Radiation Safety of X Ray Generators and Other Radiation Sources Used for Inspection Purposes and for Non-medical Human Imaging

Specific Safety Guide

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• Publisher: International Atomic Energy Agency
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9789201068224
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Mechanical Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

This Safety Guide provides recommendations on specific safety measures to meet the requirements of IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3 and other relevant Safety Requirements publications on the use of X ray generators and other types of radiation sources that are used for inspection purposes and for non-medical human imaging. The recommendations provided are primarily for organizations that are authorized to use X ray generators and other types of radiation sources for such purposes, as well as for radiation protection experts, radiation protection officers and staff of regulatory bodies. The publication may also be of interest to designers and manufacturers of relevant X ray generators and sources.

1. INTRODUCTION

Background

1.1. IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3, Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards [1], specifies the basic requirements for protection of people against exposure to radiation and for the safety of radiation sources. The application of these requirements helps to ensure that the number of people exposed to radiation and their doses are kept as low as reasonably achievable, and helps to prevent accidents involving radiation sources and to mitigate the consequences of accidents should they occur. This Safety Guide provides guidance for implementing the requirements in GSR Part 3 [1] with regard to the safe use of X ray generators and other types of radiation source that are used for inspection purposes and for imaging of humans for purposes other than medical diagnosis, medical treatment or biomedical research (see also the International Commission on Radiological Protection report, Radiological Protection in Security Screening [2]).

1.2. The deliberate exposure of humans to ionizing radiation is usually in the context of medical diagnosis or treatment of patients, or for the purpose of biomedical research. In these cases, the benefits to the patient from the radiation exposure (or in the case of biomedical research, the benefit to health care and society in general) are expected to outweigh any radiation detriment to the people exposed. The system of radiation protection for those situations in which humans are deliberately exposed is well established, for example in GSR Part 3 [1] and IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSG-46, Radiation Protection and Safety in Medical Uses of Ionizing Radiation [3].

1.3. There are other situations in which people might be deliberately exposed, typically in order to produce an image, but not for medical purposes. In accordance with Requirement 10 of GSR Part 3 [1], certain non-medical applications of human imaging are automatically deemed to be not justified. In other cases, the use of human imaging may be considered to be justified following a formal justification process as described in para. 3.61 of GSR Part 3 [1]. The purpose of these practices might be for many reasons, including security, law enforcement, legal proceedings, insurance concerns and immigration requirements. Events in global and national security, together with the development of sophisticated security imaging technologies, have heightened interest in security activities with the potential for further increases in the use of non-medical human imaging techniques.

1.4. The various types of human imaging for purposes other than medical diagnosis, medical treatment or biomedical research can be grouped into two categories based on their common attributes, referred to in this Safety Guide and IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSG-5, Justification of Practices, Including Non-medical Human Imaging [4], as ‘Category 1’ and ‘Category 2’1:

(a) Category 1 non-medical human imaging: usually takes place in a medical radiation facility that performs radiological procedures for the primary purpose of medical diagnosis; uses medical radiological equipment to obtain the image; is performed by medical personnel, typically radiology personnel; and produces images that are assessed by a radiological medical practitioner. Category 1 non-medical human imaging includes:

— Imaging for occupational and employment related purposes, such as assessment of fitness for employment (prior to employment or periodically during employment), and assessment of physiological suitability for a career or a sport, including assessment of athletes before a selection or transfer;

— Imaging for legal purposes, including obtaining legal evidence, age determination, immigration or emigration purposes, and detection of drugs within a person;

— Imaging for health insurance purposes, including pre-insurance checks and obtaining evidence for the purposes of a compensation claim.

(b) Category 2 non-medical human imaging involves inspection imaging devices that are operated by personnel who are not specialists in radiology, and produces images that are viewed by persons who are usually not medically qualified. This practice takes place in a non-medical facility, such as an airport, seaport, railway station or cross-border station, where imaging is used to detect concealed objects for anti-smuggling purposes and for the detection of concealed objects that could be used for criminal acts that pose a security threat.

1.5. Some types of human imaging can occur in both categories. Human imaging for the purpose of detecting concealed drugs might be undertaken using medical radiology equipment in a medical radiation facility for legal purposes (i.e. Category 1 human imaging), or with an inspection imaging device in a non-medical facility, for example offices of the customs authority at an airport (i.e. Category 2 human imaging).

1.6. Irrespective of whether the practice is Category 1 or 2, Requirement 18 of GSR Part 3 [1] applies:

“The government shall ensure that the use of ionizing radiation for human imaging for purposes other than medical diagnosis, medical treatment or biomedical research is subject to the system of protection and safety.”

1.7. In addition to the non-medical human imaging practices described above, there has been a large increase in the use of inspection imaging devices to detect concealed objects in postal items, baggage and cargo, or within vehicles. Workers and members of the public might be exposed to radiation during the use of such equipment. In addition to exposure of workers operating inspection imaging devices, the use of such devices might lead to the inadvertent exposure of people inside cargo containers, or the exposure of drivers and passengers inside vehicles being inspected.

1.8....

Table of contents

• 1. INTRODUCTION
• Appendix
• REFERENCES
• CONTRIBUTORS TO DRAFTING AND REVIEW