Importance of Quality Assurance Program Implementation in Conventional Diagnostic Radiology

Diagnostic radiology’s basic task is to provide high quality diagnostic image information about anatomic detail or ongoing physiological process within patient’s body, where such information can not be provided using alternative diagnostic method which excludes the use of ionizing radiation. Ensuring adequate clinical diagnostic information together with the least possible exposure of the patient to radiation (As Low As Reasonably Achievable – ALARA principle) at the lowest costs is quality assurance (QA) program’s main goal – optimization of radiological practice. Implementation of QA program does not mean just meeting legal requirements regarding quality control (QC) of X-ray and associated equipment and areas where they are installed but also implies optimum use of equipment, human and material resources inspected trough film rejection analysis and monitoring of patient doses received in particular radiological diagnostic examinations. In Republic of Croatia QA program in diagnostic radiology has not been yet systematically implemented in any medical institution. Except for legally bounded QC of X-ray equipment, other aspects of QA program are not conducted due to many reasons such as lack of educated staff and adequate measuring equipment, absence of obligatory legal acts, poor financial situation in Croatian health care system and many others. Implementation of QA program in diagnostic radiology departments of Croatian medical institutions is an imperative in order to harmonize the good practice with other countries in EU

SANACIJA ODLAGALIŠTA UGLJENOGA PEPELA I ŠLJAKE: USPOREDBA PROCJENA RADIOLOŠKOGA RIZIKA

Residuals from coal combustion are known as a potential source of radiation exposure, especially in cases where the coal used in the combustion is characterized by increased radioactivity, resulting in coal ash and slag with potentially high activity concentration of radionuclides. This paper presents the results of the radiological risk assessments based on the ERICA Tool approach, used to estimate dose rates to terrestrial biota in the proximity of a coal fired thermal power plant in Croatia. The study consists of three radiological risk assessments using environmental data on activity concentration (Bqkg-1) from samples collected prior to the remediation of the disposal site and samples after the remediation implementation was completed. The resulting total dose rate to biota derived using data prior to the remediation ranged from 3.28 μGyh-1 to 147.68 μGyh-1. Assessment results of total dose rate based on the data from the studied area after remediation ranged from 0.23 μGyh-1 to 18.06 μGyh-1. The results showed that after the remediation only the total dose rate for lichens and bryophytes slightly exceeded ERICA Tool conservative screening value of 10 μGyh-1, which implies that environmental risks in relation to exposure to the disposal site can be considered negligible. The study results confirm the applicability of the ERICA Tool for the assessment of potential radiological impact and the effective remediation implementation at the coal and ash slag disposal site.Ostatci od spaljivanja ugljena poznati su kao potencijalni izvor izloženosti zračenju, posebno u slučajevima kada je ugljen koji se koristi u spaljivanju karakteriziran povećanom radioaktivnošću, što rezultira pepelom i šljakom s potencijalno visokom aktivnošću koncentracije radionuklida. U radu su prikazani rezultati procjene radiološkoga rizika temeljeni na pristupu ERICA alata korištenim za procjenu brzine doza za kopnenu biotu u blizini termoelektrane na ugljen u Hrvatskoj. Studija se sastoji od triju procjena radiološkoga rizika korištenjem podataka o koncentraciji aktivnosti (Bqkg-1) u okolišu iz uzoraka prikupljenih prije sanacije odlagališta i uzoraka nakon završetka sanacije. Rezultirajuća ukupna brzina doze za biotu dobivena korištenjem podataka prije sanacije kretala se od 3,28 μGyh-1 do 147,68 μGyh-1. Rezultati procjene ukupne brzine doze na temelju podataka s istraživanoga područja nakon sanacije kreću se od 0,23 μGyh-1 do 18,06 μGyh-1. Rezultati su pokazali da je nakon sanacije samo ukupna brzina doze za lišajeve i briofite neznatno premašila konzervativnu vrijednost provjere ERICA alata od 10 μGyh-1, što implicira da se rizici za okoliš u odnosu na izloženost odlagalištu mogu smatrati zanemarivima. Ovi rezultati studije potvrđuju prikladnost korištenja ERICA alata za procjenu potencijalnoga radiološkog utjecaja i učinkovite provedbe sanacije odlagališta ugljena i šljake

Ukupna profesionalna izloženost tijekom karakterizacije, kondicioniranja i osiguravanja zatvorenih radioaktivnih izvora: novi dozimetrijski koncept uporabom aktivnih elektronskih dozimetara

Radiation dosimetry in protection against ionising radiation involves research of all possible pathways through which natural or man-made radioactive materials can contaminate a habitat and actually harm its biota. It also takes into account natural and artifi cial (man-made) electromagnetic ionizing radiation (γ and x radiation). This article presents a dosimetric study assessing exposure to man-made ionising radiation of local environment and total occupational exposure of two professional workers involved in characterisation, conditioning, and securing of unused radioactive sealed sources. The purpose of the study was to validate a new active electronic dosimeter (AED) of type ALARA OD and to develop a new monitoring method by tracing the external occupational exposure over real time. This method is used to continuously measure and record external radiation doses and, which is a novelty, establish dose rates receiving pattern as a function of real time. Occupational whole body dosimetric results obtained with AED were compared with results obtained with passive dosimetry (fi lm badge and thermoluminiscence). Air, dust, and silicon sand samples were analysed by gamma-spectrometry to estimate internal exposure of the two workers to 222Rn due to inhalation or ingestion of dust and sand in indoor air. In order to establish total occupational exposure, control radon measurement was performed in the immediate environment and the external Hazard index (Hex) was calculated.Dozimetrijski koncept zaštite od ionizirajućeg zračenja podrazumijeva istraživanje svih mogućih putova kojima radioaktivni materijal nastao u prirodi ili kao posljedica ljudskog djelovanja može ući u okoliš i utjecati na biotu ili onečistiti habitat oštećujući biotu. Taj koncept također uzima u obzir prirodno i umjetno (stvoreno ljudskim djelovanjem) elektromagnetsko ionizirajuće zračenje (γ i X-zračenje). U ovom radu predstavljena je dozimetrijska istraživačka studija kojom se istražuje i procjenjuje ukupna profesionalna izloženost dvaju radnika te izloženost lokalnog habitata ionizirajućem zračenju. Studija je obuhvatila karakterizaciju, kondicioniranje i osiguravanje nekorištenih, uskladištenih zatvorenih radioaktivnih izvora u cilju potvrđivanja i validacije novog aktivnog elektronskog dozimetra (AED) tipa ALARA OD te razvoj nove metodologije praćenja vanjske profesionalne izloženosti u vremenu. Kontinuirano mjerenje i snimanje primljenih vanjskih doza te kao novitet, brzine doze kao funkcije vremena, daju novu i jedinstvenu snimku profesionalnih doza i uzoraka primanja brzine doze na danome radnome mjestu. Rezultati mjerenja profesionalne doze za cijelo tijelo dobiveni uporabom AED-ova uspoređeni su s dozimetrijskim rezultatima [Hp(10)] dobivenim uporabom pasivnih dozimetara (fi lmskih i termoluminiscentnih dozimetara). Provedene su gamaspektrometrijske analize zraka, prašine i silikatnog pijeska te su dobiveni podaci iskorišteni za procjenu moguće unutarnje izloženosti radnika 220Rn inhalacijom zraka ili ingestijom prašine i pijeska. Radi određivanja ukupne profesionalne izloženosti bilo kojeg radnika uključenog u ovaj projekt, provedena su kontrolna mjerenja radona i izračunan je Hazard index (Hex)

Personal Dosimetry Concept and Basic Physical Quantities in Occupational Dosimetry

Daje se koncept osobne dozimetrije kao dio područja zaštite od zračenja. Detaljno je dan teorijski opis i definicije fundamentalnih veličina koje se koriste za fizikalne opise polja zračenja i njegove interakcije s materijom te veličina koje se koriste u dozimetriji i zaštiti od zračenja – operacionalne i zaštitne veličine. Objašnjena je veza između posljednje dvije i način određivanja operacionalnih veličina korištenjem osobnih dozimetara.Concept of personaol dosimetry as a part of radiation protection programme is presented. Definitions of fundamental dosimetric quantities for describeing the physical characteristics of radiation fields and its interaction with matter are presented. Quantities used in radiation protection – personal dosimetry are defined as operational and protective quantities. The way to define the operational dosimetry quantities using personal dosemeters is decscribed

Radiološka procjena rizika: pregled uporabe ERICA integriranog pristupa i ERICA alata

The ERICA project (Environmental Risk from Ionising Contaminants: Assessment and Management) was co-funded by the European Union as part of the 6th Framework Programme (FP EURATOM). The project was carried out between 2004 and 2007 as the collective work of 15 organisations in seven European countries. Two significant outputs of the project are the ERICA Integrated Approach and the ERICA Tool. The ERICA Integrated Approach consists of three elements: assessment, risk characterisation and management. The ERICA Tool is a practical implementation of the assessment component of the ERICA Integrated Approach and has a three-tier structure. The aim of this review paper is to give a concise overview of ERICA project outputs and their structure, updates done since their first release in 2007, as well as to provide a context for their practical application in environmental radiation protection and radiological risk assessments for various engineering scenarios.Projekt ERICA (ekološki rizik od ionizirajućih onečišćivača: procjena i upravljanje) sufinanciran je od Europske unije u sklopu Šestog okvirnog programa (FP Euroatom). Projekt je proveden između 2004. i 2007. godine kao kolektivni rad 15 organizacija u sedam europskih zemalja. Dva su značajna rezultata projekta: ERICA integrirani pristup i ERICA alat. ERICA integrirani pristup sastoji se od triju elemenata: procjene, karakterizacije rizika i upravljanja. ERICA alat je praktična primjena komponente procjene unutar ERICA integriranoga pristupa te ima trorazinsku strukturu. Cilj je ovoga rada dati ne samo kratak pregled rezultata projekta ERICA i njihove strukture nego i ažuriranja rezultata od njihova prvog objavljivanja 2007. godine, te pružiti kontekst za njihovu praktičnu primjenu u zaštiti okoliša od zračenja i procjeni radiološkoga rizika za razne inženjerske primjene

Exposure of Croatian Population to Radiopharmaceuticals

Cilj je ovoga preglednog rada prikazati aktualno stanje opterećenosti stanovništva Republike Hrvatske ozračivanjem zbog izlaganja otvorenim izvorima ionizirajućeg zračenja u medicinske svrhe. U nedostatku relevantnih statističkih pokazatelja nije moguće validirano prikazati efektivnu dozu po stanovniku RH zbog medicinskog izlaganja radionuklidima čiji je unos u ljudsko tijelo defi niran jednokratnim injektiranjem često i vrlo velikih aktivnosti, izvršena je jednostavna procjena kako bi se upozorilo na potrebu ozbiljnijeg istraživanja i utvrđivanja referentnih nivoa izloženosti za defi nirane vrste dijagnostičkih pretraga. Uz vrlo slobodnu pretpostavku da se u RH godišnje obavi do 35.000 dijagnostičkih pregleda uporabom radionuklida procijenjena efektivna doza po stanovniku RH zbog izlaganja dijagnostičkim kratkoživućim radionuklidima velike početne aktivnosti iznosi od 6,8 do 7,9 μSv po stanovniku.The aim of this paper is to call attention to the exposure of Croatian population to open sources of ionising radiation used in medical diagnostics, radiopharmaceuticals in particular, whose initial activity is very high. Without proper exposure monitoring, it is not possible to establish the effective dose per capita, but we have estimated it to be between 6.8 μSv and 7.0 μSv for this type of internal exposure, based on a very loose assumption that about 35,000 diagnostic procedures with radiopharmaceuticals are performed in Croatia every year. This calls for further research that would eventually lead to limiting the doses received through exposure to radiopharmaceuticals

Residues Management within the National Program for the Implementation of the Strategy for the Management of Radioactive Waste, Disused Sources and Spent Nuclear Fuel of the Republic of Croatia

Donošenjem Nacionalnog programa provedbe Strategije zbrinjavanja radioaktivnog otpada, iskorištenih izvora i istrošenog nuklearnog goriva, Vlada Republike Hrvatske je ratificirala Strategiju koja dijelom određuje gospodarenje reziduima. S obzirom na važeću legislativu bit će nužno regulatorno modificirati trenutačne i predvidjeti buduće rudarske i druge industrijske aktivnosti u kojima nastaju rezidui i pri kojima se manipulira reziduima. U radu se daje detaljan pregled legislative te preporuka i smjernica, u skladu s posljednjim dostignućima, za gospodarenje postojećim i budućim odlagalištima i mjestima za privremeno pohranjivanje rezidua. Ovo djelo je dano na korištenje pod licencom Creative Commons Imenovanje 4.0 međunarodna.By adopting the National Program for the Implementation of the Strategy for the Management of Radioactive Waste, Disused Sources and Spent Nuclear Fuel, the Government of the Republic of Croatia has ratified the Strategy, which partly defines the management of residues. Given the current legislation, it will be necessary to regulate modifications of the current as well as predict future mining and other industrial activities in which residues appear and are manipulated with. This paper gives a detailed review of relevant legislation, and state of the art recommendations and guidelines for the management of existing and future disposal sites and places for temporary storage of residues. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License