Impact of new operational dosimetric quantities on individual monitoring services

Abstract

The new operational dosimetric quantities framework, proposed in the ICRU95 report, has stimulated the scientific community to start investigations that aim to assess its impact on radiation protection practices. As part of this effort, the present study describes an inter-comparison exercise among individual monitoring services (IMSs) on passive whole-body dosimetry. The inter-comparison is performed in terms of both the existing operational dose quantity H p ( 10 ) and its proposed replacement H p , to allow an evaluation of the actions that may be necessary to adapt dosimetry systems to the proposed quantity. For two of the tested IMSs, simple modifications to the detector response function, or the dose calculation algorithm, were sufficient to obtain results within acceptable limits. However, these approaches are not sufficient to give a level of performance comparable to that achieved in terms of H p ( 10 ) . This may require a modification to dosemeter design.

Investigating the impact of new dosimetric quantities recommended by ICRU 95 on the OSLD individual monitoring system at OAP, Thailand

“…To improve the accuracy of the new definition response, the system can be modified to an accurate response by simply applying an energy-independence correction factor [8] or by using a new algorithm for the dose calculation. Both methods include no changes to the filters or the design of the badges.…”

Sievert or Gray: Dose Quantities and Protection Levels in Emergency Exposure

“…Focusing on the operational quantities used by the monitoring instrumentation, the ICRU recently presented new definitions in the case of external radiation, improving the methodology for estimating the effective dose and promoting its gradual adoption [ 7 ]. The influence of these novelties must be investigated from the point of view of radiation emergency monitoring: the new operational quantities should allow for a more accurate estimation of the effective dose and dose to the extremities, but relevant differences remain for some photon and neutron fields [ 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”

Impact of the implementation of the new radiation quantities recommended by ICRU/ICRP for practical use in interventional radiology: a Monte Carlo study

“…Pozzi et al [5] studied the impact of switching to the new quantity ambient dose, H * in two neutron reference fields and in a high-energy workplace field. Another study by Caresana et al [6] compared the existing operational dose quantity H p (10) with its proposed replacement H p in reference fields at standard beam qualities, to assess if actions may be necessary to adapt dosimetry systems to the new quantity. Eakins et al [7] studied the impact of the new operational dose quantities on the response characteristics of a beta/gamma personal dosimeter.…”