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An accidental exposure by a medical linear accelerator under construction
Saori Kawamura1, Kanae Nishizawa, Toshiyasu Hirama
1Department of Radiation Emergency Medicine, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa Inage-ku Chiba, 263-8555, Japan. akashi@nirs.go.jp
Summary
A radiation accident exposed a worker to X-rays during medical linear accelerator setup. Despite whole-body doses of 70-180 mSv, no immediate symptoms appeared, but localized doses reached 900 mSv.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Radiation Safety
- Occupational Health
Background:
- An accidental X-ray exposure occurred at a Japanese medical linear accelerator facility during its construction phase.
- The incident involved a 10-MV X-ray beam emitted from a linear accelerator during a test, striking a worker positioned above.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the circumstances and consequences of an accidental X-ray exposure during medical linear accelerator installation.
- To estimate the radiation dose received by the exposed individual and assess potential health impacts.
Main Methods:
- Reconstruction of the accident scenario to determine the radiation source and beam characteristics.
- Clinical examinations, including chromosome analysis, were performed on the exposed individual.
- Dose estimation was conducted based on accident reconstruction and clinical findings.
Main Results:
- The worker was exposed to a 10-MV X-ray beam.
- No obvious physical symptoms were observed immediately following the exposure.
- Estimated whole-body radiation dose ranged from 70 to 180 mSv, with localized doses to the right foot and hand estimated between 180 to 900 mSv.
Conclusions:
- Accidental radiation exposure occurred due to an operational error during linear accelerator testing.
- While immediate symptoms were absent, the estimated doses warrant further monitoring and highlight the importance of stringent safety protocols in radiation facilities.