New developments in ultrasonic imaging of the chest and other body organs. [Personnel monitoring for Pu deposited in lungs]
The accurate measurement of transuranic elements deposited in the lung is a complex task. One of the problems is measuring uranium-L x-rays associated with plutonium passing through the chest of an accidentally exposed subject. Because the normal human chest-wall thickness varies from about 1 to 4.5 cm, it is important that an accurate determination be made for every person counted for plutonium or for other heavy elements with similar emissions. An ultrasonic B-scanning system (brightness modulated time-base) was developed for defining the structure within the body. Computer programs were written to determine the distance between the lung and chest-wall interface and the outer surface of the chest wall at several points on each scan. These points are exponentially averaged to obtain an average chest-wall thickness that is used, with other information, to derive a calibration factor for plutonium in the subject. It is also combined with the counting data to obtain the plutonium lung burden. Since photon transmission characteristics differ in fat and soft tissue, assessing the fat content is important and can provide a correction factor for counter sensitivity when viewing various organs. The main advantage of the B-scanning and three-dimensional systems are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 6787272
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-80340; CONF-780612-4; TRN: 78-014998
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Symposium on advances in radiation protection monitoring, Stockholm, Sweden, 26 Jun 1978
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The gender-specific chest wall thickness prediction equations for routine measurements of {sup 239}Pu and {sup 241}Am within the lungs using HPGE detectors
Improved ultrasonic measurement techniques applied to assay of Pu and other transuranics in lung
Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ADIPOSE TISSUE
ACOUSTIC MEASUREMENTS
CHEST
LUNGS
PHOTON TRANSMISSION SCANNING
PLUTONIUM
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
PERSONNEL MONITORING
ANATOMY
BODY BURDEN
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DAUGHTER PRODUCTS
THICKNESS
ULTRASONIC TESTING
URANIUM
WALL EFFECTS
X-RAY DETECTION
ACOUSTIC TESTING
ACTINIDES
BODY
BODY AREAS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DIMENSIONS
ELEMENTS
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS TESTING
METALS
MONITORING
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
ORGANS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION MONITORING
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
TESTING
TISSUES
560171* - Radiation Effects- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
054000 - Nuclear Fuels- Health & Safety