Basic Radiation Protection

Question 1

sources of radiation exposure

Answer 1

natural- cosmic, terrestrial (uranium, thorium, radium), inside our bodies (carbon C14, potassium K40, I131)
man-made- medical, consumer products, industrial, occupational

Question 2

medical sources of radiation

Answer 2

radiology
nuclear medicine
radiation therapy

Question 3

measurements of radiation exposure

Answer 3

absorbed dose- Gray (Gy)
1 Gy = 1 Joule/kg
measures energy absorbed
equivalent dose- Sievert (Sv)
1 Sv = 1 Gy x modifying factors
measures effect of energy absorbed
some types of radiation are more effective

Question 4

health physics

Answer 4

branch of physics or biophysics concerned with radiation physics and radiation biology, which deals with the safe use of ionizing and nonionizing radiation in academic, government, industrial, medical, nuclear power, research, and other civilian and military applications of radiation

helps us use radiation safely

Question 5

ALARA

Answer 5

as low as reasonably achievable
base on linear, non-threshold dose response relationship
assumes any dose of radiation has a deleterious effect

Question 6

internal mode of exposure

Answer 6

inhalation
ingestion
open wound

Question 7

external exposure

Answer 7

time, distance, shielding

tds

Question 8

time

Answer 8

minimize the amount of time being exposed to radiation
linear effect
dose increases linearly with time

Question 9

distance

Answer 9

dose rate decreases by the inverse square of the distance from the source
inverse square process

Question 10

shielding

Answer 10

dose rate decreases with increasing amount of shielding material

Question 11

shielding measurements

Answer 11

half value layer, HVL- thickness of shielding to reduce original radiation intensity to half of the original value
tenth-value layer, TVL- thickness of shielding to reduce the original radiation intensity to 1/10 or 10% of the original value