Establish and document
4. Source Characteristics
The radiation received by the monitor can be different to that emitted from within the source
Careful consideration must be given to radionuclides that are in use. Think about decay schemes and emissions in order to identify measuring equipment which will detect the emissions with appropriate sensitivity.
It is important to recognise that the energy spectrum of particle or photons emitted depends upon the nature of the source. This is because the encapsulation material of a sealed source may remove some or all of the alpha and beta particles emitted from the radioactive material, whereas with an open source, there is no encapsulation material and therefore less absorption.
Radionuclides in common use in the hospital, research, nuclear and industrial sectors as sealed and unsealed sources.
7 of 19Good practice online modules
- Practical radiation monitoring
- Practical radiation monitoring units
- Radiation monitoring strategy
- Choice of radiation instrument
- Radiation monitoring techniques
- Estimating surface radioactivity
- Radiation instrument calibration
- Uncertainties in radiation measurement
- Troubleshooting in radiation monitoring