melhores propriedades atenuadoras, e foi considerado o mais adequado para a proposta deste trabalho. Diferentes formulações de grês branco foram estudadas e alteradas a fim de obter melhores propriedades atenuadoras. Foram efetuadas simulações de composições cerâmicas de revestimento grês dentro das porcentagens de matérias-primas necessárias na composição que são 12-20% argila; 6-18% caulim; 12-25% filito; 8-14% quartzo; 10-18% feldspato; 32- 40% pegmatito; 6-8% talco. As composições químicas quantitativas e qualitativas destes materiais foram também avaliadas, e os elementos constituintes mais comuns são SiO2, Fe2O3, Al2O3, CaO e Ti2O3. Considerando que o CaO pode ser substituído pelo PbO ou BaO, foram estudadas formulações com maiores teores de óxidos de Pb e Ba. O comportamento destes materiais como atenuadores para a radiação X foi investigado por meio de simulações computacionais que levaram em consideração os espectros de raios X incidentes e transmitidos através das diferentes composições estudadas e comparado com os materiais de referência Pb, Ba e BaSO4 (barita). Os resultados obtidos nas simulações indicaram as formulações do composto de suporte cerâmico grês que demonstram melhores propriedades de atenuação levando-se em conta as energias usadas em raios X diagnóstico (80, 100 e 150 kV). Placas cerâmicas baseadas na composição formulada que apresentou menor diferença percentual em relação ao Pb foram produzidas em laboratório e testadas fisicamente como revestimento de parede e barreira protetora. Propriedades como módulo de resistência à flexão, densidade, carga de ruptura, absorção de água e atenuação da radiação X foram avaliadas para todas as placas produzidas. / This study aims to formulate a ceramic composition for wall coating seeking to contribute to the optimization of diagnosis rooms’ shielding. The work was based on experimental measures of X-radiation attenuation (80 and 100 kV) using ceramic coating materials containing different ceramic bases (red, white, grês, stoneware porcelain tiles, etc). Among the appraised ceramic bases, the white grês presented better attenuation properties and it was considered the most suitable material for the targets of this work. Different formulations of white grês were studied and altered in order to obtain better attenuation properties. Simulations of ceramic compositions using grês coating were made maintaining the percentages of 12-20% clay; 6-18% kaolin; 12-25% phyllite; 8-14% quartz; 10- 18% feldspar; 32-40% pegmatite and 6-8% talc in the composition of the necessary raw-material. The quantitative and qualitative chemical compositions of these materials were also evaluated and the most common representative elements are SiO2, Fe2O3, Al2O3, CaO and Ti2O3. Formulations containing Pb and Ba oxides were studied, considering that CaO can be replaced by PbO or BaO. The attenuation properties for X-radiation were investigated by computer simulations considering the incident and transmitted X-ray spectra for the different studied compositions and they were compared to the properties of the reference materials Pb, Ba and BaSO4 (barite). The results obtained with the simulations indicated the formulated composition of grês ceramic base that presented better attenuation properties considering the X-ray energies used in diagnosis (80, 100 and 150 kV). Ceramic plates based on the formulated compositions that presented lower percentage differences related to Pb were experimentally produced and physically tested as wall coating and protecting barrier. Properties as flexion resistance module, density, load rupture, water absorption and Xradiation attenuation were evaluated for all produced plates.

Este estudo tem por objetivo formular um composto cerâmico para revestimento de paredes visando contribuir para a otimização da blindagem de salas de diagnóstico. O trabalho foi baseado em medidas experimentais de atenuação da radiação X (80 e 100 kV) empregando materiais cerâmicos de revestimento contendo diferentes suportes cerâmicos (vermelho, branco, grês, porcelanatos, etc). Dentre os suportes cerâmicos avaliados, o grês branco apresentou melhores propriedades atenuadoras, e foi considerado o mais adequado para a proposta deste trabalho. Diferentes formulações de grês branco foram estudadas e alteradas a fim de obter melhores propriedades atenuadoras. Foram efetuadas simulações de composições cerâmicas de revestimento grês dentro das porcentagens de matérias-primas necessárias na composição que são 12-20% argila; 6-18% caulim; 12-25% filito; 8-14% quartzo; 10-18% feldspato; 32- 40% pegmatito; 6-8% talco. As composições químicas quantitativas e qualitativas destes materiais foram também avaliadas, e os elementos constituintes mais comuns são SiO2, Fe2O3, Al2O3, CaO e Ti2O3. Considerando que o CaO pode ser substituído pelo PbO ou BaO, foram estudadas formulações com maiores teores de óxidos de Pb e Ba. O comportamento destes materiais como atenuadores para a radiação X foi investigado por meio de simulações computacionais que levaram em consideração os espectros de raios X incidentes e transmitidos através das diferentes composições estudadas e comparado com os materiais de referência Pb, Ba e BaSO4 (barita). Os resultados obtidos nas simulações indicaram as formulações do composto de suporte cerâmico grês que demonstram melhores propriedades de atenuação levando-se em conta as energias usadas em raios X diagnóstico (80, 100 e 150 kV). Placas cerâmicas baseadas na composição formulada que apresentou menor diferença percentual em relação ao Pb foram produzidas em laboratório e testadas fisicamente como revestimento de parede e barreira protetora. Propriedades como módulo de resistência à flexão, densidade, carga de ruptura, absorção de água e atenuação da radiação X foram avaliadas para todas as placas produzidas. / This study aims to formulate a ceramic composition for wall coating seeking to contribute to the optimization of diagnosis rooms’ shielding. The work was based on experimental measures of X-radiation attenuation (80 and 100 kV) using ceramic coating materials containing different ceramic bases (red, white, grês, stoneware porcelain tiles, etc). Among the appraised ceramic bases, the white grês presented better attenuation properties and it was considered the most suitable material for the targets of this work. Different formulations of white grês were studied and altered in order to obtain better attenuation properties. Simulations of ceramic compositions using grês coating were made maintaining the percentages of 12-20% clay; 6-18% kaolin; 12-25% phyllite; 8-14% quartz; 10- 18% feldspar; 32-40% pegmatite and 6-8% talc in the composition of the necessary raw-material. The quantitative and qualitative chemical compositions of these materials were also evaluated and the most common representative elements are SiO2, Fe2O3, Al2O3, CaO and Ti2O3. Formulations containing Pb and Ba oxides were studied, considering that CaO can be replaced by PbO or BaO. The attenuation properties for X-radiation were investigated by computer simulations considering the incident and transmitted X-ray spectra for the different studied compositions and they were compared to the properties of the reference materials Pb, Ba and BaSO4 (barite). The results obtained with the simulations indicated the formulated composition of grês ceramic base that presented better attenuation properties considering the X-ray energies used in diagnosis (80, 100 and 150 kV). Ceramic plates based on the formulated compositions that presented lower percentage differences related to Pb were experimentally produced and physically tested as wall coating and protecting barrier. Properties as flexion resistance module, density, load rupture, water absorption and Xradiation attenuation were evaluated for all produced plates.

O Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, IPEN, pesquisa e produz radiofármacos que são distribuídos para todo o Brasil. Atualmente o radiofármaco com a maior quantidade de embalados expedidos por ano e com a maior atividade total é o gerador de tecnécio-99m. Com o intuito de diminuir as doses individuais dos trabalhadores envolvidos na produção de radiofármacos foi realizado um estudo de otimização da proteção radiológica no processo de expedição do gerador de tecnécio-99m, utilizando as técnicas de análise de custo-benefício diferencial, análise de custo-benefício integral, análise de prioridade com atributos múltiplos e análise com critérios múltiplos excedentes. Com alterações na configuração do embalado para despacho do gerador e com a aquisição de uma esteira transportadora foi possível estabelecer 4 opções de proteção. Os atributos considerados foram o custo da proteção, a dose coletiva, a dose individual e o esforço físico realizado pelo trabalhador para movimentar o embalado na falta da esteira. Para verificar a robustez das soluções analíticas encontradas com as técnicas utilizadas na otimização foi realizado um estudo de sensibilidade e foi constatado que a opção 3 é mais robusta que a opção 1, que deixa de ser a solução analítica com um aumento de R$ 20.000,00 no custo da proteção. / The Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, IPEN, radiopharmaceuticals research and produce that are distributed throughout Brazil, currently the radiopharmaceutical with the largest number of packaged shipped per year and with the highest total activity is the 99m technetium generator. To reduce individual doses for workers involved in the production of radiopharmaceuticals was performed a study of radiological protection optimization in the shipment process of technetium generator, using the techniques: diferencial cost-benefit analysis, integral cost-benefit analysis, multi-attribute utility analysis and multi-criteria outranking analysis. With changes in the configuration of packed for generator dispatch and with the acquirement of a mat transporter it was possible establish 4 protection options. The attributes considered were the protection cost, collective dose, individual dose and physical effort by worker to move the package without the mat. To assess the robustness of analytical solutions found with the techniques used in the optimization we performed a sensitivity study and found that option 3 is more robust than option 1, which is no longer the analytical solution with an increase of R$ 20.000,00 the cost of protection.

As doses de radiação ionizante para os trabalhadores no transporte de material radioativo devem ser tão pequenas quanto razoavelmente exequível. As doses médias dos motoristas e carregadores amostrados neste trabalho devem ser diminuídas. A demonstração do controle das doses em veículo rodoviário com material radioativo, requisitada pelo regulamento brasileiro atual, norma CNEN NE 5.01, é apresentada em formulário próprio com valores de exposição obtidos em posições de ocupação regular de indivíduos do público e de trabalhadores, mesmo quando se expede veículo sem a necessidade de uso exclusivo (∑ IT 50). Este trabalho mostra, por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica, elaboração de modelos e pesquisa de campo, que esta demonstração do controle com a obtenção dos valores de exposição nesta situação, para um método de controle melhor, deve ser realizada pela apresentação do registro do acúmulo de cargas, limitado (∑ IT 50), a fim de evitar a obtenção destas medidas, para que haja padronização com regulamentos estrangeiros e para que os custos e os tempos, importantes para expedição de radiofármacos com meia-vida curta, e também as atuais doses laborais dos técnicos de radioproteção sejam todos diminuídos. Os valores de exposição dos parâmetros utilizados com esse método são menores do que seus limites regulamentares. Para contribuir com essas finalidades devem ser apresentadas pelo regulamento brasileiro atualizado as distâncias de segregação entre as cargas e as cabines dos veículos. / The radiation doses to workers in the transport of radioactive material should be as low as reasonably achievable. The average doses of drivers and loaders, sampled in this thesis should be decreased. The demonstration of doses control in a road vehicle with radioactive material required by the current Brazilian regulation, CNEN NE 5.01 should be written in its own printed form with exposure values obtained in normally occupied positions from workers and members of the public, even when the consignment does not need \"exclusive use\" (∑ IT 50). Through bibliographic research, modeling and field research, this research work shows that this demonstration of the control should be done by writing the registration accumulation of load, limited (∑ IT 50), also in the own printed form. It is for a better control method, in order to avoid the use of measuring equipment, to build standardization with foreign regulations, to the current occupational doses of radioprotection technicians, the costs and time, (important for consignment with radiopharmaceuticals short half-life) would be all smaller. Exposure values of the parameters used with this method are smaller than regulatory limits. The segregation distances between loads and the cabins of vehicles shall be showed by Brazilian regulation updated to contribute to these aims.

<p>Radioiodine has been used in nuclear medicine for the treatment of thyroid diseases such as Thyroid Cancer and Thyrotoxicosis for many years. The treatment renders the patient radioactive. To minimize the dose to the patients’ relatives and the general public, restric-tions are imposed on the behaviour of the patient. This project presents the person dose equivalents actually received by family members of radioiodine patients following such restrictions. The family members wore hospital ID-bands on left and right wrists for up to four weeks. Each ID-band contained two LiF: Mg, Ti Thermo Luminescence Dosimeters (TLD) calibrated to measure air kerma. The TLDs were analysed and a total person dose equivalent received by the relative was calculated from the measured air kerma values. The results were compared to the dose constraints imposed by The Swedish Radiation Protection Authority (SSI FS 2000:3) in order to confirm that the new set of restrictions used at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge maintains the dose to family members below the applicable limits.</p><p>A total number of 22 relatives were recruited, 8 elderly, 7 adults and 7 children. Of the recruited relatives 4 (2 adults, 2 children) were excluded from the study as they had lost their dosimeter ID-bands or had other reasons not to participate in the study. This leaves the number of relatives used for data analysis at 18 individuals (8 elderly, 5 adults and 5 children) with a min age of 10 years and max age of 80 years.</p><p>The observed average person dose equivalent of 0.43 mSv (max, 1.27; min, 0.12) indi-cates that the new method of individualised restriction used at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge work as desired in keeping the dose to family members at an accept-able level. The accuracy of the clinical study has been shown to depend greatly on the method by which the dose is investigated but also on the properties of the TLD material used. There is a potential underestimation of air kerma due to fading of up to 30 %. In addition there are contributing uncertainties from both the calibration method and the conversion to person dose equivalent with the combined uncertainty estimated to be 14%.</p>

<p>The protection of the unborn child in pregnant women from ionizing radiation is very important because the foetus is particularly sensitive to the effects of radiation. In case of pregnant members of staff working with ionising radiation, the unborn child is treated as a member of the general public, and a dose limit of 1 mSv during pregnancy is applied in order to protect the foetus.</p><p>The purpose of this work was to collect relevant information on exposure conditions and entrance doses of occupationally exposed workers in diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine, and to give guidelines on how to estimate foetal doses for pregnant staff in such workplaces.</p><p>With X-ray procedures, an accumulated dose of 2 mSv during pregnancy, measured on the trunk (breast or waist) and behind a lead apron, is sufficient to ensure a foetal dose below 1 mSv. For staff working with nuclear medicine, the corresponding limit is 1.5 mSv taking into account external exposure from 99mTc. When internal contamination cannot be neglected, additional precautions need to be considered.</p>

<p>The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) operate the IAEA/WHO TLD postal dose audit programme. The purpose of the programme is to verify the beam calibration in radiotherapy centres in developing countries and to check the Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratories (SSDLs). Thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs) are used as transfer dosimeters and the evaluation of these are done at the IAEA Dosimetry Laboratory. In the present work the uncertainties in the process of dose determination from TLD readings have been evaluated.</p><p>The analysis comprises the TLD reading reproducibility, uncertainties in the calibration coefficient, and uncertainties in factors correcting for fading of TL signal, influence of TLD holder, energy response and dose response non-linearity. The individual uncertainties were combined to estimate the total uncertainty in the evaluated dose from TLD readings. Experimental data from 2001-2005 were used in the analysis.</p><p>The total uncertainty has been estimated to be 1.2 % for irradiations with 60Co -rays and 1.6 % for irradiations with high-energy X-rays. Results from irradiations by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), Primary Standard Dosimetry Laboratories (PSDLs), Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratories (SSDLs) and reference centres compare favourably with the estimated uncertainties.</p><p>The largest uncertainty components are in the energy correction factor (for high-energy X-rays) with a value of 1.1 % and in the dose response non-linearity correction factor with a value of 0.9 %.</p><p>It has been shown that the acceptance limits of 5 % for TLD results of hospitals and 3.5 % for SSDLs are justified when related to the uncertainties in the dose calculations and the uncertainty in the determination of absorbed dose to water at the centre, as discussed in IAEA TRS-398 (IAEA, 2000), provided that it is followed.</p>

<p>Background: This is a retrospective study of patients treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) with the stereotactic body frame for centrally located lung tumours. The purpose was to investigate the doses to the different structures of the tracheobronchial tree and to relate these doses to the incidence of atelectasis. The goal was to estimate a tolerance dose for the bronchi. Materials: The patient material consisted of 71 patient treated at the Karolinska University Hospital for a total of 102 tumours between November 1993 and March 2004. The patient group consisted of 36 men and 35 women with a mean age at the treatment of 67 years (range 34-87). The group was a mixture of patients with primary lung cancer and pulmonary metastases. Methods: After rereading and reactivating the dose plans for the patients in the treatment planning system (TPS) the different tracheobronchial structures (trachea, right mainstem bronchus, right superior bronchus, right intermedius bronchus, right medius bronchus, right inferior bronchus, left mainstem bronchus, left superior bronchus, left intermedius bronchus, left inferior bronchus) were outlined. The dose distribution in each structure was calculated and a dose-volume histogram (DVH) was created. Patients were allocated to four groups, i.e. patients with right sided tumours (22), left sided tumours (14), mediastinal tumours (23) and bilateral tumours (10). After that the maximum and mean doses to all structures were analysed. An oncologist reviewed the medical records for the patients and especially looked for atelectasis. The doses were related to the incidence of atelectasis.</p><p>Results and Conclusions: For the patient group with right sided tumours it seems like the maximum doses to the bronchi are higher for the patients with atelectasis in comparison with patients without atelectasis. A better correlation between atelectasis and maximum doses rather than mean doses was observed for these patients. At this moment the results are too preliminary, so it is not possible to suggest a tolerance dose for the bronchi. What can be said is that the maximum doses to the bronchi for patients with right sided tumours without atelectasis are below 250 Gy3 expressed in biologically equivalent dose (BED) with α/β=3Gy, while at least one bronchi structure in the atelectasis patients received a maximum dose above 250 Gy3.</p>

<p>Background: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a relatively new method which has been employed e.g. in the treatment of liver tumours. Little dosimetric data has been published for SBRT in the liver. The aim of this retrospective study was to quantify the dosimetric parameters that influence the toxicity of the healthy liver, and the effect on the tumour, for SBRT to liver tumours in patients treated at Karolinska University Hospital. A comparison was made to relating published studies.</p><p>Patients and Methods: The patient group to be studied were treated at Karolinska University Hospital for liver metastases with SBRT between July 1993 and October 2004. There were 64 patients treated with 71 treatment plans for 81 tumours. Differential dose volume histograms were collected for the clinical target volume (CTV), the planning target volume (PTV) and the liver excluding the CTV, from all dose plans. Since different fractionation schedules were used, the doses were normalised using the linear quadratic model, to be comparable. The doses to the uninvolved liver were evaluated with the mean liver dose, the Lyman-Kutcher-Burman (LKB) effective volume normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) model as well as the critical volume NTCP-model. A comparison was made to the studies of Dawson et al (2002) and Schefter et al (2005). The doses to the CTV were evaluated using the equivalent uniform dose tumour control probability (TCP) model, and related to target size and date of treatment.</p><p>Results: When the mean doses to the uninvolved liver (the liver volume without tumour tissue) were compared to Dawson and Ten Haken’s results (2005), 20 treatments out of 71 were predicted to give a risk of radiation induced liver disease (RILD) higher than 50%. The effective volume calculations predicted that 18 treatments gave a risk of RILD higher than 50%, when compared to the results of Dawson et al (2002). According to the critical volume model and the parameter values of Schefter et al (2005), our data predict that 10 of the treatments gave a risk of liver function failure, to an unspecified risk level. Treatments of large tumours resulted in higher doses to the liver. The doses to the CTV showed that the maximum prescribed dose decreased with increasing CTV.</p><p>Discussion and Conclusions: An evaluation of clinical data is necessary to make a full analysis of the treatments of this study. Such an analysis is planned for the future.</p>

<p>The accuracy and precision of measurements of pulsating flow obtained with phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC MRI) was studied. Measurements were carried out using known flow rates through a phantom connected to a pump that created pulsation in the flow. Repeated measurements were made in both the negative and positive encoding direction, using both breath-hold and non breath hold sequences. The obtained data was analyzed using code written in MATLAB and also using the FLOW software that is offered by the manufacturer of the MRI system.</p><p>A range of different flow velocities was scanned, and results show that the overall accuracy of the measurements is relatively good, with an average error of between 1.2% to 5.7% using the clinically employed flow calculation software. There is however indication of a systematic phase offset in the data that influences the measurements. The effect of the offset on the results depends on the direction of flow and the sequence used. The results also show the importance of properly selecting the area over which the flow rate is calculated.</p>