ABSTRACT
In ICRP terminology, a brachytherapy program is a source leading to planned exposure situations that involve the deliberate introduction and operation of the program and are characterized by the ability to predict the magnitude and extent of the exposures and plan the radiological protection in advance. In planned exposures, all categories of exposure can occur, which include occupational exposure, public exposure, and medical exposure of patients or individuals that consent to undertake their comfort and care. It must be emphasized that planned exposure situations include both normal exposures that are reasonably expected to occur [i.e., medical exposures of patients, medical exposures of comforters or public exposures in permanent low-dose-rate (LDR) implants, occupational exposures in applications involving source handling] and potential exposures that may result from deviation from normal operating procedures (i.e., accidents). Although the focus of this chapter is on
29.3 Brachytherapy Facility Shielding ......................................................................................... 439 29.4 Radiation Protection Issues Associated with Specic Techniques ................................. 441
LDR Brachytherapy • HDR Brachytherapy 29.5 Source Storage and Transportation ..................................................................................... 442 29.6 Organizational Issues ............................................................................................................. 443 References ............................................................................................................................................ 445
brachytherapy planned exposures, during their operation, emergency exposure situations might occur due to the operation itself or malevolent action (i.e., breach of source security). Emergency exposure situations cannot be predicted; they may require urgent protective actions, and they could even result in existing exposure situations in the form of prolonged exposure situations following emergencies.
