Biology:Lung counter

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Short description: Medical device for measuring radiation exposure
A lung counter

A lung counter is a system consisting of a radiation detector, or detectors, and associated electronics that is used to measure radiation emitted from radioactive material that has been inhaled by a person and is sufficiently insoluble as to remain in the lung for weeks, months, or years.[1] They are frequently used in occupations where workers may be exposed to radiation.[2]

The lung counter may be placed on or near the body.[1] These systems are also often housed in a low background counting chamber. Such a chamber may have thick walls made of low-background steel (~20-25 cm thick) and lined with lead, cadmium, tin, or polypropylene, with a final layer of copper.[3] The purpose of the lead, cadmium (or tin), and copper is to reduce the background in the low energy region of a gamma spectrum (typically less than 200 keV).[citation needed]

Calibration

As a lung counter is primarily measuring radioactive materials that emit low energy gamma rays or x-rays, the phantom used to calibrate the system must be anthropometric.[citation needed] An example of such a phantom is the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Torso Phantom.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Eckerman, Keith F.; Xu, Xie George, eds (September 2009). Handbook of Anatomical Models for Radiation Dosimetry. CRS Press. ISBN 9781420059809. https://books.google.com/books?id=Iu0eELFg3rAC. Retrieved 26 March 2023. 
  2. Gollnick, Daniel A. (1994). Basic Radiation Protection Technology. Pacific Radiation Corporation. ISBN 9780916339074. https://books.google.com/books?id=4khRAAAAMAAJ. Retrieved 26 March 2023. 
  3. Pelled, O.; German, U.; Pollak, G.; Tshuva, A.. "MDA improvement technique for Lung Counter measurements of Uranium Workers". Nuclear Research Centre Negev. https://inis.iaea.org/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/35/066/35066106.pdf. Retrieved 26 March 2023.