Radiation Safety Series 5

Controlling Radiation Dose

Controlling Radiation Dose
Complying with ALARA

Time, Distance, Shielding

Less time, less dose
Greater distance, less dose
More shielding, less dose
 Dose Formula
Intensity x Time = Distance

I = Intensity (dose rate)

T = Time
D = Dose
IxT=D
Rate x Time = Distance
 Time Problems
While an iridium192 source is in the
unshielded position during a radiograph
exposure, the dose rate (I) at the control
cable crank is 200 mR/hr. If you were to
remain standing at the crank for the entire
exposure , what would your dose be if the
exposure was twelve minutes?
 Time Problems
Step 1: convert 12 minutes to hours
12 min
=0.2hours
60 min
hr

Step 2: use the formula D = I x T

D = 200 mR/hr x 0.2 hours
D = 40 mR
 Time Problems
If your exposure was 2 minutes ?
2 min
=0.033hours
60 min
hr

D = 200 mR/hr x 0.033 hours

D = 6.6 mR
 Time Problems
If your exposure was 30 seconds?
30 sec
=0.0083hours
3600 sec
hr

D = 200 mR/hr x 0.0083 hours

D = 1.66 mR
 Another Time Problem
A Gamma radiographic team of two individuals
must radiograph ten pipe girth welds at one
location. Each weld requires three exposures.
They have a 100-curie Iridium 192 source. During
the travel during the travel of the source from the
camera to the position in the collimator the
radiographer measures a dose rate of 500 mR/hr at
the crank. It takes five seconds to crank the source
in or out. If the radiographer cranked the source
what dose would the radiographer receive while
radiographing the 10 welds?
 Another Time Problem
Step 1: convert 5 seconds to hours.
There are 3600 seconds in 1 hour.
5 sec
= 0.0014hours
3600hours
Step 2: use the formula I x T = D.
D = 500 mR/hr x 0.0014 hours
D = 0.7 mR per crank.
Another Time Problem