Journal of Radiological Protection最新文献

{"title":"Evaluation of radiation integrity and transmission in lead-rubber layers: a comparative analysis of visual-palpatory, light source and radiographic inspection methods.","authors":"Manca Likar, Laura Ninić, Laura Jurša, Nejc Mekiš","doi":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae6081","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae6081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Occupational use of ionising radiation in medical procedures requires stringent protective measures to reduce exposure risks for staff. This study examined the integrity and reliability of personal protective equipment (PPE) used in a hospital setting, focusing on methods for detecting damage and its impact on radiation transmission. A total of 64 lead-based protective coats (one and two pieces) were examined for damage using four inspection techniques: visual- palpatory examination, LED light source, computed tomography (CT), and fluoroscopy/conventional x-ray. In the second part of the study, the transmittance of the primary beam and scattered radiation through damaged and undamaged areas was measured. Damage was found in 25% of protective coats, with 15.6%-18.8% classified as unsuitable according to recommended rejection models. Inspection using fluoroscopy and conventional x-ray was the most accurate method for detecting damage, followed by CT. Visual-palpatory, and light source assessments were less reliable, detecting 73.6% and 47.4% of all defects, respectively. Transmission of the primary beam in damaged areas increased from 0.5% to 316.6% compared to undamaged areas. Defective areas led to increased radiation exposure, potentially resulting in higher occupational doses and health concerns. The study emphasises the need for routine PPE inspections and recommends incorporating comprehensive assessments, including radiographic evaluations, into annual quality assurance and quality control protocols, as these have been shown to be most effective, particularly assessments using conventional x-ray units and fluoroscopy. These measures can significantly reduce the risk of unnecessary radiation exposure. However, time efficiency, required resources, and potential risks should also be considered and further evaluated.</p>","PeriodicalId":50068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Radiological Protection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147700593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Catchment-Based Radiological Impact Assessment of a Postulated Severe Accident at Akkuyu NPP: A FEP-Driven Dose Assessment for Humans and Biota in the Göksu River Catchment.","authors":"Abdullah Dirican, Aydın Parmaksiz, Mehmet Cem Toker","doi":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae6518","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6498/ae6518","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Radiological environmental impact assessment study was carried out for the terrestrial Agricultural Systems (AGS) and Non-Human Biota (NHB) within the Göksu River Catchment, proximate to the Akkuyu NPP in Türkiye, which is currently under construction. A severe accident scenario, as envisaged by the construction company, involving an atmospheric release of 3.5 TBq of 137Cs and 1 TBq of⁹⁰Sr, was considered. Interaction Matrices (IM) and exposure scenarios were meticulously prepared for AGS and NHB by analysing relevant Features, Events, and Processes (FEP)s. Total annual effective doses to adult human receptors in two villages, Bükdeğirmeni and Mucuk, situated approximately 50-60 km from the NPP, were calculated using the RESRAD-Onsite model. Dose rates to terrestrial and freshwater biota within a forest area of the Göksu River Catchment were assessed using the ERICA Tool. The calculated total annual doses for adults were approximately 1.0 mSv and 1.1 mSv for Bükdeğirmeni and Mucuk villages, respectively, with external irradiation from ground-deposited¹³⁷Cs being the dominant pathway. For NHB, total absorbed dose rates ranged from 0.67 to 5.36 µSv.h^-1for terrestrial organisms and from 3.0 to 8.7×10⁴ µSv.h^-1for freshwater organisms. While all terrestrial biota dose rates remained below the IAEA screening benchmark (40 µSv.h^-1), most freshwater organisms exceeded the corresponding benchmark (400 µSv.h^-1), indicating potential ecological risks in aquatic environments. The FEP-driven catchment-based approach facilitated a systematic evaluation of potential radiological consequences, underscoring the importance of such assessments for emergency preparedness and environmental management.</p>","PeriodicalId":50068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Radiological Protection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147787581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fast Occupational Upper-Limb Radiation Dose Prediction Using Machine Learning and Monte Carlo Simulation.","authors":"Hussein Harb, Kamilia Taguelmimt, Didier Benoit, Chi-Hieu Pham, Bahaa Nasr, Julien Bert","doi":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae63da","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6498/ae63da","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Interventional procedures expose physicians to scattered radiation, particularly to their upper extremities, posing occupational health risks. Existing extremity dosimeters such as TLDs, OSL rings and active personal dosimeters provide limited spatial information, exhibit angular and energy dependence and offer little or no real-time feedback. This study develops machine learning models to estimate radiation dose values at discrete upper-limb locations using Monte Carlo-derived data and procedurespecific parameters.</p><p><strong>Approach: </strong>A dataset of 10,000 Monte Carlo dose maps was generated under varied clinical and geometric conditions. After log-transformation and normalization, several machine learning models, including deep neural networks and treebased regressor, were trained and assessed using five-fold cross-validation. Mean absolute error and relative error were evaluated on the original dose scale, and an ensemble of the three best-performing models was constructed to improve robustness.</p><p><strong>Main results: </strong>The ensemble consistently outperformed individual models, achieving an average relative error of 3.69 % and demonstrating stable performance across anatomical regions and dose levels. Highest accuracy was obtained for standard beam geometries, whereas larger discrepancies occurred in extreme configurations with steep dose gradients. Predicted dose patterns were consistent with the expected distributions across the upper-limb regions.</p><p><strong>Significance: </strong>The findings demonstrate the feasibility of machine learning-based extremity dose estimation in interventional environments. The proposed ensemble provides a rapid (around 10 ms), scalable alternative to full Monte Carlo simulations, enabling near real-time predictions of upper-limb occupational dose and supporting optimization of radiation protection practices in image-guided procedures.</p>","PeriodicalId":50068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Radiological Protection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147787553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emergency radiation dose rate monitoring during prolonged armed conflict.","authors":"Eric M Becker, Daniel J Blumenthal","doi":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae5e7d","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae5e7d","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The 2022 Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine has introduced unprecedented challenges for the nuclear power generation and radiological safety communities, including occupation and disturbance of highly-contaminated areas, occupation of a nuclear power plant, and strikes near and within boundaries of nuclear sites. The war has necessitated the implementation of a supplementary dose rate sensor network to provide resilient measurement data for public protection and leadership awareness. This paper discusses the implementation of such a system, the factors determining what equipment is best suited for the purpose, and practical factors regarding deployment of the system and data management. A systematic approach for implementing a supplementary dose rate sensor network is put forward and described in a hypothetical generalised example. The crucial factors for operating a supplementary dose rate sensing network are backup power and communications options for dose rate sensors to make the network resilient to the effects of military operations. Practitioners should plan for extended operations beyond those typically considered for emergency response given the unpredictable nature of warfare.</p>","PeriodicalId":50068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Radiological Protection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A method for the calculation of multi-layer shielding buildup factors based on extra-trees regression and equivalent iteration.","authors":"Zhitao Chen, Yongkuo Liu, JiFeng Hu, Nan Chao, Zhongkun Liu, Xiaochang Zheng","doi":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae5e7e","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae5e7e","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Calculation of<i>γ</i>-ray attenuation in the medium has been greatly simplified with the introduction of the concept of buildup factors. However, the determination of buildup factors for multi-layer shielding structures composed of different materials remains a challenging problem. Previous studies have typically extended empirical formulas developed for double-layer shielding to multi-layer structures. In contrast, this paper proposes a method and model, termed ETMLB, for calculating buildup factors in multi-layer shielding based on single-layer and double-layer buildup factor data and the extra-trees (ETs) algorithm. In this approach, two ET regression models, ETZ and ETB, are trained using single-layer and double-layer shielding data, respectively. The ETB model first calculates the buildup factors for double-layer shielding. The double-layer system is then reduced to an equivalent single layer, whose effective atomic number is computed using ETZ. Through successive equivalent iterations, the multi-layer shielding is reduced to an equivalent double-layer system, enabling the computation of its buildup factor. The test results demonstrate that, compared with several commonly used empirical formulas, ETMLB exhibits superior computational accuracy and provides a reliable approach for the calculation of buildup factors in multi-layer shielding.</p>","PeriodicalId":50068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Radiological Protection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The application of radiological protection principles in England and sustainable development.","authors":"Craig Ashton","doi":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae5ab4","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae5ab4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The radiological protection principles of justification, optimisation and dose limits are applied through national legislation to safeguard workers, the public and the environment from the short and long-term effects of ionising radiation. This paper analyses how these principles, as implemented in England, align with differing interpretations of sustainable development. This analysis finds that the framework is oriented toward sustaining all natural capital by applying stronger sustainability for human protection and nearly strong sustainability for non-human species. It is argued that the 1 mSv yr^-1public dose limit is representative of an environmental limit and is a potential candidate 'safe operating space' for ionising radiation within the novel entities' planetary boundary. Circumstances are also identified during low radiological risk activities such as decommissioning and remediation where very strong sustainability may be applied. Further research is therefore recommended to test the use of the 1 mSv yr^-1limit as a global safe operating space and to define clearer criteria to understand and control transitions from stronger to very strong sustainability in low radiological risk activities.</p>","PeriodicalId":50068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Radiological Protection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147610589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of rotation axis and modulation on x-ray emission in dose assessment in panoramic radiographs using the Monte Carlo method.","authors":"Wilson Otto Batista, Maria Rosangela Soares, Jacqueline Machado Gurjão Rios","doi":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae597a","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae597a","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigates the impact of rotation axis configuration and modulation of tube voltage (kV) and dose rate on organ dose estimates in dental panoramic radiography, using Monte Carlo simulations. Computational phantoms representing 15 year-old male and female patients were each exposed to 16 protocol scenarios across three panoramic radiography units, varying the rotation centre (sliding versus fixed) and the presence or absence of x-ray beam modulation. Simulations were conducted using the particle and heavy-ion transport code system code, employing dump files and a multi-source approach to replicate realistic exposure conditions. Results were expressed and analysed as percentage differences relative to reference protocols incorporating a sliding rotation centre and beam modulation. The findings revealed a consistent and substantial underestimation-up to 50%-of doses to the thyroid, salivary glands, and brain when fixed-axis or non-modulated protocols were applied. The oral mucosa (lips and chin) exhibited marked overestimation (up to 700%), particularly in males, attributable to mandibular anatomy and beam geometry. Sex-related differences were evident in doses to the tongue and floor of the mouth, linked to anatomical mass variations, with male tongue mass approximately 8% greater than female. All results displayed relative errors below 5%. These findings highlight that simplified simulation models lacking a sliding rotation axis and beam modulation significantly distort and compromise dose assessments. Consequently, realistic modelling of beam dynamics is essential for accurate dosimetry in panoramic radiography.</p>","PeriodicalId":50068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Radiological Protection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147595941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A study on the health effects of pantograph-catenary arc from high-speed emus on cardiac pacemaker wearers.","authors":"Rui Tian, Shaojie Wang, Mai Lu, Jie Li","doi":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae5665","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae5665","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Due to the characteristics of high-speed rail, such as speed, safety, intelligence, and economy, choosing to travel at high speed has become the norm. However, for passengers' with cardiac pacemakers, the electromagnetic radiation from the pantograph-catenary arc has emerged as a significant public concern. In this work, the Schwarz arc model was adopted for the modelling of the pantograph-catenary arc, and the frequency domain analysis of the arc pulse was conducted. Based on the frequency domain characteristics of the arc, the electromagnetic exposure of the pantograph-catenary arc to the wearer of the dual-chamber pacemaker was evaluated. This assessment included the distribution of induced electromagnetic fields within the passengers' pacemakers and cardiac tissue, and calculating of the induced voltage on the electrodes to determine potential health risks. In the simulation, two passengers were modelled, including one standing passenger and one seated passenger, and they were placed at two different positions within the train carriage for comparative analysis. The results indicated that the maximum induced electric field strength (<b><i>E_{in Max}</i></b>) within the passenger's cardiac tissue was 1.297 mV m^-1, and a maximum specific absorption rate (<b><i>SAR_Max</i></b>) of 0.7065 nW kg^-1. These values were within the basic restrictions for public electromagnetic exposure established by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). For the two passengers', electromagnetic interference on the pacemakers was primarily concentrated on the metallic components, where the maximum magnetic field intensity (<b><i>H_{in Max}</i></b>) reached 3.235 × 10^-4A m^-1. The induced voltages (<b><i>U_in</i></b>) on the electrodes for the passengers' monopolar and bipolar sensing configurations were 0.068 mV and 0.00147 mV, respectively, both well below the sensitivity thresholds specified in ISO 14117:2019, which were 2 mV for monopolar and 0.3 mV for bipolar configurations. These findings suggested that the electromagnetic fields generated by the pantograph-catenary arc were well within the recognised acceptable limits for passengers with pacemakers.</p>","PeriodicalId":50068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Radiological Protection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147516179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regional diagnostic reference levels in paediatric interventional cardiology: methodological comparison of ICRP Publication 135 approaches using OPRIPALC data.","authors":"C Ubeda, E Vano, P Miranda, M C Franco, S Donoso","doi":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae5a44","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae5a44","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to compare the two methodological approaches recommended in ICRP Publication 135 for establishing regional diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), by applying them to a common multicountry dataset from the Optimisation of Protection in Pediatric Interventional Radiology in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPRIPALC) programme. A retrospective methodological analysis was conducted using radiation dose data collected between December 2020 and December 2023 from centres participating in OPRIPALC. After applying predefined inclusion criteria, data cleaning and trimming in accordance with ICRP-135 recommendations, 1684 paediatric interventional cardiology procedures from 11 centres in eight countries were included. Kerma area product (<i>P</i>_KA) was selected as the primary dosimetric quantity. Regional DRLs were derived using two approaches: Method A, based on the 75th percentile of pooled patient level<i>P</i>_KAdata, and Method B, based on the 75th percentile of centre specific median<i>P</i>_KAvalues assumed to represent typical country values. DRLs were established using predefined age and weight groups. Both methodologies preserved the expected increase in DRL values with patient age, weight and procedural type. However, Method A consistently produced higher regional DRL values than Method B, particularly for therapeutic procedures and higher age or weight categories. These differences reflect the effects of data aggregation rather than differences in the underlying dataset. This study aims at illustrating the practical implications of one method over the other, rather than to recommend one methodology over the other. The findings highlight the importance of methodological transparency in regional DRL initiatives and support the applicability of the OPRIPALC framework for paediatric interventional cardiology in other regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":50068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Radiological Protection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147595907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interim results of EC project RRADEW: Resilience to RADiological Events in Wartime.","authors":"Pascal Croüail, Eymeric Lafranque, Thierry Schneider, Olena Pareniuk, Kateryna Shavanova, Anastasiia Torianik, Yuliia Ruban, Sadeeb Simon Ottenburger, Thomas Makumbi, Elsa Gisquet, Yevgeniya Tomkiv, Deborah Oughton, Friedo Zölzer, Štěpán Kavan, Eva Stýblová, Catrinel Turcanu, Gaston Meskens, Robbe Geysmans, Ahmed Nagy, Denis Giordan, Antony Bexon, Paulo Marques Nunes, Christopher L Rääf, Milagros Montero, Blanca García-Puerta","doi":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae553c","DOIUrl":"10.1088/1361-6498/ae553c","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The context of armed conflict situations presents unique challenges that can compromise the safety and well-being of both affected populations and responders in radiological and nuclear emergencies. The focus of the EU project RRADEW '<b>Resilience to RADiological Events in Wartime'</b>(2024-2027) is to enhance nuclear Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery (EPR&R) systems by strengthening resilience to potential incidents in the context of war or armed conflict. The project is structured in five work packages focusing on the development of war scenarios (WP1), identification of resilience dimensions and indicators (WP2 and 3), development of decision-support, training materials and recommendations targeting key stakeholders (WP4), and key ethical questions for radiological protection in the context of armed conflicts (WP5). Since its start in 2024 the project has built a war-risk scenario matrix for nuclear facilities, produced a resilience framework that links the Sendai-definition of resilience to radiation emergencies, integrating social, technical and organisational dimensions across the EPR&R system, drafted training modules for deminers and first-responder monitors and produced an ethical matrix highlighting dilemmas such as dignity, autonomy and justice in armed-conflict radiological events. Together, these efforts aim to provide actionable frameworks and recommendations to ensure the safety and well-being of both affected populations and responders in wartime radiological incidents.</p>","PeriodicalId":50068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Radiological Protection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}