The radiology workforce’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East, North Africa and India

Introduction This study aimed to investigate the response of the radiology workforce to the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on professional practice in India and eight other Middle Eastern and North African countries. It further investigated the levels of fear and anxiety among this workforce during the pandemic. Methods A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey from 22 May-2 June 2020 among radiology workers employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey collected information related to the following themes: (1) demographic characteristics, (2) the impact of COVID-19 on radiology practice, and (3) fear and (4) anxiety emanating from the global pandemic. Results We received 903 responses. Fifty-eight percent had completed training on infection control required for handling COVID-19 patients. A large proportion (79.5%) of the respondents strongly agreed or agreed that personal protective equipment (PPE) was adequately available at work during the pandemic. The respondents reported experiences of work-related stress (42.9%), high COVID-19 fear score (83.3%) and anxiety (10%) during the study period. Conclusion There was a perceived workload increase in general x-ray and Computed Tomography imaging procedures because they were the key modalities for the initial and follow-up investigations of COVID-19. However, there was adequate availability of PPE during the study period. Most radiology workers were afraid of being infected with the virus. Fear was predominant among workers younger than 30 years of age and also in temporary staff. Anxiety occurred completely independent of gender, age, experience, country, place of work, and work status. Implications for practice It is important to provide training and regular mental health support and evaluations for healthcare professionals, including radiology workers, during similar future pandemics

Simulation of shielding parameters for TeO 2 -WO 3 -GeO 2 glasses using FLUKA code

This paper aimed to report the results on the investigation of photon attenuation parameters for TeO 2 -WO 3 -GeO 2 glasses using FLUKA Monte Carlo code. In order to test the validity of the present code, the computational values of mass attenuation coefficients have been in confirmation with those of both previously published experimental data (MoO 3 -B 2 O 3 -Bi 2 O 3 ) and XCOM database at various energies between 356 and 1330 keV. The relative deviation between FLUKA and experimental data is below 5.19% while the difference between the present code and XCOM database is found to be almost 2%. Therefore, the estimated results are in good agreement to each other and exhibited that FLUKA simulation is an alternative technique in determining the shielding performance of the present glass system. Additionally, mean free path and half-value layer results were calculated and it was concluded that among the selected glasses, TeWGe5 sample has superior shielding effectiveness

Physical, structural, and radiation shielding properties of B 2 O 3 –MgO–K 2 O–Sm 2 O 3 glass network modified with TeO 2

A new series of Sm 3+ doped Telluroborate glasses with varying TeO 2 content have been prepared following the melt quenching technique. The physical properties like density, refractive index, average molecular weight, molar volume, optical dielectric constant, and metallization criterion were calculated. Structural properties like boron-boron separation (<d B–B >), molar volume of oxygen (V o ), oxygen packing density (OPD), average coordination number (m), bond density (n b ), Poisson ratio (µ cal ), optical electronegativity (? opt ), basicity (? th ), two photon absorption (TPA) coefficient (?), ionic character (I c ), and covalent character (C c ) were calculated. In addition to that, optical bandgap and urbach energy (?E) values of the titled glasses have been calculated from Tauc's plot using the absorption spectra. It is observed that boron-boron separation (<d B–B >) and OPD increases with the decrease in molar volume of oxygen (V o ). Also, the increasing density and refractive index values with the progressive decrease of molar volume with increasing TeO 2 content implies the formation of bridging oxygen (BO) along with nonbridging oxygen (NBO), which is later proved by the Poisson ratio values and basicity values. Further, ionic nature of the Sm 3+ doped telluroborate glasses are identified from the measured optical basicity (? th ), covalent, and ionic characteristic factors. The observed variations in the optical electronegativity, basicity, metallization criterion, and optical bandgap energy (E g ) values have been discussed in terms of the structural changes that take place due to the addition of TeO 2 into the B 2 O 3 network. The gamma photon shielding properties for the prepared samples were studied using MCNPX code in the energy range of 0.356–1.33 MeV. The obtained mass attenuation coefficient exhibit an increasing trend as the TeO 2 content vary from 0 to 40 mol%, especially at the energy 0.356 MeV. Of all the glasses, 4TBS glass sample shows lowest half-value layer value. The study confirms that the replacement of B 2 O 3 by TeO 2 enhances the capability of the prepared glass samples to reduce the gamma photons

Photon and neutron shielding performance of boron phosphate glasses for diagnostic radiology facilities

This study focuses on radiation shielding characteristics of Li2O, Al2O3 and ZnO-doped boron phosphate glasses containing PbO and Bi2O3. Mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ) values of the glasses have been calculated using MCNPX code at various photon energies ranging from 60 to 120 keV and compared to those of XCOM software. The obtained results exhibited that MCNPX and XCOM are in good agreement at all energies. Some shielding parameters such as effective atomic number (Zeff), effective electron density (Nel), half value layer (HVL), mean free path (MFP) and Photon transmission factors (TF-photon) were determined using the obtained mass attenuation coefficients. Moreover, macroscopic effective removal cross sections (ΣR) and neutron transmission factors (TF-neutron) for fast neutrons have been evaluated. To simulate the attenuation properties of investigated glasses in a diagnostic radiology operation facility (control room), each boron phosphate glass sample was placed in front of a mathematical human head phantom namely SNYDER. For the glasses under examination, average photon flux in the eight detection points, which were located in different points of SNYDER head phantom, was calculated. Among the studied glasses, BPM4 sample has showed superior photon and neutron radiation shielding effectiveness. It can be concluded that boron-doped glasses are superior shielding materials for both gamma ray and neutrons. Keywords: Boron phosphate glasses, MCNPX, Radiation protection, SNYDE

A comprehensive study of the energy absorption and exposure buildup factors of different bricks for gamma-rays shielding

The present investigation has been performed on different bricks for the purpose of gamma-ray shielding. The values of the mass attenuation coefficient (µ/ρ), energy absorption buildup factor (EABF) and exposure buildup factor (EBF) were determined and utilized to assess the shielding effectiveness of the bricks under investigation. The mass attenuation coefficients of the selected bricks were calculated theoretically using WinXcom program and compared with MCNPX code. Good agreement between WinXcom and MCNPX results was observed. Furthermore, the EABF and EBF have been discussed as functions of the incident photon energy and penetration depth. It has been found that the EABF and EBF values are very large in the intermediate energy region. The steel slag showed good shielding properties, consequently, this brick is eco-friendly and feasible compared with other types of bricks used for construction. The results in this work should be useful in the construction of effectual shielding against hazardous gamma-rays. Keywords: Brick, Mass attenuation coefficient, Buildup factor, G-P fitting, Radiation shieldin

Photon and neutron shielding performance of boron phosphate glasses for diagnostic radiology facilities

This study focuses on radiation shielding characteristics of Li2O, Al2O3 and ZnO-doped boron phosphate glasses containing PbO and Bi2O3. Mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ) values of the glasses have been calculated using MCNPX code at various photon energies ranging from 60 to 120 keV and compared to those of XCOM software. The obtained results exhibited that MCNPX and XCOM are in good agreement at all energies. Some shielding parameters such as effective atomic number (Zeff), effective electron density (Nel), half value layer (HVL), mean free path (MFP) and Photon transmission factors (TF-photon) were determined using the obtained mass attenuation coefficients. Moreover, macroscopic effective removal cross sections (ΣR) and neutron transmission factors (TF-neutron) for fast neutrons have been evaluated. To simulate the attenuation properties of investigated glasses in a diagnostic radiology operation facility (control room), each boron phosphate glass sample was placed in front of a mathematical human head phantom namely SNYDER. For the glasses under examination, average photon flux in the eight detection points, which were located in different points of SNYDER head phantom, was calculated. Among the studied glasses, BPM4 sample has showed superior photon and neutron radiation shielding effectiveness. It can be concluded that boron-doped glasses are superior shielding materials for both gamma ray and neutrons. Keywords: Boron phosphate glasses, MCNPX, Radiation protection, SNYDE

Shielding behaviour of (20 + x) Bi2O3 – 20BaO–10Na2O–10MgO–(40-x) B2O3: An experimental and Monte Carlo study

In this study, (20 + x) Bi2O3 – 20BaO – 10Na2O – 10MgO – (40-x) B2O3 (where x = 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mol%) are fabricated by the melt quenching method. The various radiation shielding parameters for the present glasses are determined experimentally using the gamma spectrometric system and Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code System-extended (MCNPX). The mass attenuation coefficient and the effective atomic number are found to be dependent on the photon energy, the glass composition and the concentration of Bi2O3. The results reveal that Bi40B20 sample with the maximum amount of Bi2O3 has the lowest MFP and HVL values among all the other samples as well as the other standard shielding glasses. The radiation shielding efficiency also is calculated and the result shows that the present glass samples can highly attenuate low energetic gamma photons, while the capability to attenuate the incident photons is minimized with increasing the photon energy