Re-evaluation of a radiation protection cost benefit analysis study in brachytherapy

Cost benefit analysis has been in use for many years as a method for making a comparison between the costs of radiation protection and the benefits of reduced radiation exposure. It is advocated by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) has given more specific advice relating to the value of the man Sv to be used in the calculation of cost benefit. The purpose of this study is to investigate the changes in the NRPB advice over the last 10 years by correcting all figures for inflation and applying them to a particular radiation protection example. The example employed is a previously published case of the introduction of afterloading brachytherapy equipment at the Christie Hospital, Manchester. It has been shown that for this specific example the NRPB advice at one time led to a large cost benefit, at another time it led to a large cost deficit and later still it again gives a large cost benefit. Application of cost benefit analysis to decision making in radiation protection is therefore shown to be in need of further investigation and clarification before it can be used with confidence.