Ionizing and non ionizing electromagnetic radiation in modern medicine article pdf available in polish annals of medicine 192. The relation of the rem to other dose units depends upon the biological effect under consideration and upon the conditions for irradiation. The code is a regulatory document that covers the practices of radiotherapy, diagnostic and. The term radiation means to give off energy as waves or particles. A small increase in the likelihood that a person exposed to radiation will develop cancer later in life. Radiation is energy in the form of waves of particles. Whether harmful or beneficial, exposures to ionizing radiation have been an inevitable part of. Ionizing radiation has many industrial, military, and medical uses. For more than a century now, and for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, medicine has made use of a variety of ionising radiation sources, produced either. Use of medical devices for non medical applications cosmetic purposes laser removal of tatoos, body shaping with ultrasound, sunbeds. This safety guide supersedes radiological protection for medical exposure. For administrative, regulatory, and radiation safety purposes, a unit called the rem or the sievert sv 1 rem 0. This publication focuses on the medical management of individuals involved in radiation emergencies, especially those who have been exposed to high doses of ionizing radiation.
Pdf ionizing and nonionizing electromagnetic radiation. As in many areas of medicine, there are risks associated with the use of xray imaging, which uses ionizing radiation to create images of the body. It is based on non ionizing radiation, so it does not have the same risks as xrays or other. From their crude beginnings 100 years ago, diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine and radiation therapy have all evolved into advanced techniques, and are regarded as essential tools across all branches and specialties of medicine. Nonionizing radiation for diagnostic and cosmetic purposes. Reactor concepts manual natural and manmade radiation sources usnrc technical training center 61 0703 natural and manmade radiation sources all living creatures, from the beginning of time, have been, and are still being, exposed to radiation. Radiation protection in medicine world health organization.
The emphasis is always on detector fundamentals and detector properties. Guidelines for diagnostic imaging during pregnancy and. The use of radiation in medicine is now pervasive and routine. Radiation protection, also known as radiological protection, is defined by the international atomic energy agency iaea as the protection of people from harmful effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, and the means for achieving this. Medical radiation may be incurred from a diagnostic and interventional xray examina tions. For spreading and consolidating techniques that lead to the use of the radiation technology and radioisotopes applications in industry, human health, agriculture and environmental preservation, the radiation technology center was founded in 1972. A small increase in the likelihood that a person exposed to radiation. The hazards depend on the characteristics of the laser and the different modes of interaction with tissue. Human research involving the use of ionizing radiation. Advances in the latter half of the 20th century increased the use of medical radiation, and some newer techniques. Ionizing radiation gives off energy by knocking electrons off atoms, which causes the atoms to have a charge. Medical applications that use nonionising radiation can be divided in sources of electromagnetic fields, infrared radiation, visible light and ultraviolet radiation. Radiation protection and safety in medical uses of ionizing radiation. Medical radiation protection committee the medical radiation protection committee mrpc is responsible for ascertaining that all experimental or research uses of radiation in or on human beings conform to currently accepted radiation protection practices, regulations, and license conditions.
Ionizing radiation definition, examples, types, sources. United nations scientific committee on the effects of atomic radiation 2008 report to the general assembly, vol. Recent developments in medical techniques involving ionising or. As in many areas of medicine, there are risks associated with the use of medical imaging which uses ionizing radiation to create images of the body. Radiation in medicine understanding medical radiation. There are two forms of radiation non ionizing and ionizing which will be discussed in sections 3. Commonly used for the evaluation of significant medical problems or trauma, xray procedures are indicated during pregnancy or may occur inadvertently before the diagnosis of pregnancy. Other bold terms indicate defined terms that this list also covers. Benefit to patients from medical uses of radiation has been established beyond. A code of practice for nonmedical uses of ionising radiation. Draft for consultation definitions the bold defined terms on the left have the following meanings. The discovery of ionizing radiation and radioactive materials has led to dramatic. While the radiation dose is minimal for the patient, the situation is different for health personnel working frequently with radiation equipment. Radiation exposure from medical exams and procedures ionizing radiation is used daily in hospitals and clinics to perform diagnostic imaging exams and medical interventions.
This code of practice for radiation protection in the medical applications of ionizing radiation establishes the regulatory requirements for the use of ionizing radiation in medicine for inclusion in the national directory for radiation protection and adoption by australian jurisdictions. Accident any unintended event, including operating errors, equipment failures and other mishaps, for which the consequences or potential consequences for protection. Ionising radiation medical exposure regulations 2017. Medical uses of ionising radiation are the major items. The charges on the atomic particles make ionizing radiation unstable and reactive. In radiology, the radiation administered is external to the patient.
Radiation rules governing the use of xray equipment and other electronic devices that produce ionizing radiation, contact the radiation safety section within the department of licensing and regulatory affairs 5172847820 byproduct, source, and special nuclear material are regulated by the u. Exposure can be from a source of radiation external to the human body or due to internal irradiation caused by the ingestion of radioactive contamination. These include the use of x rays for radiography and tomography, and radioactivity in nuclear medicine. The inherent properties of ionizing radiation provide many benefits, but can also cause potential harm. Exposure to lowdose ionizing radiation from medical. The diagnostic uses of ionizing radiation are classified below under two basic headings. Typically, cobalt60 is the radioisotope of choice as it continuously emits gamma rays. The value of 60 mremyear from medical and dental exposures is a population average.
Medical effects of ionizing radiation, grune and stratton, 1985. Non ionizing radiation for diagnostic and cosmetic purposes adele green, international commission on non ionizing radiation protection icnirp. While there are other, less energetic, types of non ionizing radiation including radio waves, microwavesand visible light, this booklet is about ionizing radiation. Storage of this in a medical facility needs to take into account the hazards of. When choosing a procedure utilizing ionizing radiation, the benefitrisk ratio must be carefully considered. The dose to individual patients varies depending on the medical exam.
The committee recommends immediate action on enforcement and provides longer term. Many, in carefully controlled exposures, are also used for cancer therapy. Health application of ionizing radiation and radioactive sources. Gsr part 3 for ensuring radiation protection and safety of radiation sources in medical uses of ionizing radiation with regard to patients, workers, carers and comforters, volunteers in biomedical research, and the public. Code of practice for radiation protection in the medical. In addition, it is estimated that a fetus will be exposed to 1 mgy of background radiation during pregnancy 2. Its usefulness must be balanced with its hazards, a compromise that has shifted over time. There are countless areas where the power of radiation and nuclear techniques has been harnessed for the benefit of mankind, not only in medicine, but also in industry, agriculture and other fields of science and technology. Is the use of ionising radiation in medicine beneficial to human health.
Non ionizing radiation has less energy than ionizing radiation. Radiation exposure from medical exams and prodedures. Its primary objective is to provide practical information, to be used for treatment decisions by medical personnel during a radiation emergency. Xrays, gamma rays, and other forms of ionizing radiation are used to diagnose and treat some medical conditions. Sterilization gamma rays are commonly used to sterilize disposable medical equipment such as needles, iv sets, and syringes. Pennsylvania hospital and penn presbyterian medical center. The following are typical doses from routine radiological procedures. Medical use of ionizing radiation in both diagnosis and therapy has been widespread since the discovery of xrays by wilhelm conrad roentgen in 1895, and radioactive sources have been used in radiotherapy since 1898. Clinical applications of ionizing radiation radiation in. The rapid increase in the use of lasers in healthcare has introduced new challenges. Ultrasound imaging has been used for over 20 years and has an excellent safety record.
Radiation damage and its study all ionizing radiations, at sufficiently large exposures, can cause cancer. Safety and health topics ionizing radiation control. Each chapter addresses completely a specific application. Protection and the international commission on radiation units and measurements. For the purposes of this fact sheet, the word radiation refers to ionizing radiation. This safety guide provides recommendations and guidance on fulfilling the requirements of iaea safety standards series no. Clinical applications of ionizing radiation radiation in medicine. For example, at one time, assistants in shoe shops used xrays to check a childs shoe size, but this practice was halted when the risks of ionizing radiation were better understood. Within radiology, we find more specialized areas like mammography, computerized tomography ct, and nuclear medicine the specialty where radioactive material is usually injected into the patient. The use of medical imaging procedures has been increasing, and this study estimated the exposure of u.
Rem means a measure of the dose of any ionizing radiation to body tissue in terms of its estimated biological effect relative to a dose of 1 roentgen r of xrays 1 millirem mrem0. Certain types of imaging tests, such as xrays, ct scans, and nuclear medicine tests. Ionizing radiation, flow of energy in the form of atomic and subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that is capable of freeing electrons from an atom, causing the atom to become charged or ionized. Radiaon protection guide for medical use of radioactive. If the laser beam were to strike the unprotected eye, serious damage could occur, the site of damage depending on the wavelength of the laser radiation. This can be in the form of radiation that penetrates from outside the body, or radioactive particles that are swallowed or inserted into the body. Radiation protection and safety in medical uses of. The regulations provide safeguards for individuals exposed to ionising radiation from medical equipment for imaging, treatment or research purposes. The most well known is using x rays to see whether bones are broken. Radiation dose is expressed in units of rad and millirad mrad 1 rad 1,000 mrad, or grays 1 gy 100 rad and milligrays mgy. Radiation protection and safety in medical uses of ionizing. Because the amount of radiation used in a normal xray procedure is small, there is a small risk for the patient. Ionizing radiation detectors for medical imaging contains ten technical chapters, half of which are devoted to radiology and the other half to nuclear medicine.
391 91 898 166 888 79 584 471 1170 1155 874 1580 400 226 1186 1268 1591 43 1030 242 872 202 152 154 1490 1462 1467 500 1275 858 1046 995 1059 1274 1502 1219 69 1155 330 57 1032 515 45 525 165 1460 885