The current approach of the ICRP Task Group for modeling doses to respiratory tract tissues

Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1988 · Health Physics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-198907001-00035· OSTI ID:7104801

James, A C; Birchall, A; Cross, F T; Cuddihy, R G; Johnson, J R ^[1]

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1. National Radiological Protection Board, Didcot, Oxon (England)

For radiation protection purposes, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Task Group proposes to apportion radiation risk within the respiratory tract according to the tumor mortality rates observed in the different anatomical regions. This approach requires that doses absorbed by extrathoracic tissues must be considered, in addition to those in the lung. For the extrathoracic region, the tissues at highest potential risk are the pharyngeal parts of the nasopharynx and oropharynx and a part of the larynx. In the lung, all tissues are potentially at risk, and it is necessary to consider doses absorbed by bronchial tissues, the lung parenchyma, and lymph nodes. This paper outlines the methods proposed by the Task Group to evaluate the heterogeneous doses absorbed by sensitive cells in these tissues from radioactive decays of alpha-emitters. The objective is to evaluate doses to broad regions of the respiratory tract, where the regions are defined to reflect substantial differences in potential risk when taking into account deposition and clearance behavior. The Task Group proposes to represent the respiratory tract by three generic regions: an extrathoracic region and two thoracic regions, one clearing fast and one slowly. The models of aerosol deposition and clearance applied for each region are outlined. To illustrate the use of the model, doses are evaluated for the key cases of short-lived radionuclides and long-lived insoluble alpha-emitters and are discussed with regard to current ICRP recommendations.

• OSTI ID: 7104801
• Journal Information: Health Physics; (USA), Journal Name: Health Physics; (USA); ISSN 0017-9078; ISSN HLTPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560161* -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTINIDES
AEROSOLS
ALPHA PARTICLES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CLEARANCE
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
DOSES
ELEMENTS
EXCRETION
INHALATION
INTAKE
LUNG CLEARANCE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METALS
NEOPLASMS
PLUTONIUM
POLONIUM
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RETENTION
SOLS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS