Improving Site-Specific Radiological Performance Assessments - 13431

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tauxe, John; Black, Paul; Catlett, Kate

2013-07-01

An improved approach is presented for conducting complete and defensible radiological site-specific performance assessments (PAs) to support radioactive waste disposal decisions. The basic tenets of PA were initiated some thirty years ago, focusing on geologic disposals and evaluating compliance with regulations. Some of these regulations were inherently probabilistic (i.e., addressing uncertainty in a quantitative fashion), such as the containment requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) 40 CFR 191, Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes, Chap. 191.13 [1]. Methods of analysis were developed to meet those requirements, butmore » at their core early PAs used 'conservative' parameter values and modeling approaches. This limited the utility of such PAs to compliance evaluation, and did little to inform decisions about optimizing disposal, closure and long-term monitoring and maintenance, or, in general, maintaining doses 'as low as reasonably achievable' (ALARA). This basic approach to PA development in the United States was employed essentially unchanged through the end of the 20. century, principally by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Performance assessments developed in support of private radioactive waste disposal operations, regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and its agreement states, were typically not as sophisticated. Discussion of new approaches to PA is timely, since at the time of this writing, the DOE is in the midst of revising its Order 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management [2], and the NRC is revising 10 CFR 61, Licensing Requirements for Land Disposal of Radioactive Waste [3]. Over the previous decade, theoretical developments and improved computational technology have provided the foundation for integrating decision analysis (DA) concepts and objective-focused thinking, plus a Bayesian approach to

Quality initiatives: lean approach to improving performance and efficiency in a radiology department.

PubMed

Kruskal, Jonathan B; Reedy, Allen; Pascal, Laurie; Rosen, Max P; Boiselle, Phillip M

2012-01-01

Many hospital radiology departments are adopting "lean" methods developed in automobile manufacturing to improve operational efficiency, eliminate waste, and optimize the value of their services. The lean approach, which emphasizes process analysis, has particular relevance to radiology departments, which depend on a smooth flow of patients and uninterrupted equipment function for efficient operation. However, the application of lean methods to isolated problems is not likely to improve overall efficiency or to produce a sustained improvement. Instead, the authors recommend a gradual but continuous and comprehensive "lean transformation" of work philosophy and workplace culture. Fundamental principles that must consistently be put into action to achieve such a transformation include equal involvement of and equal respect for all staff members, elimination of waste, standardization of work processes, improvement of flow in all processes, use of visual cues to communicate and inform, and use of specific tools to perform targeted data collection and analysis and to implement and guide change. Many categories of lean tools are available to facilitate these tasks: value stream mapping for visualizing the current state of a process and identifying activities that add no value; root cause analysis for determining the fundamental cause of a problem; team charters for planning, guiding, and communicating about change in a specific process; management dashboards for monitoring real-time developments; and a balanced scorecard for strategic oversight and planning in the areas of finance, customer service, internal operations, and staff development. © RSNA, 2012.

Performance assessment for continuing and future operations at Solid Waste Storage Area 6

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-02-01

This radiological performance assessment for the continued disposal operations at Solid Waste Storage Area 6 (SWSA 6) on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) has been prepared to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the US DOE. The analysis of SWSA 6 required the use of assumptions to supplement the available site data when the available data were incomplete for the purpose of analysis. Results indicate that SWSA 6 does not presently meet the performance objectives of DOE Order 5820.2A. Changes in operations and continued work on the performance assessment are expected to demonstrate compliance with the performance objectives for continuingmore » operations at the Interim Waste Management Facility (IWMF). All other disposal operations in SWSA 6 are to be discontinued as of January 1, 1994. The disposal units at which disposal operations are discontinued will be subject to CERCLA remediation, which will result in acceptable protection of the public health and safety.« less

Performance assessment for low-level waste disposal in the UK

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ashworth, A.B.

1995-12-31

British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) operate a site for the disposal of Low Level Radioactive Waste at Drigg in West Cumbria, in North-West England. HMIP are responsible for the regulation of the site with regard to environmental discharges of radioactive materials, both operational and post-closure. This paper is concerned with post-closure matters only. Two post-closure performance assessments have been carried out for this site: one by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) in 1987; and a subsequent one carried out on behalf of HMIP, completed in 1991. Currently, BNFL are preparing a Safety Case for continued operation of the Driggmore » site, and it expected that the core of this Case will comprise BNFL`s own analysis of post-closure performance. HMIP has developed procedures for the assessment of this Case, based upon experience of the previous Drigg assessments, and also upon the experience of similar work carried out in the assessment of Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) disposal at both deep and shallow potential sites. This paper describes the more important features of these procedures.« less

Work plan for the radiological survey for the David Witherspoon, Incorporated, Landfill-1630 site, Knoxville, Tennessee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-07-01

This work plan establishes the methods and requirements for performing a radiological survey at the David Witherspoon, Incorporated, Landfill-1630 Site, Knoxville, Tennessee (DWI 1630 Site) in accordance with requirements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The radiological survey will identify the radiological contamination level of the equipment and debris stored at the DWI 1630 Site. The data generated from the survey activities will support the decisions for characterization of the equipment/debris and aid in subsequent disposition and waste handling. The survey activities to be performed under this work plan include an equipment radiological survey,more » a walkover survey, and an immunoassay testing for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). This work plan includes a quality assurance (QA)/quality control (QC) project plan, a health and safety (H&S) plan, and a waste management plan.« less

The Importance of Building and Enhancing Worldwide Industry Cooperation in the Areas of Radiological Protection, Waste Management and Decommissioning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saint-Pierre, S.

2006-07-01

The slow or stagnant rate of nuclear power generation development in many developed countries over the last two decades has resulted in a significant shortage in the population of mid-career nuclear industry professionals. This shortage is even more pronounced in some specific areas of expertise such as radiological protection, waste management and decommissioning. This situation has occurred at a time when the renaissance of nuclear power and the globalization of the nuclear industry are steadily gaining momentum and when the industry's involvement in international and national debates in these three fields of expertise (and the industry's impact on these debates)more » is of vital importance. This paper presents the World Nuclear Association (WNA) approach to building and enhancing worldwide industry cooperation in radiological protection, waste management and decommissioning, which is manifested through the activities of the two WNA working groups on radiological protection (RPWG) and on waste management and decommissioning (WM and DWG). This paper also briefly describes the WNA's participatory role, as of summer 2005, in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standard development committees on radiation safety (RASSC), waste safety (WASSC) and nuclear safety (NUSSC). This participation provides the worldwide nuclear industry with an opportunity to be part of IAEA's discussions on shaping changes to the control regime of IAEA safety standards. The review (and the prospect of a revision) of IAEA safety standards, which began in October 2005, makes this WNA participation and the industry ' s involvement at the national level timely and important. All of this excellent industry cooperation and team effort is done through 'collegial' exchanges between key industry experts, which help tackle important issues more effectively. The WNA is continuously looking to enhance its worldwide industry representation in these fields of expertise through the RPWG and WM

Passive Neutron Non-Destructive Assay for Remediation of Radiological Waste at Hanford Burial Grounds- 13189

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simpson, A.; Pitts, M.; Ludowise, J.D.

The Hanford burial grounds contains a broad spectrum of low activity radioactive wastes, transuranic (TRU) wastes, and hazardous wastes including fission products, byproduct material (thorium and uranium), plutonium and laboratory chemicals. A passive neutron non-destructive assay technique has been developed for characterization of shielded concreted drums exhumed from the burial grounds. This method facilitates the separation of low activity radiological waste containers from TRU waste containers exhumed from the burial grounds. Two identical total neutron counting systems have been deployed, each consisting of He-3 detectors surrounded by a polyethylene moderator. The counts are processed through a statistical filter that removesmore » outliers in order to suppress cosmic spallation events and electronic noise. Upon completion of processing, a 'GO / NO GO' signal is provided to the operator based on a threshold level equivalent to 0.5 grams of weapons grade plutonium in the container being evaluated. This approach allows instantaneous decisions to be made on how to proceed with the waste. The counting systems have been set up using initial on-site measurements (neutron emitting standards loaded into surrogate waste containers) combined with Monte Carlo modeling techniques. The benefit of this approach is to allow the systems to extend their measurement ranges, in terms of applicable matrix types and container sizes, with minimal interruption to the operations at the burial grounds. (authors)« less

Performance Test on Polymer Waste Form - 12137

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Se Yup

Polymer solidification was attempted to produce stable waste form for the boric acid concentrates and the dewatered spent resins. The polymer mixture was directly injected into the mold or drum which was packed with the boric acid concentrates and the dewatered spent resins, respectively. The waste form was produced by entirely curing the polymer mixture. A series of performance tests was conducted including compressive strength test, water immersion test, leach test, thermal stability test, irradiation stability test and biodegradation stability test for the polymer waste forms. From the results of the performance tests for the polymer waste forms, it ismore » believed that the polymer waste form is very stable and can satisfy the acceptance criteria for permanent disposal. At present, performance tests with full scale polymer waste forms are being carried out in order to obtain qualification certificate by the regulatory institute in Korea. Polymer waste forms were prepared with the surrogate of boric acid concentrates and the surrogate of spent ion exchange resins respectively. Waste forms were also made in lab scale and in full scale. Lab. scale waste forms were directly subjected to a series of the performance tests. In the case of full scale waste form, the test specimens for the performance test were taken from a part of waste form by coring. A series of performance tests was conducted including compressive strength test, thermal stability test, irradiation stability test and biodegradation stability test, water immersion test, leach test, and free standing water for the polymer waste forms. In addition, a fire resistance test was performed on the waste forms by the requirement of the regulatory institute in Korea. Every polymer waste forms containing the boric acid concentrates and the spent ion exchange resins had exhibited excellent structural integrity of more than 27.58 MPa (4,000 psi) of compressive strength. On thermal stability testing

WIPP Remote-Handled TRU Waste Program Update

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Most, W.; Kehrman, B.

2006-07-01

There are two major regulatory approval milestones necessary in order to commence disposal operations for remote-handled transuranic (RH TRU) waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)-the RH TRU hazardous waste permit modification request [1] and the radiological characterization plan [2]. One of those milestones has been achieved. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its final decision to approve the Department of Energy's (DOE) RH TRU radiological characterization plan along with the RH TRU Waste Characterization Program Implementation Plan [3], on March 26, 2004. The RH TRU hazardous waste permit modification request still awaits agency approval. In EPA's decisionmore » to approve the DOE's RH TRU radiological characterization plan, the EPA also set forth the process for approving site-specific RH TRU waste characterization programs. Included in the March 29, 2005, RH TRU second Notice of Deficiency [4] (NOD) on the Class 3 Permit Modification Request for RH TRU Waste, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) requested that the Permittees combine their responses for the RH TRU Waste NOD with the Section 311 permit modification request NOD. The Combined Response Document was submitted April 28, 2005 [5]. Another NOD [6] was issued by the NMED on September 1, 2005, to clarify the Permittees' proposal and submit these clarifications to the administrative record. Combining both the chap. 311 [7] and RH TRU waste permit modification requests allows for both the regulator and Permittees to expedite action on the modification requests. The Combined Response Document preserves human resources and costs by having only one administrative process for both modification requests. Facility readiness requirements of the RH TRU waste final permit [8] must be implemented to declare that the WIPP is ready to receive RH TRU waste for storage and disposal. To demonstrate readiness, the WIPP is preparing for an Operational Readiness Review (ORR) of the RH

Waste management facility accident analysis (WASTE ACC) system: software for analysis of waste management alternatives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kohout, E.F.; Folga, S.; Mueller, C.

1996-03-01

This paper describes the Waste Management Facility Accident Analysis (WASTE{underscore}ACC) software, which was developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to support the US Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Waste Management (WM) Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). WASTE{underscore}ACC is a decision support and database system that is compatible with Microsoft{reg_sign} Windows{trademark}. It assesses potential atmospheric releases from accidents at waste management facilities. The software provides the user with an easy-to-use tool to determine the risk-dominant accident sequences for the many possible combinations of process technologies, waste and facility types, and alternative cases described in the WM PEIS. In addition, its structure willmore » allow additional alternative cases and assumptions to be tested as part of the future DOE programmatic decision-making process. The WASTE{underscore}ACC system demonstrates one approach to performing a generic, systemwide evaluation of accident risks at waste management facilities. The advantages of WASTE{underscore}ACC are threefold. First, the software gets waste volume and radiological profile data that were used to perform other WM PEIS-related analyses directly from the WASTE{underscore}MGMT system. Second, the system allows for a consistent analysis across all sites and waste streams, which enables decision makers to understand more fully the trade-offs among various policy options and scenarios. Third, the system is easy to operate; even complex scenario runs are completed within minutes.« less

WASTE TREATMENT BUILDING SYSTEM DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

F. Habashi

2000-06-22

The Waste Treatment Building System provides the space, layout, structures, and embedded subsystems that support the processing of low-level liquid and solid radioactive waste generated within the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR). The activities conducted in the Waste Treatment Building include sorting, volume reduction, and packaging of dry waste, and collecting, processing, solidification, and packaging of liquid waste. The Waste Treatment Building System is located on the surface within the protected area of the MGR. The Waste Treatment Building System helps maintain a suitable environment for the waste processing and protects the systems within the Waste Treatment Building (WTB) from mostmore » of the natural and induced environments. The WTB also confines contaminants and provides radiological protection to personnel. In addition to the waste processing operations, the Waste Treatment Building System provides space and layout for staging of packaged waste for shipment, industrial and radiological safety systems, control and monitoring of operations, safeguards and security systems, and fire protection, ventilation and utilities systems. The Waste Treatment Building System also provides the required space and layout for maintenance activities, tool storage, and administrative facilities. The Waste Treatment Building System integrates waste processing systems within its protective structure to support the throughput rates established for the MGR. The Waste Treatment Building System also provides shielding, layout, and other design features to help limit personnel radiation exposures to levels which are as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA). The Waste Treatment Building System interfaces with the Site Generated Radiological Waste Handling System, and with other MGR systems that support the waste processing operations. The Waste Treatment Building System interfaces with the General Site Transportation System, Site Communications System, Site Water System

Nevada National Security Site Radiological Control Manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radiological Control Managers’ Council

2012-03-26

This document supersedes DOE/NV/25946--801, 'Nevada Test Site Radiological Control Manual,' Revision 1 issued in February 2010. Brief Description of Revision: A complete revision to reflect a recent change in name for the NTS; changes in name for some tenant organizations; and to update references to current DOE policies, orders, and guidance documents. Article 237.2 was deleted. Appendix 3B was updated. Article 411.2 was modified. Article 422 was re-written to reflect the wording of DOE O 458.1. Article 431.6.d was modified. The glossary was updated. This manual contains the radiological control requirements to be used for all radiological activities conducted bymore » programs under the purview of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO). Compliance with these requirements will ensure compliance with Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 835, 'Occupational Radiation Protection.' Programs covered by this manual are located at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS); Nellis Air Force Base and North Las Vegas, Nevada; Santa Barbara and Livermore, California; and Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. In addition, fieldwork by NNSA/NSO at other locations is covered by this manual. Current activities at NNSS include operating low-level radioactive and mixed waste disposal facilities for United States defense-generated waste, assembly and execution of subcritical experiments, assembly/disassembly of special experiments, the storage and use of special nuclear materials, performing criticality experiments, emergency responder training, surface cleanup and site characterization of contaminated land areas, environmental activity by the University system, and nonnuclear test operations, such as controlled spills of hazardous materials at the Hazardous Materials Spill Center. Currently, the major potential for occupational radiation exposure is associated with the

E-learning and education in radiology.

PubMed

Pinto, Antonio; Brunese, Luca; Pinto, Fabio; Acampora, Ciro; Romano, Luigia

2011-06-01

To evaluate current applications of e-learning in radiology. A Medline search was performed using PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD) for publications discussing the applications of e-learning in radiology. The search strategy employed a single combination of the following terms: (1) e-learning, and (2) education and (3) radiology. This review was limited to human studies and to English-language literature. We reviewed all the titles and subsequent the abstract of 29 articles that appeared pertinent. Additional articles were identified by reviewing the reference lists of relevant papers. Finally, the full text of 38 selected articles was reviewed. Literature data shows that with the constant development of technology and global spread of computer networks, in particular of the Internet, the integration of multimedia and interactivity introduced into electronic publishing has allowed the creation of multimedia applications that provide valuable support for medical teaching and continuing medical education, specifically for radiology. Such technologies are valuable tools for collaboration, interactivity, simulation, and self-testing. However, not everything on the World Wide Web is useful, accurate, or beneficial: the quality and veracity of medical information on the World Wide Web is variable and much time can be wasted as many websites do not meet basic publication standards. E-learning will become an important source of education in radiology. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student performance and course evaluations before and after use of the Classroom Performance System ™ in a third-year veterinary radiology course.

PubMed

Hecht, Silke; Adams, W H; Cunningham, M A; Lane, I F; Howell, N E

2013-01-01

Effective teaching of veterinary radiology can be challenging in a traditional classroom environment. Audience response systems, colloquially known as "clickers," provide a means of encouraging student interaction. The purpose of this study was to compare student performance and course evaluations before and after using the Classroom Performance System™ in the third-year (fifth semester) didactic radiology course at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Overall student performance was assessed by comparing median numeric final course grades (%) between years without and with use of the Classroom Performance System™. Grades of students were determined for individual instructors' sections. Student evaluations of the radiology course were compared for the years available (2007-2010). Student interactions were also evaluated subjectively by instructors who used the Classroom Performance System™. There was a significant difference (p = 0.009) between the median student grade before (2005 - 2008, median 82.2%; interquartile range 77.6-85.7%; range 61.9-95.5%) and after use of the classroom performance system (2009-2010, median 83.6%; interquartile range 79.9-87.9%; range 68.2-93.2%). There was no statistically significant difference in median student grades for individual instructors over the study period. The radiology course student evaluation scores were significantly higher in years where the Classroom Performance System™ was used in comparison to previous years (P = 0.019). Subjectively, students appeared more involved when using clickers. Findings indicated that the Classroom Performance System™ may be a useful tool for enhancing veterinary radiology education. © 2012 Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound.

Radiological impact assessment to the environment due to waste from disposal of porcelain.

PubMed

Morsi, Tarek; Hegazy, Rehab; Badawy, Wael

2017-06-01

The present study aimed to assess the radiological parameters from gamma rays due to the uncontrolled disposal of porcelain waste to the environment. Qualitative and quantitative identification of radionuclides in the investigated samples was carried out by means of a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. The average activity concentrations of the local porcelain samples were measured as 208.28 Bq/kg for 226 Ra, 125.73 Bq/kg for 238 U, 84.94 Bq/kg for 232 Th and 1033.61 Bq/kg for 40 K, respectively. The imported samples had an average activity of 240.57 Bq/kg for 226 Ra, 135.56 Bq/kg for 238 U, 115.74 Bq/kg for 232 Th and 1312.49 Bq/kg for 40 K, respectively. Radiological parameters and the radium equivalent Ra eq for the investigated samples were calculated. The external and internal hazard indices, representative level index (I γ ), alpha index (I α ), and the exemption level (I x ), were estimated to be higher than the recommended value (unity), while the average activity concentrations for the studied samples were higher than recommended levels. In conclusion, we are concerned that disposal of porcelain in the environment might be a significant hazard.

Assessment for the management of NORM wastes in conventional hazardous and nonhazardous waste landfills.

PubMed

Mora, Juan C; Baeza, Antonio; Robles, Beatriz; Sanz, Javier

2016-06-05

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) wastes are generated in huge quantities in several industries and their management has been carried out under considerations of industrial non-radioactive wastes, before the concern on the radioactivity content was included in the legislation. Therefore these wastes were conditioned using conventional methods and the waste disposals were designed to isolate toxic elements from the environment for long periods of time. Spanish regulation for these conventional toxic waste disposals includes conditions that assure adequate isolation to minimize the impact of the wastes to the environment in present and future conditions. After 1996 the radiological impact of the management of NORM wastes is considered and all the aspects related with natural radiations and the radiological control regarding the management of residues from NORM industries were developed in the new regulation. One option to be assessed is the disposal of NORM wastes in hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposals, as was done before this new regulation. This work analyses the management of NORM wastes in these landfills to derive the masses that can be disposed without considerable radiological impact. Generic dose assessments were carried out under highly conservative hypothesis and a discussion on the uncertainty and variability sources was included to provide consistency to the calculations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lean manufacturing and Toyota Production System terminology applied to the procurement of vascular stents in interventional radiology.

PubMed

de Bucourt, Maximilian; Busse, Reinhard; Güttler, Felix; Wintzer, Christian; Collettini, Federico; Kloeters, Christian; Hamm, Bernd; Teichgräber, Ulf K

2011-08-01

OBJECTIVES: To apply the economic terminology of lean manufacturing and the Toyota Production System to the procurement of vascular stents in interventional radiology. METHODS: The economic- and process-driven terminology of lean manufacturing and the Toyota Production System is first presented, including information and product flow as well as value stream mapping (VSM), and then applied to an interdisciplinary setting of physicians, nurses and technicians from different medical departments to identify wastes in the process of endovascular stent procurement in interventional radiology. RESULTS: Using the so-called seven wastes approach of the Toyota Production System (waste of overproducing, waiting, transport, processing, inventory, motion and waste of defects and spoilage) as well as further waste characteristics (gross waste, process and method waste, and micro waste), wastes in the process of endovascular stent procurement in interventional radiology were identified and eliminated to create an overall smoother process from the procurement as well as from the medical perspective. CONCLUSION: Economic terminology of lean manufacturing and the Toyota Production System, especially VSM, can be used to visualise and better understand processes in the procurement of vascular stents in interventional radiology from an economic point of view.

Estimating Radiological Doses to Predators Foraging in a Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

L.Soholt; G.Gonzales; P.Fresquez

2003-03-01

Since 1957, Los Alamos National Laboratory has operated Area G as its low-level, solid radioactive waste management and disposal area. Although the waste management area is developed, plants, small mammals, and avian and mammalian predators still occupy the less disturbed and revegetated portions of the land. For almost a decade, we have monitored the concentrations of selected radionuclides in soils, plants, and small mammals at Area G. The radionuclides tritium, plutonium-238, and plutonium-239 are regularly found at levels above regional background in all three media. Based on radionuclide concentrations in mice collected from 1994 to 1999, we calculated doses tomore » higher trophic levels (owl, hawk, kestrel, and coyote) that forage on the waste management area. These predators play important functions in the regional ecosystems and are an important part of local Native American traditional tales that identify the uniqueness of their culture. The estimated doses are compared to Department of Energy's interim limit of 0.1 rad/day for the protection of terrestrial wildlife. We used exposure parameters that were derived from the literature for each receptor, including Environmental Protection Agency's exposure factors handbook. Estimated doses to predators ranged from 9E-06 to 2E-04 rad/day, assuming that they forage entirely on the waste management area. These doses are greater than those calculated for predators foraging exclusively in reference areas, but are still well below the interim dose limit. We believe that these calculated doses represent upper-bound estimates of exposure for local predators because the larger predators forage over areas that are much greater than the 63-acre waste management area. Based on these results, we concluded that predators foraging on this area do not face a hazard from radiological exposure under current site conditions.« less

A Business Analytics Software Tool for Monitoring and Predicting Radiology Throughput Performance.

PubMed

Jones, Stephen; Cournane, Seán; Sheehy, Niall; Hederman, Lucy

2016-12-01

Business analytics (BA) is increasingly being utilised by radiology departments to analyse and present data. It encompasses statistical analysis, forecasting and predictive modelling and is used as an umbrella term for decision support and business intelligence systems. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether utilising BA technologies could contribute towards improved decision support and resource management within radiology departments. A set of information technology requirements were identified with key stakeholders, and a prototype BA software tool was designed, developed and implemented. A qualitative evaluation of the tool was carried out through a series of semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Feedback was collated, and emergent themes were identified. The results indicated that BA software applications can provide visibility of radiology performance data across all time horizons. The study demonstrated that the tool could potentially assist with improving operational efficiencies and management of radiology resources.

A performative definition of waste prevention.

PubMed

Corvellec, Hervé

2016-06-01

The increasing importance being placed on waste prevention in European waste governance raises the question of how waste prevention is defined in practice. This paper presents a qualitative analysis of a sample of fifty-one Swedish waste prevention initiatives with the purpose of identifying which kind of actions are imagined, promoted, and set into motion under the label of waste prevention. The analysis shows that despite their apparent variety, the initiatives in the sample boil down to three main types of actions: raising awareness about the need to prevent waste, increasing material efficiency, and developing sustainable consumption. In contradistinction to the formal definition of waste prevention in the European Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC), what emerges from analyzing the initiatives in the sample is a performative definition of waste prevention as something heterogeneous, contradictory, and evolving. Such a definition of waste prevention in practice provides an understanding of the organizational dynamics of waste prevention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Key Performance Indicators in Radiology: You Can't Manage What You Can't Measure.

PubMed

Harvey, H Benjamin; Hassanzadeh, Elmira; Aran, Shima; Rosenthal, Daniel I; Thrall, James H; Abujudeh, Hani H

2016-01-01

Quality assurance (QA) is a fundamental component of every successful radiology operation. A radiology QA program must be able to efficiently and effectively monitor and respond to quality problems. However, as radiology QA has expanded into the depths of radiology operations, the task of defining and measuring quality has become more difficult. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are highly valuable data points and measurement tools that can be used to monitor and evaluate the quality of services provided by a radiology operation. As such, KPIs empower a radiology QA program to bridge normative understandings of health care quality with on-the-ground quality management. This review introduces the importance of KPIs in health care QA, a framework for structuring KPIs, a method to identify and tailor KPIs, and strategies to analyze and communicate KPI data that would drive process improvement. Adopting a KPI-driven QA program is both good for patient care and allows a radiology operation to demonstrate measurable value to other health care stakeholders. Copyright © 2015 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Selected radionuclides important to low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-11-01

The purpose of this document is to provide information to state representatives and developers of low level radioactive waste (LLW) management facilities about the radiological, chemical, and physical characteristics of selected radionuclides and their behavior in the environment. Extensive surveys of available literature provided information for this report. Certain radionuclides may contribute significantly to the dose estimated during a radiological performance assessment analysis of an LLW disposal facility. Among these are the radionuclides listed in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 61.55, Tables 1 and 2 (including alpha emitting transuranics with half-lives greater than 5 years). Thismore » report discusses these radionuclides and other radionuclides that may be significant during a radiological performance assessment analysis of an LLW disposal facility. This report not only includes essential information on each radionuclide, but also incorporates waste and disposal information on the radionuclide, and behavior of the radionuclide in the environment and in the human body. Radionuclides addressed in this document include technetium-99, carbon-14, iodine-129, tritium, cesium-137, strontium-90, nickel-59, plutonium-241, nickel-63, niobium-94, cobalt-60, curium -42, americium-241, uranium-238, and neptunium-237.« less

Radiation protection challenges in the management of radioactive waste from high-energy accelerators.

PubMed

Ulrici, Luisa; Algoet, Yvon; Bruno, Luca; Magistris, Matteo

2015-04-01

The European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN) has operated high-energy accelerators for fundamental physics research for nearly 60 y. The side-product of this activity is the radioactive waste, which is mainly generated as a result of preventive and corrective maintenance, upgrading activities and the dismantling of experiments or accelerator facilities. Prior to treatment and disposal, it is common practice to temporarily store radioactive waste on CERN's premises and it is a legal requirement that these storage facilities are safe and secure. Waste treatment typically includes sorting, segregation, volume and size reduction and packaging, which will depend on the type of component, its chemical composition, residual activity and possible surface contamination. At CERN, these activities are performed in a dedicated waste treatment centre under the supervision of the Radiation Protection Group. This paper gives an overview of the radiation protection challenges in the conception of a temporary storage and treatment centre for radioactive waste in an accelerator facility, based on the experience gained at CERN. The CERN approach consists of the classification of waste items into 'families' with similar radiological and physical-chemical properties. This classification allows the use of specific, family-dependent techniques for radiological characterisation and treatment, which are simultaneously efficient and compliant with best practices in radiation protection. The storage was planned on the basis of radiological and other possible hazards such as toxicity, pollution and fire load. Examples are given of technical choices for the treatment and radiological characterisation of selected waste families, which could be of interest to other accelerator facilities. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Hanford immobilized low-activity tank waste performance assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mann, F.M.

1998-03-26

The Hanford Immobilized Low-Activity Tank Waste Performance Assessment examines the long-term environmental and human health effects associated with the planned disposal of the vitrified low-level fraction of waste presently contained in Hanford Site tanks. The tank waste is the by-product of separating special nuclear materials from irradiated nuclear fuels over the past 50 years. This waste has been stored in underground single and double-shell tanks. The tank waste is to be retrieved, separated into low and high-activity fractions, and then immobilized by private vendors. The US Department of Energy (DOE) will receive the vitrified waste from private vendors and plansmore » to dispose of the low-activity fraction in the Hanford Site 200 East Area. The high-level fraction will be stored at Hanford until a national repository is approved. This report provides the site-specific long-term environmental information needed by the DOE to issue a Disposal Authorization Statement that would allow the modification of the four existing concrete disposal vaults to provide better access for emplacement of the immobilized low-activity waste (ILAW) containers; filling of the modified vaults with the approximately 5,000 ILAW containers and filler material with the intent to dispose of the containers; construction of the first set of next-generation disposal facilities. The performance assessment activity will continue beyond this assessment. The activity will collect additional data on the geotechnical features of the disposal sites, the disposal facility design and construction, and the long-term performance of the waste. Better estimates of long-term performance will be produced and reviewed on a regular basis. Performance assessments supporting closure of filled facilities will be issued seeking approval of those actions necessary to conclude active disposal facility operations. This report also analyzes the long-term performance of the currently planned disposal system as

Waste Characterization Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lambert, Patrick E.

2014-11-01

The purpose is to provide guidance to the Radiological Characterization Reviewer to complete the radiological characterization of waste items. This information is used for Department of Transportation (DOT) shipping and disposal, typically at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Complete characterization ensures compliance with DOT shipping laws and NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC). The fines for noncompliance can be extreme. This does not include possible bad press, and endangerment to the public, employees and the environment. A Radiological Characterization Reviewer has an important role in the organization. The scope is to outline the characterization process, but does not to includemore » every possible situation. The Radiological Characterization Reviewer position requires a strong background in Health Physics; therefore, these concepts are minimally addressed. The characterization process includes many Excel spreadsheets that were developed by Michael Enghauser known as the WCT software suite. New Excel spreadsheets developed as part of this project include the Ra- 226 Decider and the Density Calculator by Jesse Bland, MicroShield Density Calculator and Molecular Weight Calculator by Pat Lambert.« less

Critical Protection Item classification for a waste processing facility at Savannah River Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ades, M.J.; Garrett, R.J.

1993-10-01

This paper describes the methodology for Critical Protection Item (CPI) classification and its application to the Structures, Systems and Components (SSC) of a waste processing facility at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The WSRC methodology for CPI classification includes the evaluation of the radiological and non-radiological consequences resulting from postulated accidents at the waste processing facility and comparison of these consequences with allowable limits. The types of accidents considered include explosions and fire in the facility and postulated accidents due to natural phenomena, including earthquakes, tornadoes, and high velocity straight winds. The radiological analysis results indicate that CPIs are notmore » required at the waste processing facility to mitigate the consequences of radiological release. The non-radiological analysis, however, shows that the Waste Storage Tank (WST) and the dike spill containment structures around the formic acid tanks in the cold chemical feed area and waste treatment area of the facility should be identified as CPIs. Accident mitigation options are provided and discussed.« less

Palliative Airway Stenting Performed Under Radiological Guidance and Local Anesthesia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Profili, Stefano; Manca, Antonio; Feo, Claudio F.

2007-02-15

Purpose. To assess the effectiveness of airway stenting performed exclusively under radiological guidance for the palliation of malignant tracheobronchial strictures. Methods. We report our experience in 16 patients with malignant tracheobronchial stricture treated by insertion of 20 Ultraflex self-expandable metal stents performed under fluoroscopic guidance only. Three patients presented dysphagia grade IV due to esophageal malignant infiltration; they therefore underwent combined airway and esophageal stenting. All the procedures were performed under conscious sedation in the radiological room; average procedure time was around 10 min, but the airway impediment never lasted more than 40 sec. Results. We obtained an overall technicalmore » success in 16 cases (100%) and clinical success in 14 patients (88%). All prostheses were successfully placed without procedural complications. Rapid clinical improvement with symptom relief and normalization of respiratory function was obtained in 14 cases. Two patients died within 48 hr from causes unrelated to stent placement. Two cases (13%) of migration were observed; they were successfully treated with another stent. Tumor overgrowth developed in other 2 patients (13%); however, no further treatment was possible because of extensive laryngeal infiltration. Conclusions. Tracheobronchial recanalization with self-expandable metal stents is a safe and effective palliative treatment for malignant strictures. Airway stenting performed exclusively under fluoroscopic view was rapid and well tolerated.« less

A Vertically Integrated Online Radiology Curriculum Developed as a Cognitive Apprenticeship: Impact on Student Performance and Learning.

PubMed

Lim-Dunham, Jennifer E; Ensminger, David C; McNulty, John A; Hoyt, Amy E; Chandrasekhar, Arcot J

2016-02-01

The principles of Collins' cognitive apprenticeship model were used to design a radiology curriculum in which medical students practice radiological skills using online case-based modules. The modules are embedded within clinical third-year clerkships, and students are provided with personalized feedback from the instructors. We describe the development of the vertical online radiology curriculum and evaluate its impact on student achievement and learning process using a mixed method approach. The curriculum was developed over a 2-year period. Student participation was voluntary in the first year and mandatory in the second year. For quantitative curriculum evaluation, student metrics for voluntary versus mandatory groups were assessed using independent sample t tests and variable entry method regression analysis. For qualitative analysis, responses from a survey of students about the value of the curriculum were organized into defined themes using consensus coding. Mandatory participation significantly improved (p = .001) the mean radiology examination score (82 %) compared to the voluntary group (73%), suggesting that mandatory participation had a beneficial effect on student performance. Potential preexisting differences in underlying general academic performance were accounted for by including mean basic science grades as the first variable in the regression model. The significant increase in R(2) from .16 to .28 when number of radiology cases completed was added to the original model, and the greater value of the standardized beta for this variable, suggest that the curriculum made a significant contribution to students' radiology examination scores beyond their baseline academic performance. Five dominant themes about curricular characteristics that enhanced student learning and beneficial outcomes emerged from consensus coding. These themes were (1) self-paced design, (2) receiving feedback from faculty, (3) clinical relevance of cases, (4) gaining

An honest day's work: pay for performance in a pediatric radiology department.

PubMed

Bisset, George S

2017-06-01

Compensation models in radiology take a variety of forms, but regardless of practice type, successful models must reward productivity, be simple, and epitomize fairness. The ideal model should also be flexible enough to transition, based upon the changing strategic goals of a department. The plan should be constructed around rewarding the behaviors that the organization values. In this minisymposium article the author presents the value of different types of compensation plans and discusses advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the author presents a pay-for-performance model that has had long-term success at a private-turned-academic practice in pediatric radiology.

Automated classification of radiology reports to facilitate retrospective study in radiology.

PubMed

Zhou, Yihua; Amundson, Per K; Yu, Fang; Kessler, Marcus M; Benzinger, Tammie L S; Wippold, Franz J

2014-12-01

Retrospective research is an import tool in radiology. Identifying imaging examinations appropriate for a given research question from the unstructured radiology reports is extremely useful, but labor-intensive. Using the machine learning text-mining methods implemented in LingPipe [1], we evaluated the performance of the dynamic language model (DLM) and the Naïve Bayesian (NB) classifiers in classifying radiology reports to facilitate identification of radiological examinations for research projects. The training dataset consisted of 14,325 sentences from 11,432 radiology reports randomly selected from a database of 5,104,594 reports in all disciplines of radiology. The training sentences were categorized manually into six categories (Positive, Differential, Post Treatment, Negative, Normal, and History). A 10-fold cross-validation [2] was used to evaluate the performance of the models, which were tested in classification of radiology reports for cases of sellar or suprasellar masses and colloid cysts. The average accuracies for the DLM and NB classifiers were 88.5% with 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.9% and 85.9% with 95% CI of 2.0%, respectively. The DLM performed slightly better and was used to classify 1,397 radiology reports containing the keywords "sellar or suprasellar mass", or "colloid cyst". The DLM model produced an accuracy of 88.2% with 95% CI of 2.1% for 959 reports that contain "sellar or suprasellar mass" and an accuracy of 86.3% with 95% CI of 2.5% for 437 reports of "colloid cyst". We conclude that automated classification of radiology reports using machine learning techniques can effectively facilitate the identification of cases suitable for retrospective research.

Alternative High-Performance Ceramic Waste Forms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sundaram, S. K.

This final report (M5NU-12-NY-AU # 0202-0410) summarizes the results of the project titled “Alternative High-Performance Ceramic Waste Forms,” funded in FY12 by the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP Project # 12-3809) being led by Alfred University in collaboration with Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). The overall focus of the project is to advance fundamental understanding of crystalline ceramic waste forms and to demonstrate their viability as alternative waste forms to borosilicate glasses. We processed single- and multiphase hollandite waste forms based on simulated waste streams compositions provided by SRNL based on the advanced fuel cycle initiative (AFCI) aqueous separation process developed in the Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCR&D). For multiphase simulated waste forms, oxide and carbonate precursors were mixed together via ball milling with deionized water using zirconia media in a polyethylene jar for 2 h. The slurry was dried overnight and then separated from the media. The blended powders were then subjected to melting or spark plasma sintering (SPS) processes. Microstructural evolution and phase assemblages of these samples were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion analysis of x-rays (EDAX), wavelength dispersive spectrometry (WDS), transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM), selective area x-ray diffraction (SAXD), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). These results showed that the processing methods have significant effect on the microstructure and thus the performance of these waste forms. The Ce substitution into zirconolite and pyrochlore materials was investigated using a combination of experimental (in situ XRD and x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES)) and modeling techniques to study these single phases independently. In zirconolite materials, a transition from the 2M to the 4M polymorph was observed with increasing Ce content. The resulting

Performance of asphalt mixture incorporating recycled waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamid, Nor Baizura; Abdullah, Mohd Ezree; Sanik, Mohd Erwan; Mokhtar, Mardiha; Kaamin, Masiri; Raduan, Rasyidah; Ramli, Mohd Zakwan

2017-12-01

Nowadays, the amount of premix waste was increased every year, especially at the batching plants. Normally, the waste materials will be discarded without doing any innovative and effective research about those materials. This situation has become one of the global concerns due to the increasing number of premix waste produced every year. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of hot mix asphalt (HMA) using premix waste on improving asphalt mixture fatigue behaviour. The method used in this study was Superpave mix design method. The sample conducted in this study were 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 100% of premix waste respectively. For a binder test, the laboratory test conducted were penetration test, softening test and thin film oven test while for the performance test were resilient modulus test and indirect tensile fatigue test. From the laboratory test, the resilient modulus test was conducted with two different temperature which was 25°C and 40°C. The result from that test was 20% of premix waste had higher resilient modulus at that two different temperatures compared to another samples. From that test also shown that the sample at the lower temperature which was 25°C has higher resilient modulus compared to the temperature of 40°C. Indirect tensile fatigue test showed that the 30% of premix waste sample was suitable for the modified asphalt mixture with referring to the maximum deformation and strain for comparison control, 10%,20%, and 100% of premix waste samples. So, it can be concluded that premix waste inhibits great potential as road construction material and suitable for repeated traffic loading.

Waste Sampling & Characterization Facility (WSCF) Complex Safety Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MELOY, R.T.

2002-04-01

This document was prepared to analyze the Waste Sampling and Characterization Facility for safety consequences by: Determining radionuclide and highly hazardous chemical inventories; Comparing these inventories to the appropriate regulatory limits; Documenting the compliance status with respect to these limits; and Identifying the administrative controls necessary to maintain this status. The primary purpose of the Waste Sampling and Characterization Facility (WSCF) is to perform low-level radiological and chemical analyses on various types of samples taken from the Hanford Site. These analyses will support the fulfillment of federal, Washington State, and Department of Energy requirements.

Waste Management Strategy for Dismantling Waste to Reduce Costs for Power Plant Decommissioning - 13543

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larsson, Arne; Lidar, Per; Bergh, Niklas

2013-07-01

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants generates large volumes of radioactive or potentially radioactive waste. The proper management of the dismantling waste plays an important role for the time needed for the dismantling phase and thus is critical to the decommissioning cost. An efficient and thorough process for inventorying, characterization and categorization of the waste provides a sound basis for the planning process. As part of comprehensive decommissioning studies for Nordic NPPs, Westinghouse has developed the decommissioning inventories that have been used for estimations of the duration of specific work packages and the corresponding costs. As part of creating the designmore » basis for a national repository for decommissioning waste, the total production of different categories of waste packages has also been predicted. Studsvik has developed a risk based concept for categorization and handling of the generated waste using six different categories with a span from extremely small risk for radiological contamination to high level waste. The two companies have recently joined their skills in the area of decommissioning on selected market in a consortium named 'ndcon' to further strengthen the proposed process. Depending on the risk for radiological contamination or the radiological properties and other properties of importance for waste management, treatment routes are proposed with well-defined and proven methods for on-site or off-site treatment, activity determination and conditioning. The system is based on a graded approach philosophy aiming for high confidence and sustainability, aiming for re-use and recycling where found applicable. The objective is to establish a process where all dismantled material has a pre-determined treatment route. These routes should through measurements, categorization, treatment, conditioning, intermediate storage and final disposal be designed to provide a steady, un-disturbed flow of material to avoid interruptions

78 FR 56775 - Waste Confidence-Continued Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-13

... radiological impacts of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste disposal. DATES: Submit comments on the... determination. The ``Offsite radiological impacts of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste disposal'' issue.... Geologic Repository--Technical Feasibility and Availability C3. Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel C3.a...

Radiological Weapons Control: A Soviet and US Perspective. Occasional Paper 29.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Issraelyan, Victor L.; Flowerree, Charles C.

Two international diplomats from the Soviet Union and the United States focus on the need for a treaty to ban the use of radiological weapons. Radiological weapons are those based on the natural decay of nuclear material such as waste from military or civilian nuclear reactors. Such devices include both weapons and equipment, other than a nuclear…

Otogenic Meningitis: A Comparison of Diagnostic Performance of Surgery and Radiology.

PubMed

Bruschini, Luca; Fortunato, Simona; Tascini, Carlo; Ciabotti, Annalisa; Leonildi, Alessandro; Bini, Belinda; Giuliano, Simone; Abbruzzese, Arturo; Berrettini, Stefano; Menichetti, Francesco

2017-01-01

Development of intracranial complications from middle ear infections might be difficult to diagnose. We compared radiological and surgical findings of 26 patients affected by otogenic meningitis. Results of our analysis showed that surgery is more reliable than imaging in revealing bone defects. Therefore, suggest that surgery be performed for diagnosis and eventual management of all cases of suspected otogenic meningitis.

Relationship Between Dental Hygiene Students' Performance in an Oral Radiology Course and the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination: A Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Liang, Hui; DeWald, Janice P; Solomon, Eric S

2018-02-01

Dental hygiene students' performance in oral radiology courses may give an early indication of their readiness prior to taking the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between dental hygiene students' performance in an oral radiology lecture course and their performance on the NBDHE. Data were collected for all 117 dental hygiene students at Texas A&M University College of Dentistry from 2006 to 2009 who took the NBDHE during their second year of the program. Their final grades and scores on three written section examinations in an oral radiology course taken in their first year were compared with their overall NBDHE scores and raw scores on the oral radiology and case study sections. Moderate correlations (0.3performance in the oral radiology course, with the strongest correlation with the final grade (r=0.488, p<0.01). Final course grades had the strongest relationship to NBDHE scores in the discipline of radiology, followed by scores in anatomic sciences; the weakest relationship was with scores in pharmacology. This relationship can help identify students who may need extra support in the oral radiology course and other courses to prepare them to succeed when they take the NBDHE. This study also contributes to understanding of the general relationship between dental hygiene program courses and students' success on the clinical licensing exam and will hopefully encourage other programs to assess their students' performance in this way.

324 Building Baseline Radiological Characterization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

R.J. Reeder, J.C. Cooper

This report documents the analysis of radiological data collected as part of the characterization study performed in 1998. The study was performed to create a baseline of the radiological conditions in the 324 Building.

Validation of a physically based catchment model for application in post-closure radiological safety assessments of deep geological repositories for solid radioactive wastes.

PubMed

Thorne, M C; Degnan, P; Ewen, J; Parkin, G

2000-12-01

The physically based river catchment modelling system SHETRAN incorporates components representing water flow, sediment transport and radionuclide transport both in solution and bound to sediments. The system has been applied to simulate hypothetical future catchments in the context of post-closure radiological safety assessments of a potential site for a deep geological disposal facility for intermediate and certain low-level radioactive wastes at Sellafield, west Cumbria. In order to have confidence in the application of SHETRAN for this purpose, various blind validation studies have been undertaken. In earlier studies, the validation was undertaken against uncertainty bounds in model output predictions set by the modelling team on the basis of how well they expected the model to perform. However, validation can also be carried out with bounds set on the basis of how well the model is required to perform in order to constitute a useful assessment tool. Herein, such an assessment-based validation exercise is reported. This exercise related to a field plot experiment conducted at Calder Hollow, west Cumbria, in which the migration of strontium and lanthanum in subsurface Quaternary deposits was studied on a length scale of a few metres. Blind predictions of tracer migration were compared with experimental results using bounds set by a small group of assessment experts independent of the modelling team. Overall, the SHETRAN system performed well, failing only two out of seven of the imposed tests. Furthermore, of the five tests that were not failed, three were positively passed even when a pessimistic view was taken as to how measurement errors should be taken into account. It is concluded that the SHETRAN system, which is still being developed further, is a powerful tool for application in post-closure radiological safety assessments.

Interventional Radiology in Paediatrics.

PubMed

Chippington, Samantha J; Goodwin, Susie J

2015-01-01

As in adult practice, there is a growing role for paediatric interventional radiology expertise in the management of paediatric pathologies. This review is targeted for clinicians who may refer their patients to paediatric interventional radiology services, or who are responsible for patients who are undergoing paediatric interventional radiology procedures. The article includes a brief overview of the indications for intervention, techniques involved and the commonest complications. Although some of the procedures described are most commonly performed in a tertiary paediatric centre, many are performed in most Children's hospitals.

Test plan for formulation and evaluation of grouted waste forms with shine process wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ebert, W. L.; Jerden, J. L.

2015-09-01

The objective of this experimental project is to demonstrate that waste streams generated during the production of Mo99 by the SHINE Medical Technologies (SHINE) process can be immobilized in cement-based grouted waste forms having physical, chemical, and radiological stabilities that meet regulatory requirements for handling, storage, transport, and disposal.

Secondary Waste Cementitious Waste Form Data Package for the Integrated Disposal Facility Performance Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cantrell, Kirk J.; Westsik, Joseph H.; Serne, R Jeffrey

A review of the most up-to-date and relevant data currently available was conducted to develop a set of recommended values for use in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) performance assessment (PA) to model contaminant release from a cementitious waste form for aqueous wastes treated at the Hanford Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF). This data package relies primarily upon recent data collected on Cast Stone formulations fabricated with simulants of low-activity waste (LAW) and liquid secondary wastes expected to be produced at Hanford. These data were supplemented, when necessary, with data developed for saltstone (a similar grout waste form used at themore » Savannah River Site). Work is currently underway to collect data on cementitious waste forms that are similar to Cast Stone and saltstone but are tailored to the characteristics of ETF-treated liquid secondary wastes. Recommended values for key parameters to conduct PA modeling of contaminant release from ETF-treated liquid waste are provided.« less

Downgrading Nuclear Facilities to Radiological Facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jarry, Jeffrey F.; Farr, Jesse Oscar; Duran, Leroy

2015-08-01

Based on inventory reductions and the use of alternate storage facilities, the Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) downgraded 4 SNL Hazard Category 3 (HC-3) nuclear facilities to less-than-HC-3 radiological facilities. SNL’s Waste Management and Pollution Prevention Department (WMPPD) managed the HC-3 nuclear facilities and implemented the downgrade. This paper will examine the downgrade process,

"EcoRadiology"--pulling the plug on wasted energy in the radiology department.

PubMed

McCarthy, Colin J; Gerstenmaier, Jan F; O' Neill, Ailbhe C; McEvoy, Sinead H; Hegarty, Chris; Heffernan, Eric J

2014-12-01

We sought to evaluate the power consumption of various devices around the radiology department, audit our use of recycling, and review efforts by vendors to reduce the environmental impact of their products. Using a readily available power monitor, we calculated the power consumption of different devices around our department. In particular, we calculated the financial and environmental cost of leaving equipment on overnight and/or at weekends. When it was not possible to measure energy usage directly, we obtained and reviewed relevant technical manuals. We contacted vendors directly to document how the environmental impact of new technology and decommissioning aging technology is being tackled. We found that 29 of 43 desktop computers and 25 of 27 picture archiving and communications system (PACS) reporting stations were left on needlessly overnight and/or at weekends, resulting in estimated electrical running costs while not in use of approximately $7253 per year, and CO2 emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of over 10 passenger cars. We discovered that none of our PACS reporting stations supported energy-saving modes such as "sleep" or "hibernate." Despite encouraging staff to turn off computers when not in use, a reaudit found no improvement in results. Simple steps such as turning off computers and air-conditioning units can produce very significant financial and environmental savings. Radiology can lead the way in making hospitals more energy efficient. Copyright © 2014 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (NEAMS Waste IPSC).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schultz, Peter Andrew

The objective of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (NEAMS Waste IPSC) is to provide an integrated suite of computational modeling and simulation (M&S) capabilities to quantitatively assess the long-term performance of waste forms in the engineered and geologic environments of a radioactive-waste storage facility or disposal repository. Achieving the objective of modeling the performance of a disposal scenario requires describing processes involved in waste form degradation and radionuclide release at the subcontinuum scale, beginning with mechanistic descriptions of chemical reactions and chemical kinetics at the atomicmore » scale, and upscaling into effective, validated constitutive models for input to high-fidelity continuum scale codes for coupled multiphysics simulations of release and transport. Verification and validation (V&V) is required throughout the system to establish evidence-based metrics for the level of confidence in M&S codes and capabilities, including at the subcontiunuum scale and the constitutive models they inform or generate. This Report outlines the nature of the V&V challenge at the subcontinuum scale, an approach to incorporate V&V concepts into subcontinuum scale modeling and simulation (M&S), and a plan to incrementally incorporate effective V&V into subcontinuum scale M&S destined for use in the NEAMS Waste IPSC work flow to meet requirements of quantitative confidence in the constitutive models informed by subcontinuum scale phenomena.« less

Elevation of water table and various stratigraphic surfaces beneath e area low level waste disposal facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bagwell, Laura; Bennett, Patti

2017-11-02

This memorandum describes work that supports revision of the Radiological Performance Assessment (PA) for the E Area Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility (LLRWDF). The work summarized here addresses portions of the PA Strategic Planning Team's recommendation #148b (Butcher and Phifer, 2016).

Defining quality in radiology.

PubMed

Blackmore, C Craig

2007-04-01

The introduction of pay for performance in medicine represents an opportunity for radiologists to define quality in radiology. Radiology quality can be defined on the basis of the production model that currently drives reimbursement, codifying the role of radiologists as being limited to the production of timely and accurate radiology reports produced in conditions of maximum patient safety and communicated in a timely manner. Alternately, quality in radiology can also encompass the professional role of radiologists as diagnostic imaging specialists responsible for the appropriate use, selection, interpretation, and application of imaging. Although potentially challenging to implement, the professional model for radiology quality is a comprehensive assessment of the ways in which radiologists add value to patient care. This essay is a discussion of the definition of radiology quality and the implications of that definition.

Radiological controls integrated into design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kindred, G.W.

1995-03-01

Radiological controls are required by law in the design of commercial nuclear power reactor facilities. These controls can be relatively minor or significant, relative to cost. To ensure that radiological controls are designed into a project, the health physicist (radiological engineer) must be involved from the beginning. This is especially true regarding keeping costs down. For every radiological engineer at a nuclear power plant there must be fifty engineers of other disciplines. The radiological engineer cannot be an expert on every discipline of engineering. However, he must be knowledgeable to the degree of how a design will impact the facilitymore » from a radiological perspective. This paper will address how to effectively perform radiological analyses with the goal of radiological controls integrated into the design package.« less

Waste Information Management System v. 1.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bustamante, David G.; Schade, A. Carl

WIMS is a functional interface to an Oracle database for managing the required regulatory information about the handling of Hazardous Waste. WIMS does not have a component to track Radiological Waste data. And it does not have the ability to manage sensitive information.

Educational treasures in radiology: a free online program for Radiology Boards preparation.

PubMed

Talanow, Roland

2011-01-01

An objective tool is desired, which optimally prepares for Radiology boards examination. Such program should prepare examinees with pertinent radiological contents and simulations as expected in the real examination. Many countries require written boards examinations for Radiology certification eligibility. No objective measure exists to tell if the examinee is ready to pass the exam or not. Time pressure and computer environment might be unfamiliar to examinees. Traditional preparation lectures don't simulate the "real" Radiology exam because they don't provide the special environment with multiple choice questions and timing. This online program consists of 4 parts. The entry section allows to create questions with additional fields for comprehensive information. Sections include Pediatrics/Mammography/GI/IR/Nucs/Thoracic/Musculoskeletal/GU/Neuro/Ultrasound/Cardiac/OB/GYN and Miscellaneous. Experienced radiologists and educators evaluate and release/delete these entries in the administrator section. In the exam section users can create (un)timed customized exams for individual needs and learning pace. Exams can either include all sections or only specific sections to gear learning towards areas with weaker performance. Comprehensive statistics unveil the user's strengths and weaknesses to help focussing on "weak" areas. In the search section a comprehensive search and review can be performed by searching the entire database for keywords/topics or only searching within specific sections. www.RadiologyBoards.org is a new working concept of Radiology boards preparation to detect and improve the examinee's weaknesses and finally to increase the examinee's confidence level for the final exam. It is beneficial for Radiology residents and also board certified radiologists to refresh/maintain radiological knowledge.

Final waste forms project: Performance criteria for phase I treatability studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilliam, T.M.; Hutchins, D.A.; Chodak, P. III

1994-06-01

This document defines the product performance criteria to be used in Phase I of the Final Waste Forms Project. In Phase I, treatability studies will be performed to provide {open_quotes}proof-of-principle{close_quotes} data to establish the viability of stabilization/solidification (S/S) technologies. This information is required by March 1995. In Phase II, further treatability studies, some at the pilot scale, will be performed to provide sufficient data to allow treatment alternatives identified in Phase I to be more fully developed and evaluated, as well as to reduce performance uncertainties for those methods chosen to treat a specific waste. Three main factors influence themore » development and selection of an optimum waste form formulation and hence affect selection of performance criteria. These factors are regulatory, process-specific, and site-specific waste form standards or requirements. Clearly, the optimum waste form formulation will require consideration of performance criteria constraints from each of the three categories. Phase I will focus only on the regulatory criteria. These criteria may be considered the minimum criteria for an acceptable waste form. In other words, a S/S technology is considered viable only if it meet applicable regulatory criteria. The criteria to be utilized in the Phase I treatability studies were primarily taken from Environmental Protection Agency regulations addressed in 40 CFR 260 through 265 and 268; and Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations addressed in 10 CFR 61. Thus the majority of the identified criteria are independent of waste form matrix composition (i.e., applicable to cement, glass, organic binders etc.).« less

DOE's Remote-Handled TRU Waste Characterization Program: Implementation Plan

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Remote-handled (RH) transuranic (TRU) waste characterization, which involves obtaining chemical, radiological, and physical data, is a primary component of ensuring compliance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) with regulatory requirements.

Machine Learning and Radiology

PubMed Central

Wang, Shijun; Summers, Ronald M.

2012-01-01

In this paper, we give a short introduction to machine learning and survey its applications in radiology. We focused on six categories of applications in radiology: medical image segmentation, registration, computer aided detection and diagnosis, brain function or activity analysis and neurological disease diagnosis from fMR images, content-based image retrieval systems for CT or MRI images, and text analysis of radiology reports using natural language processing (NLP) and natural language understanding (NLU). This survey shows that machine learning plays a key role in many radiology applications. Machine learning identifies complex patterns automatically and helps radiologists make intelligent decisions on radiology data such as conventional radiographs, CT, MRI, and PET images and radiology reports. In many applications, the performance of machine learning-based automatic detection and diagnosis systems has shown to be comparable to that of a well-trained and experienced radiologist. Technology development in machine learning and radiology will benefit from each other in the long run. Key contributions and common characteristics of machine learning techniques in radiology are discussed. We also discuss the problem of translating machine learning applications to the radiology clinical setting, including advantages and potential barriers. PMID:22465077

National low-level waste management program radionuclide report series, Volume 15: Uranium-238

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, J.P.

1995-09-01

This report, Volume 15 of the National Low-Level Waste Management Program Radionuclide Report Series, discusses the radiological and chemical characteristics of uranium-238 ({sup 238}U). The purpose of the National Low-Level Waste Management Program Radionuclide Report Series is to provide information to state representatives and developers of low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities about the radiological, chemical, and physical characteristics of selected radionuclides and their behavior in the waste disposal facility environment. This report also includes discussions about waste types and forms in which {sup 238}U can be found, and {sup 238}U behavior in the environment and in the human body.

A new approach to characterize very-low-level radioactive waste produced at hadron accelerators.

PubMed

Zaffora, Biagio; Magistris, Matteo; Chevalier, Jean-Pierre; Luccioni, Catherine; Saporta, Gilbert; Ulrici, Luisa

2017-04-01

Radioactive waste is produced as a consequence of preventive and corrective maintenance during the operation of high-energy particle accelerators or associated dismantling campaigns. Their radiological characterization must be performed to ensure an appropriate disposal in the disposal facilities. The radiological characterization of waste includes the establishment of the list of produced radionuclides, called "radionuclide inventory", and the estimation of their activity. The present paper describes the process adopted at CERN to characterize very-low-level radioactive waste with a focus on activated metals. The characterization method consists of measuring and estimating the activity of produced radionuclides either by experimental methods or statistical and numerical approaches. We adapted the so-called Scaling Factor (SF) and Correlation Factor (CF) techniques to the needs of hadron accelerators, and applied them to very-low-level metallic waste produced at CERN. For each type of metal we calculated the radionuclide inventory and identified the radionuclides that most contribute to hazard factors. The methodology proposed is of general validity, can be extended to other activated materials and can be used for the characterization of waste produced in particle accelerators and research centres, where the activation mechanisms are comparable to the ones occurring at CERN. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Summary of the proceedings of the International Forum 2017: "Position of interventional radiology within radiology".

PubMed

2018-04-01

The International Forum is held once a year by the ESR and its international radiological partner societies with the aim to address and discuss selected topics of global relevance in radiology. In 2017, the issue of the position of interventional radiology (IR) within radiology was analysed. IR is expanding because of the increased patient demand for minimally invasive therapies performed under imaging guidance, and its success in improving patient outcomes, reducing in-hospital stays, reducing morbidity and mortality of treatment in many organs and organ-systems. Despite the many successes of IR, public awareness about it is quite low. IR requires specific training and, in most countries, the majority of interventional radiologists do not dedicate their time completely to IR but perform diagnostic radiology investigations as well. Turf battles in IR are common in many countries. To preserve and keep IR within radiology, it is necessary to focus more on direct and longitudinal patient care. Having beds dedicated to IR within radiology departments is very important to increase clinical involvement of interventional radiologists. IR procedures fit perfectly within "value-based healthcare", but the metrics have to be developed. • IR should stay a prominent subspecialty within radiology. • Dedicated IR training pathways are mandatory. • Measures to increase recruitment of young doctors to IR and to increase public awareness of IR are needed. • Beds dedicated to IR within radiology departments are important in order to increase clinical involvement of interventional radiologists.

Radiological Characterization Technical Report on Californium-252 Sealed Source Transuranic Debris Waste for the Off-Site Source Recovery Project at Los Alamos National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, Alexander

2014-04-24

This document describes the development and approach for the radiological characterization of Cf-252 sealed sources for shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The report combines information on the nuclear material content of each individual source (mass or activity and date of manufacture) with information and data on the radionuclide distributions within the originating nuclear material. This approach allows for complete and accurate characterization of the waste container without the need to take additional measurements. The radionuclide uncertainties, developed from acceptable knowledge (AK) information regarding the source material, are applied to the summed activities in the drum. The AK informationmore » used in the characterization of Cf-252 sealed sources has been qualified by the peer review process, which has been reviewed and accepted by the Environmental Protection Agency.« less

Machine learning and radiology.

PubMed

Wang, Shijun; Summers, Ronald M

2012-07-01

In this paper, we give a short introduction to machine learning and survey its applications in radiology. We focused on six categories of applications in radiology: medical image segmentation, registration, computer aided detection and diagnosis, brain function or activity analysis and neurological disease diagnosis from fMR images, content-based image retrieval systems for CT or MRI images, and text analysis of radiology reports using natural language processing (NLP) and natural language understanding (NLU). This survey shows that machine learning plays a key role in many radiology applications. Machine learning identifies complex patterns automatically and helps radiologists make intelligent decisions on radiology data such as conventional radiographs, CT, MRI, and PET images and radiology reports. In many applications, the performance of machine learning-based automatic detection and diagnosis systems has shown to be comparable to that of a well-trained and experienced radiologist. Technology development in machine learning and radiology will benefit from each other in the long run. Key contributions and common characteristics of machine learning techniques in radiology are discussed. We also discuss the problem of translating machine learning applications to the radiology clinical setting, including advantages and potential barriers. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

"Flipping" the introductory clerkship in radiology: impact on medical student performance and perceptions.

PubMed

Belfi, Lily M; Bartolotta, Roger J; Giambrone, Ashley E; Davi, Caryn; Min, Robert J

2015-06-01

Among methods of "blended learning" (ie, combining online modules with in-class instruction), the "flipped classroom" involves student preclass review of material while reserving class time for interactive knowledge application. We integrated blended learning methodology in a "flipped" introductory clerkship in radiology, and assessed the impact of this approach on the student educational experience (performance and perception). In preparation for the "flipped clerkship," radiology faculty and residents created e-learning modules that were uploaded to an open-source website. The clerkship's 101 rising third-year medical students were exposed to different teaching methods during the course, such as blended learning, traditional lecture learning, and independent learning. Students completed precourse and postcourse knowledge assessments and surveys. Student knowledge improved overall as a result of taking the course. Blended learning achieved greater pretest to post-test improvement of high statistical significance (P value, .0060) compared to lecture learning alone. Blended learning also achieved greater pretest to post-test improvement of borderline statistical significance (P value, .0855) in comparison to independent learning alone. The difference in effectiveness of independent learning versus lecture learning was not statistically significant (P value, .2730). Student perceptions of the online modules used in blended learning portions of the course were very positive. They specifically enjoyed the self-paced interactivity and the ability to return to the modules in the future. Blended learning can be successfully applied to the introductory clerkship in radiology. This teaching method offers educators an innovative and efficient approach to medical student education in radiology. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Focused process improvement events: sustainability of impact on process and performance in an academic radiology department.

PubMed

Rosenkrantz, Andrew B; Lawson, Kirk; Ally, Rosina; Chen, David; Donno, Frank; Rittberg, Steven; Rodriguez, Joan; Recht, Michael P

2015-01-01

To evaluate sustainability of impact of rapid, focused process improvement (PI) events on process and performance within an academic radiology department. Our department conducted PI during 2011 and 2012 in CT, MRI, ultrasound, breast imaging, and research billing. PI entailed participation by all stakeholders, facilitation by the department chair, collection of baseline data, meetings during several weeks, definition of performance metrics, creation of an improvement plan, and prompt implementation. We explore common themes among PI events regarding initial impact and durability of changes. We also assess performance in each area pre-PI, immediately post-PI, and at the time of the current study. All PI events achieved an immediate improvement in performance metrics, often entailing both examination volumes and on-time performance. IT-based solutions, process standardization, and redefinition of staff responsibilities were often central in these changes, and participants consistently expressed improved internal leadership and problem-solving ability. Major environmental changes commonly occurred after PI, including a natural disaster with equipment loss, a change in location or services offered, and new enterprise-wide electronic medical record system incorporating new billing and radiology informatics systems, requiring flexibility in the PI implementation plan. Only one PI team conducted regular post-PI follow-up meetings. Sustained improvement was frequently, but not universally, observed: in the long-term following initial PI, measures of examination volume showed continued progressive improvements, whereas measures of operational efficiency remained stable or occasionally declined. Focused PI is generally effective in achieving performance improvement, although a changing environment influences the sustainability of impact. Thus, continued process evaluation and ongoing workflow modifications are warranted. Copyright © 2015 American College of Radiology

Integrated Fellowship in Vascular Surgery and Intervention Radiology

PubMed Central

Messina, Louis M.; Schneider, Darren B.; Chuter, Timothy A. M.; Reilly, Linda M.; Kerlan, Robert K.; LaBerge, Jeane M.; Wilson, Mark W.; Ring, Ernest J.; Gordon, Roy L.

2002-01-01

Objective To evaluate an integrated fellowship in vascular surgery and interventional radiology initiated to train vascular surgeons in endovascular techniques and to train radiology fellows in clinical aspects of vascular diseases. Summary Background Data The rapid evolution of endovascular techniques for the treatment of vascular diseases requires that vascular surgeons develop proficiency in these techniques and that interventional radiologists develop proficiency in the clinical evaluation and management of patients who are best treated with endovascular techniques. In response to this need the authors initiated an integrated fellowship in vascular surgery and interventional radiology and now report their interim results. Methods Since 1999 vascular fellows and radiology fellows performed an identical year-long fellowship in interventional radiology. During the fellowship, vascular surgery and radiology fellows perform both vascular and nonvascular interventional procedures. Both vascular surgery and radiology-based fellows spend one quarter of the year on the vascular service performing endovascular aortic aneurysm repairs and acquiring clinical experience in the vascular surgery inpatient and outpatient services. Vascular surgery fellows then complete an additional year-long fellowship in vascular surgery. To evaluate the type and number of interventional radiology procedures, the authors analyzed records of cases performed by all interventional radiology and vascular surgery fellows from a prospectively maintained database. The attitudes of vascular surgery and interventional radiology faculty and fellows toward the integrated fellowship were surveyed using a formal questionnaire. Results During the fellowship each fellow performed an average of 1,201 procedures, including 808 vascular procedures (236 diagnostic angiograms, 70 arterial interventions, 59 diagnostic venograms, 475 venous interventions, and 43 hemodialysis graft interventions) and 393

A four-alternative forced choice (4AFC) software for observer performance evaluation in radiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Guozhi; Cockmartin, Lesley; Bosmans, Hilde

2016-03-01

Four-alternative forced choice (4AFC) test is a psychophysical method that can be adopted for observer performance evaluation in radiological studies. While the concept of this method is well established, difficulties to handle large image data, perform unbiased sampling, and keep track of the choice made by the observer have restricted its application in practice. In this work, we propose an easy-to-use software that can help perform 4AFC tests with DICOM images. The software suits for any experimental design that follows the 4AFC approach. It has a powerful image viewing system that favorably simulates the clinical reading environment. The graphical interface allows the observer to adjust various viewing parameters and perform the selection with very simple operations. The sampling process involved in 4AFC as well as the speed and accuracy of the choice made by the observer is precisely monitored in the background and can be easily exported for test analysis. The software has also a defensive mechanism for data management and operation control that minimizes the possibility of mistakes from user during the test. This software can largely facilitate the use of 4AFC approach in radiological observer studies and is expected to have widespread applicability.

Method and apparatus for in-cell vacuuming of radiologically contaminated materials

DOEpatents

Spadaro, Peter R.; Smith, Jay E.; Speer, Elmer L.; Cecconi, Arnold L.

1987-01-01

A vacuum air flow operated cyclone separator arrangement for collecting, handling and packaging loose contaminated material in accordance with acceptable radiological and criticality control requirements. The vacuum air flow system includes a specially designed fail-safe prefilter installed upstream of the vacuum air flow power supply. The fail-safe prefilter provides in-cell vacuum system flow visualization and automatically reduces or shuts off the vacuum air flow in the event of an upstream prefilter failure. The system is effective for collecting and handling highly contaminated radiological waste in the form of dust, dirt, fuel element fines, metal chips and similar loose material in accordance with radiological and criticality control requirements for disposal by means of shipment and burial.

NV/YMP radiological control manual, Revision 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gile, A.L.

The Nevada Test Site (NTS) and the adjacent Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) are located in Nye County, Nevada. The NTS has been the primary location for testing nuclear explosives in the continental US since 1951. Current activities include operating low-level radioactive and mixed waste disposal facilities for US defense-generated waste, assembly/disassembly of special experiments, surface cleanup and site characterization of contaminated land areas, and non-nuclear test operations such as controlled spills of hazardous materials at the hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Spill Center (HSC). Currently, the major potential for occupational radiation exposure is associated with the burial of low-level nuclear waste andmore » the handling of radioactive sources. Planned future remediation of contaminated land areas may also result in radiological exposures. The NV/YMP Radiological Control Manual, Revision 2, represents DOE-accepted guidelines and best practices for implementing Nevada Test Site and Yucca Mountain Project Radiation Protection Programs in accordance with the requirements of Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection. These programs provide protection for approximately 3,000 employees and visitors annually and include coverage for the on-site activities for both personnel and the environment. The personnel protection effort includes a DOE Laboratory Accreditation Program accredited dosimetry and personnel bioassay programs including in-vivo counting, routine workplace air sampling, personnel monitoring, and programmatic and job-specific As Low as Reasonably Achievable considerations.« less

Radiation protection recommendations as applied to the disposal of long-lived solid radioactive waste. A report of The International Commission on Radiological Protection.

PubMed

1998-01-01

(79) Waste, by definition, has no benefit. It should be viewed as one aspect of the beneficial practice that gave rise to it. Furthermore, radioactive waste management should be placed in the context of the management of society's waste in general. (80) A major issue in evaluating the acceptability of a disposal system for long-lived solid radioactive waste is that doses or risks may arise from exposures in the distant future. There is uncertainty surrounding any estimate of these doses or risks due to lack of knowledge about future conditions. Such exposures are treated as potential exposures as their magnitude depends on future processes and conditions that have probabilities associated with them. (81) Nevertheless, the Commission recognises a basic principle that individuals and populations in the future should be afforded at least the same level of protection from the action of disposing of radioactive waste today as is the current generation. This implies use of the current quantitative dose and risk criteria derived from considering associated health detriment. Therefore, protection of future generations should be achieved by applying these dose or risk criteria to the estimated future doses or risks in appropriately defined critical groups. These estimates should not be regarded as measures of health detriment beyond times of around several hundreds of years into the future. In the case of these longer time periods, they represent indicators of the protection afforded by the disposal system. (82 Constrained optimisation is the central approach to evaluating the radiological acceptability of a waste disposal system; dose or risk constraints are used rather than dose or risk limits. By this transition from limitation to optimisation, the needs of practical application of the radiological protection system to the disposal of long-lived solid waste disposal are met: determination of acceptability now for exposures that may occur in the distant future

Iraq liquid radioactive waste tanks maintenance and monitoring program plan.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dennis, Matthew L.; Cochran, John Russell; Sol Shamsaldin, Emad

2011-10-01

The purpose of this report is to develop a project management plan for maintaining and monitoring liquid radioactive waste tanks at Iraq's Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center. Based on information from several sources, the Al-Tuwaitha site has approximately 30 waste tanks that contain varying amounts of liquid or sludge radioactive waste. All of the tanks have been non-operational for over 20 years and most have limited characterization. The program plan embodied in this document provides guidance on conducting radiological surveys, posting radiation control areas and controlling access, performing tank hazard assessments to remove debris and gain access, and conducting routine tankmore » inspections. This program plan provides general advice on how to sample and characterize tank contents, and how to prioritize tanks for soil sampling and borehole monitoring.« less

Do Residency Selection Factors Predict Radiology Resident Performance?

PubMed

Agarwal, Vikas; Bump, Gregory M; Heller, Matthew T; Chen, Ling-Wan; Branstetter, Barton F; Amesur, Nikhil B; Hughes, Marion A

2018-03-01

The purpose of our study is to determine what information in medical student residency applications predicts radiology residency success as defined by objective clinical performance data. We performed a retrospective cohort study of residents who entered our institution's residency program through the National Resident Matching Program as postgraduate year 2 residents and completed the program over the past 2 years. Medical school grades, selection to Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Society, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores, publication in peer-reviewed journals, and whether the applicant was from a peer institution were the variables examined. Clinical performance was determined by calculating each resident's cumulative major discordance rate for on-call cases the resident read and gave a preliminary interpretation. A major discordance was defined as a difference between the preliminary resident and the final attending interpretations that could immediately impact the care of the patient. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine significant variables. Twenty-seven residents provided preliminary reports on call for 67,145 studies. The mean major discordance rate was 1.08% (range 0.34%-2.54%). Higher USMLE Step 1 scores, publication before residency, and election to AOA Honor Society were all statistically significant predictors of lower major discordance rates (P values 0.01, 0.01,  and <0.001, respectively). Overall resident performance was excellent. There are predictors that help select the better performing residents, namely higher USMLE Step 1 scores, one to two publications during medical school, and election to AOA in the junior year of medical school. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance of photocatalyst based carbon nanodots from waste frying oil in water purification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aji, Mahardika Prasetya, E-mail: mahardika190@gmail.com; Wiguna, Pradita Ajeng; Susanto,

Carbon Nanodots (C-Dots) from waste frying oil could be used as a photocatalyst in water purification with solar light irradiation. Performance of C-Dots as a photocatalyst was tested in the process of water purification with a given synthetic sewage methylene blue. The tested was also conducted by comparing the performance C-Dots made from frying oil, waste fryng oil as a photocatalyst and solution of methylene blue without photocatalyst C-Dots. Performance of C-Dots from waste frying oil were estimated by the results of absorbance spectrum. The results of measurement absorbance spectrum from the process of water purification with photocatalyst C-Dots showedmore » that the highest intensity at a wavelength 664 nm of methylene blue decreased. The test results showed that the performance of photocatalyst C-Dots from waste frying oil was better in water purification. This estimated that number of particles C-dots is more in waste frying oil because have experieced repeated the heating process so that the higher particles concentration make the photocatalyst process more effective. The observation of the performance C-Dots from waste frying oil as a photocatalyst in the water purification processes become important invention for solving the problems of waste and water purification.« less

Dynamic visualisation of municipal waste management performance in the EU using Ternary Diagram method.

PubMed

Pomberger, R; Sarc, R; Lorber, K E

2017-03-01

This contribution describes the dynamic visualisation of European (EU 28) municipal waste management performance, using the Ternary Diagram Method. Municipal waste management performance depends primarily on three treatment categories: recycling & composting, incineration and landfilling. The framework of current municipal waste management including recycling targets, etc. is given by the Waste Framework Directive - 2008/98/EC. The proposed Circular Economy Package should stimulate Europe's transition towards more sustainable resources and energy oriented waste management. The Package also includes a revised legislative proposal on waste that sets ambitious recycling rates for municipal waste for 2025 (60%) and 2030 (65%). Additionally, the new calculation method for monitoring the attainment of the targets should be applied. In 2014, ca. 240 million tonnes of municipal waste were generated in the EU. While in 1995, 17% were recycled and composted, 14% incinerated and 64% landfilled, in 2014 ca. 71% were recovered but 28% landfilled only. Considering the treatment performance of the individual EU member states, the EU 28 can be divided into three groups, namely: "Recovery Countries", "Transition Countries" and "Landfilling Countries". Using Ternary Diagram Method, three types of visualization for the municipal waste management performance have been investigated and extensively described. Therefore, for better understanding of municipal waste management performance in the last 20years, dynamic visualisation of the Eurostat table-form data on all 28 member states of the EU has been carried out in three different ways: 1. "Performance Positioning" of waste management unit(s) at a specific date; 2. "Performance dynamics" over a certain time period and; 3. "Performance development" expressed as a track(s). Results obtained show that the Ternary Diagram Method is very well suited to be used for better understanding of past developments and coherences, for monitoring of

Activity-based costing in radiology. Application in a pediatric radiological unit.

PubMed

Laurila, J; Suramo, I; Brommels, M; Tolppanen, E M; Koivukangas, P; Lanning, P; Standertskjöld-Nordenstam, G

2000-03-01

To get an informative and detailed picture of the resource utilization in a radiology department in order to support its pricing and management. A system based mainly on the theoretical foundations of activity-based costing (ABC) was designed, tested and compared with conventional costing. The study was performed at the Pediatric Unit of the Department of Radiology, Oulu University Hospital. The material consisted of all the 7,452 radiological procedures done in the unit during the first half of 1994, when both methods of costing where in use. Detailed cost data were obtained from the hospital financial and personnel systems and then related to activity data captured in the radiology information system. The allocation of overhead costs was greatly reduced by the introduction of ABC compared to conventional costing. The overhead cost as a percentage of total costs dropped to one-fourth of total costs, from 57% to 16%. The change of unit costs of radiological procedures varied from -42% to +82%. Costing is much more detailed and precise, and the percentage of unspecified allocated overhead costs diminishes drastically when ABC is used. The new information enhances effective departmental management, as the whole process of radiological procedures is identifiable by single activities, amenable to corrective actions and process improvement.

Analysis of accident sequences and source terms at waste treatment and storage facilities for waste generated by U.S. Department of Energy Waste Management Operations, Volume 3: Appendixes C-H

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mueller, C.; Nabelssi, B.; Roglans-Ribas, J.

1995-04-01

This report contains the Appendices for the Analysis of Accident Sequences and Source Terms at Waste Treatment and Storage Facilities for Waste Generated by the U.S. Department of Energy Waste Management Operations. The main report documents the methodology, computational framework, and results of facility accident analyses performed as a part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Waste Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (WM PEIS). The accident sequences potentially important to human health risk are specified, their frequencies are assessed, and the resultant radiological and chemical source terms are evaluated. A personal computer-based computational framework and database have been developedmore » that provide these results as input to the WM PEIS for calculation of human health risk impacts. This report summarizes the accident analyses and aggregates the key results for each of the waste streams. Source terms are estimated and results are presented for each of the major DOE sites and facilities by WM PEIS alternative for each waste stream. The appendices identify the potential atmospheric release of each toxic chemical or radionuclide for each accident scenario studied. They also provide discussion of specific accident analysis data and guidance used or consulted in this report.« less

Silica exposure to excavation workers during the excavation of a low level radiological waste pit and tritium disposal shafts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, K.M.

1995-01-01

This study evaluated the task-length average (TLA) respirable dust and respirable silica airborne concentrations to which construction workers excavating volcanic tuff at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) were exposed. These workers were excavating a low level radiological waste disposal pit of final dimensions 720 feet long, 132 feet wide and 60 feet deep. The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) evaluate exposures; (2) determine if the type of machinery used affects the respirable dust concentration in the breathing zone of the worker; (3) evaluate the efficacy of wetting the pit to reduce the respirable dust exposure; and (4)more » determine if exposure increases with increasing depth of pit due to the walls of the pit blocking the cross wind ventilation.« less

Waste battery treatment options: comparing their environmental performance.

PubMed

Briffaerts, K; Spirinckx, C; Van der Linden, A; Vrancken, K

2009-08-01

Waste consumer batteries are recycled using different routes based on hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes. Two hydrometallurgical and two pyrometallurgical treatment scenarios are compared starting from an average composition of Belgian waste batteries. The environmental performance is compared using life cycle analysis (LCA). The recycling rate is studied through mass balance calculation. Each treatment scenario results in a specific recycling rate. The environmental impact and benefits also vary between the treatment options. There is no such thing as a typical hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical treatment. When applying a hydrometallurgical treatment scenario, the focus lies on zinc and iron recycling. When allowing manganese recycling, the energy demand of the hydrometallurgical process increases considerably. Both pyrometallurgical options recycle zinc, iron and manganese. According to the LCA, none of the treatment scenarios performs generally better or worse than the others. Each option has specific advantages and disadvantages. The Batteries Directive 2006/66/EC sets out a recycling rate of 50% for consumer waste batteries. Based on metal recycling alone, the mass balances show that the target is difficult to obtain.

Joint NRC/EPA Sewage Sludge Radiological Survey: Survey Design & Test Site Results

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report contains the results of a radiological survey of nine publicly POTWs around the country, which was commissioned by the Sewage Sludge Subcommittee, to determine whether and to what extent radionuclides concentrate in sewage treatment wastes.

Status of the waste assay for nonradioactive disposal (WAND) project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnone, Gaetano L.; Foster, Lynn A.; Foxx, Charles L.; Hagan, Roland C.; Martin, E. R.; Myers, Steven C.; Parker, Jack L.

1999-01-01

The WAND (Waste Assay for Nonradioactive Disposal) system scans thought-to-be-clean, low-density waste (mostly paper and plastics) to verify the absence of radioactive contaminants at very low-levels. Much of the low-density waste generated in radiologically controlled areas, formally considered `suspect' radioactive, is now disposed more cheaply at the Los Alamos County Landfill as opposed to the LANL Radioactive Waste Landfill.

[Controlling instruments in radiology].

PubMed

Maurer, M

2013-10-01

Due to the rising costs and competitive pressures radiological clinics and practices are now facing, controlling instruments are gaining importance in the optimization of structures and processes of the various diagnostic examinations and interventional procedures. It will be shown how the use of selected controlling instruments can secure and improve the performance of radiological facilities. A definition of the concept of controlling will be provided. It will be shown which controlling instruments can be applied in radiological departments and practices. As an example, two of the controlling instruments, material cost analysis and benchmarking, will be illustrated.

Herbert M. Parker: Publications and contributions to radiological and health physics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kathren, R.L.; Baalman, R.W.; Bair, W.J.

For more than a half century, Herbert M. Parker was a leading force in radiological physics. As a scientist, he was codeveloper of a systematic dosimetry scheme for implant therapy and the innovative proposer of radiological units with unambiguous physical and biological bases. He made seminal contributions to the development of scientifically based radiation protection standards and, as an administrator and manager as well as scientist, helped the Hanford Laboratories to achieve preeminance in several areas, including radiation biology, radioactive waste disposal, and environmental radioactivity. This volume brings together, sometimes from obscure sources, his works.

Norfolk Southern boxcar blocking/bracing plan for the mixed waste disposal initiative project. Environmental Restoration Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seigler, R.S.

The US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Environmental Restoration and Waste Management programs will dispose of mixed waste no longer deemed useful. This project is one of the initial activities used to help meet this goal. The project will transport the {approximately}46,000 drums of existing stabilized mixed waste located at the Oak Ridge K-25 Site and presently stored in the K-31 and K-33 buildings to an off-site commercially licensed and permitted mixed waste disposal facility. Shipping and disposal of all {approximately}46,000 pond waste drums ({approximately}1,000,000 ft{sup 3} or 55,000 tons) is scheduled to occur over a period of {approximately}5--10 years. Themore » first shipment of stabilized pond waste should transpire some time during the second quarter of FY 1994. Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., proposes to line each of the Norfolk Southem boxcars with a prefabricated, white, 15-mm low-density polyethylene (LDPE) liner material. To avoid damaging the bottom of the polyethylene floor liner, a minimum .5 in. plywood will be nailed to the boxcars` nailable metal floor. At the end of the Mixed Waste Disposal Initiative (MWDI) Project workers at the Envirocare facility will dismantle and dispose of all the polyethylene liner and plywood materials. Envirocare of Utah, Inc., located in Clive, Utah, will perform a health physic survey and chemically and radiologically decontaminate, if necessary, each of the rail boxcars prior to them being released back to Energy Systems. Energy Systems will also perform a health physic survey and chemically and radiologically decontaminate, if necessary, each of the rail boxcars prior to them being released back to Norfolk Southem Railroad.« less

How visual search relates to visual diagnostic performance: a narrative systematic review of eye-tracking research in radiology.

PubMed

van der Gijp, A; Ravesloot, C J; Jarodzka, H; van der Schaaf, M F; van der Schaaf, I C; van Schaik, J P J; Ten Cate, Th J

2017-08-01

Eye tracking research has been conducted for decades to gain understanding of visual diagnosis such as in radiology. For educational purposes, it is important to identify visual search patterns that are related to high perceptual performance and to identify effective teaching strategies. This review of eye-tracking literature in the radiology domain aims to identify visual search patterns associated with high perceptual performance. Databases PubMed, EMBASE, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science were searched using 'visual perception' OR 'eye tracking' AND 'radiology' and synonyms. Two authors independently screened search results and included eye tracking studies concerning visual skills in radiology published between January 1, 1994 and July 31, 2015. Two authors independently assessed study quality with the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument, and extracted study data with respect to design, participant and task characteristics, and variables. A thematic analysis was conducted to extract and arrange study results, and a textual narrative synthesis was applied for data integration and interpretation. The search resulted in 22 relevant full-text articles. Thematic analysis resulted in six themes that informed the relation between visual search and level of expertise: (1) time on task, (2) eye movement characteristics of experts, (3) differences in visual attention, (4) visual search patterns, (5) search patterns in cross sectional stack imaging, and (6) teaching visual search strategies. Expert search was found to be characterized by a global-focal search pattern, which represents an initial global impression, followed by a detailed, focal search-to-find mode. Specific task-related search patterns, like drilling through CT scans and systematic search in chest X-rays, were found to be related to high expert levels. One study investigated teaching of visual search strategies, and did not find a significant effect on perceptual performance. Eye

DOE Waste Treatability Group Guidance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirkpatrick, T.D.

1995-01-01

This guidance presents a method and definitions for aggregating U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) waste into streams and treatability groups based on characteristic parameters that influence waste management technology needs. Adaptable to all DOE waste types (i.e., radioactive waste, hazardous waste, mixed waste, sanitary waste), the guidance establishes categories and definitions that reflect variations within the radiological, matrix (e.g., bulk physical/chemical form), and regulated contaminant characteristics of DOE waste. Beginning at the waste container level, the guidance presents a logical approach to implementing the characteristic parameter categories as part of the basis for defining waste streams and as the solemore » basis for assigning streams to treatability groups. Implementation of this guidance at each DOE site will facilitate the development of technically defined, site-specific waste stream data sets to support waste management planning and reporting activities. Consistent implementation at all of the sites will enable aggregation of the site-specific waste stream data sets into comparable national data sets to support these activities at a DOE complex-wide level.« less

Performance Assessments of Generic Nuclear Waste Repositories in Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, E. R.; Sevougian, S. D.; Mariner, P. E.; Hammond, G. E.; Frederick, J.

2017-12-01

Simulations of deep geologic disposal of nuclear waste in a generic shale formation showcase Geologic Disposal Safety Assessment (GDSA) Framework, a toolkit for repository performance assessment (PA) whose capabilities include domain discretization (Cubit), multiphysics simulations (PFLOTRAN), uncertainty and sensitivity analysis (Dakota), and visualization (Paraview). GDSA Framework is used to conduct PAs of two generic repositories in shale. The first considers the disposal of 22,000 metric tons heavy metal of commercial spent nuclear fuel. The second considers disposal of defense-related spent nuclear fuel and high level waste. Each PA accounts for the thermal load and radionuclide inventory of applicable waste types, components of the engineered barrier system, and components of the natural barrier system including the host rock shale and underlying and overlying stratigraphic units. Model domains are half-symmetry, gridded with Cubit, and contain between 7 and 22 million grid cells. Grid refinement captures the detail of individual waste packages, emplacement drifts, access drifts, and shafts. Simulations are run in a high performance computing environment on as many as 2048 processes. Equations describing coupled heat and fluid flow and reactive transport are solved with PFLOTRAN, an open-source, massively parallel multiphase flow and reactive transport code. Additional simulated processes include waste package degradation, waste form dissolution, radioactive decay and ingrowth, sorption, solubility, advection, dispersion, and diffusion. Simulations are run to 106 y, and radionuclide concentrations are observed within aquifers at a point approximately 5 km downgradient of the repository. Dakota is used to sample likely ranges of input parameters including waste form and waste package degradation rates and properties of engineered and natural materials to quantify uncertainty in predicted concentrations and sensitivity to input parameters. Sandia National

IONSIV(R) IE-911 Performance in Savannah River Site Radioactive Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walker, D.D.

2001-06-04

This report describes cesium sorption from high-level radioactive waste solutions onto IONSIV(R) IE-911 at ambient temperature. Researchers characterized six radioactive waste samples from five high-level waste tanks in the Savannah River Site tank farm, diluted the wastes to 5.6 M Na+, and made equilibrium and kinetic measurements of cesium sorption. The equilibrium measurements were compared to ZAM (Zheng, Anthony, and Martin) model predictions. The kinetic measurements were compared to simulant solutions whose column performance has been measured.

[Interventional radiology: current problems and new directions].

PubMed

Santos Martín, E; Crespo Vallejo, E

2014-01-01

In recent years, vascular and interventional radiology has become one of the fastest growing diagnostic and therapeutic specialties. This growth has been based on a fundamental concept: performing minimally invasive procedures under imaging guidance. This attractive combination has led to the interest of professionals from other clinical specialties outside radiology in performing this type of intervention. The future of vascular and interventional radiology, although uncertain, must be linked to clinical practice and multidisciplinary teamwork. Copyright © 2011 SERAM. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Performance of green waste biocovers for enhancing methane oxidation.

PubMed

Mei, Changgen; Yazdani, Ramin; Han, Byunghyun; Mostafid, M Erfan; Chanton, Jeff; VanderGheynst, Jean; Imhoff, Paul

2015-05-01

Green waste aged 2 and 24months, labeled "fresh" and "aged" green waste, respectively, were placed in biocover test cells and evaluated for their ability to oxidize methane (CH4) under high landfill gas loading over a 15-month testing period. These materials are less costly to produce than green waste compost, yet satisfied recommended respiration requirements for landfill compost covers. In field tests employing a novel gas tracer to correct for leakage, both green wastes oxidized CH4 at high rates during the first few months of operation - 140 and 200g/m(2)/day for aged and fresh green waste, respectively. Biocover performance degraded during the winter and spring, with significant CH4 generated from anaerobic regions in the 60-80cm thick biocovers. Concurrently, CH4 oxidation rates decreased. Two previously developed empirical models for moisture and temperature dependency of CH4 oxidation in soils were used to test their applicability to green waste. Models accounted for 68% and 79% of the observed seasonal variations in CH4 oxidation rates for aged green waste. Neither model could describe similar seasonal changes for the less stable fresh green waste. This is the first field application and evaluation of these empirical models using media with high organic matter. Given the difficulty of preventing undesired CH4 generation, green waste may not be a viable biocover material for many climates and landfill conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stochastic Consequence Analysis for Waste Leaks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

HEY, B.E.

This analysis evaluates the radiological consequences of potential Hanford Tank Farm waste transfer leaks. These include ex-tank leaks into structures, underneath the soil, and exposed to the atmosphere. It also includes potential misroutes, tank overflow

ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE OF WASTE CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

This broad-based study addressed three categories of issues related to the design,
construction, and performance of waste containment systems used at landfills, surface
impoundments, and waste piles, and in the remediation of contaminated sites. Geosynthetic materials have...

Bioremediation of Petroleum and Radiological Contaminated Soils at the Savannah River Site: Laboratory to Field Scale Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

BRIGMON, ROBINL.

In the process of Savannah River Site (SRS) operations limited amounts of waste are generated containing petroleum, and radiological contaminated soils. Currently, this combination of radiological and petroleum contaminated waste does not have an immediate disposal route and is being stored in low activity vaults. SRS developed and implemented a successful plan for clean up of the petroleum portion of the soils in situ using simple, inexpensive, bioreactor technology. Treatment in a bioreactor removes the petroleum contamination from the soil without spreading radiological contamination to the environment. This bioreactor uses the bioventing process and bioaugmentation or the addition of themore » select hydrocarbon degrading bacteria. Oxygen is usually the initial rate-limiting factor in the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Using the bioventing process allowed control of the supply of nutrients and moisture based on petroleum contamination concentrations and soil type. The results of this work have proven to be a safe and cost-effective means of cleaning up low level radiological and petroleum-contaminated soil. Many of the other elements of the bioreactor design were developed or enhanced during the demonstration of a ''biopile'' to treat the soils beneath a Polish oil refinery's waste disposal lagoons. Aerobic microorganisms were isolated from the aged refinery's acidic sludge contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Twelve hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria were isolated from the sludge. The predominant PAH degraders were tentatively identified as Achromobacter, Pseudomonas Burkholderia, and Sphingomonas spp. Several Ralstonia spp were also isolated that produce biosurfactants. Biosurfactants can enhance bioremediation by increasing the bioavailability of hydrophobic contaminants including hydrocarbons. The results indicated that the diversity of acid-tolerant PAH-degrading microorganisms in acidic oil wastes may be much greater than

A comprehensive inventory of radiological and nonradiological contaminants in waste buried or projected to be buried in the subsurface disposal area of the INEL RWMC during the years 1984-2003, Volume 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-05-01

This is the third volume of this comprehensive report of the inventory of radiological and nonradiological contaminants in waste buried or projected to be buried in the subsurface disposal area of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. Appendix B contains a complete printout of contaminant inventory and other information from the CIDRA Database and is presented in volumes 2 and 3 of the report.

Waste management strategy for cost effective and environmentally friendly NPP decommissioning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Per Lidar; Arne Larsson; Niklas Bergh

2013-07-01

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants generates large volumes of radioactive or potentially radioactive waste. The proper management of the dismantling waste plays an important role for the time needed for the dismantling phase and thus is critical to the decommissioning cost. An efficient and thorough process for inventorying, characterization and categorization of the waste provides a sound basis for the planning process. As part of comprehensive decommissioning studies for Nordic NPPs, Westinghouse has developed the decommissioning inventories that have been used for estimations of the duration of specific work packages and the corresponding costs. As part of creating the designmore » basis for a national repository for decommissioning waste, the total production of different categories of waste packages has also been predicted. Studsvik has developed a risk based concept for categorization and handling of the generated waste using six different categories with a span from extremely small risk for radiological contamination to high level waste. The two companies have recently joined their skills in the area of decommissioning on selected market in a consortium named ndcon to further strengthen the proposed process. Depending on the risk for radiological contamination or the radiological properties and other properties of importance for waste management, treatment routes are proposed with well-defined and proven methods for on-site or off-site treatment, activity determination and conditioning. The system is based on a graded approach philosophy aiming for high confidence and sustainability, aiming for re-use and recycling where found applicable. The objective is to establish a process where all dismantled material has a pre-determined treatment route. These routes should through measurements, categorization, treatment, conditioning, intermediate storage and final disposal be designed to provide a steady, un-disturbed flow of material to avoid interruptions

Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Performance of an Estonian Speech Recognition System for Radiology: Effects of Different Acoustic and Language Models.

PubMed

Paats, A; Alumäe, T; Meister, E; Fridolin, I

2018-04-30

The aim of this study was to analyze retrospectively the influence of different acoustic and language models in order to determine the most important effects to the clinical performance of an Estonian language-based non-commercial radiology-oriented automatic speech recognition (ASR) system. An ASR system was developed for Estonian language in radiology domain by utilizing open-source software components (Kaldi toolkit, Thrax). The ASR system was trained with the real radiology text reports and dictations collected during development phases. The final version of the ASR system was tested by 11 radiologists who dictated 219 reports in total, in spontaneous manner in a real clinical environment. The audio files collected in the final phase were used to measure the performance of different versions of the ASR system retrospectively. ASR system versions were evaluated by word error rate (WER) for each speaker and modality and by WER difference for the first and the last version of the ASR system. Total average WER for the final version throughout all material was improved from 18.4% of the first version (v1) to 5.8% of the last (v8) version which corresponds to relative improvement of 68.5%. WER improvement was strongly related to modality and radiologist. In summary, the performance of the final ASR system version was close to optimal, delivering similar results to all modalities and being independent on user, the complexity of the radiology reports, user experience, and speech characteristics.

Applying Systems Engineering Reduces Radiology Transport Cycle Times in the Emergency Department.

PubMed

White, Benjamin A; Yun, Brian J; Lev, Michael H; Raja, Ali S

2017-04-01

Emergency department (ED) crowding is widespread, and can result in care delays, medical errors, increased costs, and decreased patient satisfaction. Simultaneously, while capacity constraints on EDs are worsening, contributing factors such as patient volume and inpatient bed capacity are often outside the influence of ED administrators. Therefore, systems engineering approaches that improve throughput and reduce waste may hold the most readily available gains. Decreasing radiology turnaround times improves ED patient throughput and decreases patient waiting time. We sought to investigate the impact of systems engineering science targeting ED radiology transport delays and determine the most effective techniques. This prospective, before-and-after analysis of radiology process flow improvements in an academic hospital ED was exempt from institutional review board review as a quality improvement initiative. We hypothesized that reorganization of radiology transport would improve radiology cycle time and reduce waste. The intervention included systems engineering science-based reorganization of ED radiology transport processes, largely using Lean methodologies, and adding no resources. The primary outcome was average transport time between study order and complete time. All patients presenting between 8/2013-3/2016 and requiring plain film imaging were included. We analyzed electronic medical record data using Microsoft Excel and SAS version 9.4, and we used a two-sample t-test to compare data from the pre- and post-intervention periods. Following the intervention, average transport time decreased significantly and sustainably. Average radiology transport time was 28.7 ± 4.2 minutes during the three months pre-intervention. It was reduced by 15% in the first three months (4.4 minutes [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-7.3]; to 24.3 ± 3.3 min, P=0.021), 19% in the following six months (5.4 minutes, 95% CI [2.7-8.2]; to 23.3 ± 3.5 min, P=0.003), and 26% one year

Applying Systems Engineering Reduces Radiology Transport Cycle Times in the Emergency Department

PubMed Central

White, Benjamin A.; Yun, Brian J.; Lev, Michael H.; Raja, Ali S.

2017-01-01

Introduction Emergency department (ED) crowding is widespread, and can result in care delays, medical errors, increased costs, and decreased patient satisfaction. Simultaneously, while capacity constraints on EDs are worsening, contributing factors such as patient volume and inpatient bed capacity are often outside the influence of ED administrators. Therefore, systems engineering approaches that improve throughput and reduce waste may hold the most readily available gains. Decreasing radiology turnaround times improves ED patient throughput and decreases patient waiting time. We sought to investigate the impact of systems engineering science targeting ED radiology transport delays and determine the most effective techniques. Methods This prospective, before-and-after analysis of radiology process flow improvements in an academic hospital ED was exempt from institutional review board review as a quality improvement initiative. We hypothesized that reorganization of radiology transport would improve radiology cycle time and reduce waste. The intervention included systems engineering science-based reorganization of ED radiology transport processes, largely using Lean methodologies, and adding no resources. The primary outcome was average transport time between study order and complete time. All patients presenting between 8/2013–3/2016 and requiring plain film imaging were included. We analyzed electronic medical record data using Microsoft Excel and SAS version 9.4, and we used a two-sample t-test to compare data from the pre- and post-intervention periods. Results Following the intervention, average transport time decreased significantly and sustainably. Average radiology transport time was 28.7 ± 4.2 minutes during the three months pre-intervention. It was reduced by 15% in the first three months (4.4 minutes [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5–7.3]; to 24.3 ± 3.3 min, P=0.021), 19% in the following six months (5.4 minutes, 95% CI [2.7–8.2]; to 23.3 ± 3

Columbus Closure Project Released without Radiological Restrictions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Henderson, G.

2007-07-01

The Columbus Closure Project (CCP), a historic radiological research complex, was cleaned up for future use without radiological restriction in 2006. The CCP research and development site contributed to national defense, nuclear fuel fabrication, and the development of safe nuclear reactors in the United States until 1988 when research activities were concluded for site decommissioning. In November of 2003, the Ohio Field Office of the U.S. Department of Energy contracted ECC/E2 Closure Services, LLC (Closure Services) to complete the removal of radioactive contamination from of a 1955 era nuclear sciences area consisting of a large hot cell facility, research reactormore » building and underground piping. The project known as the Columbus Closure Project (CCP) was completed in 27 months and brought to a close 16 years of D and D in Columbus, Ohio. This paper examines the project innovations and challenges presented during the Columbus Closure Project. The examination of the CCP includes the project regulatory environment, the CS safety program, accelerated clean up innovation, project execution strategies and management of project waste issues and the regulatory approach to site release 'without radiological restrictions'. (authors)« less

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT OF CROSS-FLOW FILTRATION FOR HIGH LEVEL WASTE TREATMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duignan, M.; Nash, C.; Poirier, M.

2011-01-12

In the interest of accelerating waste treatment processing, the DOE has funded studies to better understand filtration with the goal of improving filter fluxes in existing cross-flow equipment. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was included in those studies, with a focus on start-up techniques, filter cake development, the application of filter aids (cake forming solid precoats), and body feeds (flux enhancing polymers). This paper discusses the progress of those filter studies. Cross-flow filtration is a key process step in many operating and planned waste treatment facilities to separate undissolved solids from supernate slurries. This separation technology generally has themore » advantage of self-cleaning through the action of wall shear stress created by the flow of waste slurry through the filter tubes. However, the ability of filter wall self-cleaning depends on the slurry being filtered. Many of the alkaline radioactive wastes are extremely challenging to filtration, e.g., those containing compounds of aluminum and iron, which have particles whose size and morphology reduce permeability. Unfortunately, low filter flux can be a bottleneck in waste processing facilities such as the Savannah River Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit and the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant. Any improvement to the filtration rate would lead directly to increased throughput of the entire process. To date increased rates are generally realized by either increasing the cross-flow filter axial flowrate, limited by pump capacity, or by increasing filter surface area, limited by space and increasing the required pump load. SRNL set up both dead-end and cross-flow filter tests to better understand filter performance based on filter media structure, flow conditions, filter cleaning, and several different types of filter aids and body feeds. Using non-radioactive simulated wastes, both chemically and physically similar to the actual radioactive wastes, the authors

Radiology and social media: are private practice radiology groups more social than academic radiology departments?

PubMed

Glover, McKinley; Choy, Garry; Boland, Giles W; Saini, Sanjay; Prabhakar, Anand M

2015-05-01

This study assesses the prevalence of use of the most commonly used social media sites among private radiology groups (PRGs) and academic radiology departments (ARDs). The 50 largest PRGs and the 50 ARDs with the highest level of funding from the National Institutes of Health were assessed for presence of a radiology-specific social media account on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Measures of organizational activity and end-user activity were collected, including the number of posts and followers, as appropriate; between-group comparisons were performed. PRGs adopted Facebook 12 months earlier (P = .02) and Twitter 18 months earlier (P = .02) than did ARDs. A total of 76% of PRGs maintained ≥1 account on the social media sites included in the study, compared with 28% of ARDs (P < .0001). The prevalence of having an account on the social media sites for PRGs was: Facebook, 66%; LinkedIn, 56%; Twitter, 42%; YouTube, 20%; Pinterest, 4%; and Instagram, 2%. The prevalence of radiology-specific social media accounts for ARDs was: Facebook, 18%; LinkedIn, 0%; Twitter, 24%; YouTube, 6%; Pinterest, 0%; and Instagram, 0%. There was no significant difference between ARDs and PRGs in measures of end-user or organizational activity on Facebook or Twitter. Use of social media in health care is emerging as mainstream, with PRGs being early adopters of Facebook and Twitter in comparison with ARDs. Competitive environments and institutional policies may be strong factors that influence how social media is used by radiologists at the group and department levels. Copyright © 2015 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding and Applying the Concept of Value Creation in Radiology.

PubMed

Larson, David B; Durand, Daniel J; Siegal, Daniel S

2017-04-01

The concept of value in radiology has been strongly advocated in recent years as a means of advancing patient care and decreasing waste. This article explores the concept of value creation in radiology and offers a framework for how radiology practices can create value according to the needs of their referring clinicians. Value only exists in the eyes of a customer. We propose that the primary purpose of diagnostic radiology is to answer clinical questions using medical imaging to help guide management of patient care. Because they are the direct recipient of this service, we propose that referring clinicians are the direct customers of a radiology practice and patients are indirect customers. Radiology practices create value as they understand and fulfill their referring clinicians' needs. To narrow those needs to actionable categories, we propose a framework consisting of four major dimensions: (1) how quickly the clinical question needs to be answered, (2) the degree of specialization required to answer the question, (3) how often the referring clinician uses imaging, and (4) the breadth of imaging that the referring clinician uses. We further identify three major settings in which referring clinicians utilize radiological services: (1) emergent or urgent care, (2) primary care, and (3) specialty care. Practices best meet these needs as they engage with their referring clinicians, create a shared vision, work together as a cohesive team, structure the organization to meet referring clinicians' needs, build the tools, and continually improve in ways that help referring clinicians care for patients. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Report on Waste Disposal Workshops for a Radiological ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Symposium Paper EPA organized a series of workshops to specifically address waste disposal demands resulting from an RDD incident. These workshops leveraged planning efforts for EPA’s Liberty RadEx exercise held in April 2010 in Philadelphia, PA.

Integrated software system for low level waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Worku, G.

1995-12-31

In the continually changing and uncertain world of low level waste management, many generators in the US are faced with the prospect of having to store their waste on site for the indefinite future. This consequently increases the set of tasks performed by the generators in the areas of packaging, characterizing, classifying, screening (if a set of acceptance criteria applies), and managing the inventory for the duration of onsite storage. When disposal sites become available, it is expected that the work will require re-evaluating the waste packages, including possible re-processing, re-packaging, or re-classifying in preparation for shipment for disposal undermore » the regulatory requirements of the time. In this day and age, when there is wide use of computers and computer literacy is at high levels, an important waste management tool would be an integrated software system that aids waste management personnel in conducting these tasks quickly and accurately. It has become evident that such an integrated radwaste management software system offers great benefits to radwaste generators both in the US and other countries. This paper discusses one such approach to integrated radwaste management utilizing some globally accepted radiological assessment software applications.« less

Radiologically occult medulloblastoma with hydrocephalus: case report.

PubMed

Honma, Hirokuni; Ogiwara, Hideki

2017-09-01

There have been no reports of occult medulloblastoma nor noncommunicating hydrocephalus due to radiologically occult brain tumors. Herein, we report radiologically occult medulloblastoma with noncommunicating hydrocephalus. A 3-year-old boy presented with macrocephaly, visual field constriction, and papilledema. Neuroimagings showed enlargement of the ventricles without any mass lesions. The CT cisternography did not show influx of the contrast into the ventricles, which suggested local cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulatory disturbance at the outlet of the fourth ventricle. Due to possible obstructive nature of hydrocephalus, endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) was performed. Three months after the ETV, he presented with repeated vomiting. Neuroimagings showed a 3-cm fourth ventricular mass with progressive hydrocephalus. Surgical resection was performed, which revealed the pathology was medulloblastoma. We report the case of radiologically occult medulloblastoma which was demonstrated radiologically in the follow-up period of ETV for noncommunicating hydrocephalus of uncertain etiology. This is the first description of a radiologically occult medulloblastoma and also the first description of an occult brain tumor with noncommunicating hydrocephalus. The occult brain tumor may be included in the etiology of hydrocephalus.

Verification of the Accountability Method as a Means to Classify Radioactive Wastes Processed Using THOR Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming at the Studsvik Processing Facility in Erwin, Tennessee, USA - 13087

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olander, Jonathan; Myers, Corey

2013-07-01

Studsviks' Processing Facility Erwin (SPFE) has been treating Low-Level Radioactive Waste using its patented THOR process for over 13 years. Studsvik has been mixing and processing wastes of the same waste classification but different chemical and isotopic characteristics for the full extent of this period as a general matter of operations. Studsvik utilizes the accountability method to track the movement of radionuclides from acceptance of waste, through processing, and finally in the classification of waste for disposal. Recently the NRC has proposed to revise the 1995 Branch Technical Position on Concentration Averaging and Encapsulation (1995 BTP on CA) with additionalmore » clarification (draft BTP on CA). The draft BTP on CA has paved the way for large scale blending of higher activity and lower activity waste to produce a single waste for the purpose of classification. With the onset of blending in the waste treatment industry, there is concern from the public and state regulators as to the robustness of the accountability method and the ability of processors to prevent the inclusion of hot spots in waste. To address these concerns and verify the accountability method as applied by the SPFE, as well as the SPFE's ability to control waste package classification, testing of actual waste packages was performed. Testing consisted of a comprehensive dose rate survey of a container of processed waste. Separately, the waste package was modeled chemically and radiologically. Comparing the observed and theoretical data demonstrated that actual dose rates were lower than, but consistent with, modeled dose rates. Moreover, the distribution of radioactivity confirms that the SPFE can produce a radiologically homogeneous waste form. The results of the study demonstrate: 1) the accountability method as applied by the SPFE is valid and produces expected results; 2) the SPFE can produce a radiologically homogeneous waste; and 3) the SPFE can effectively control the waste

Performance assessment of two-stage anaerobic digestion of kitchen wastes.

PubMed

Bo, Zhang; Pin-Jing, He

2014-01-01

This study is aimed at investigating the performance of the two-phase anaerobic digestion of kitchen wastes in a lab-scale setup. The semi-continuous experiment showed that the two-phase anaerobic digestion of kitchen wastes had a bioconversion rate of 83%, biogas yield of 338 mL x (g chemical oxygen demand (COD))(-1) and total solid conversion of 63% when the entire two-phase anaerobic digestion process was subjected to an organic loading rate (OLR) of 10.7 g x (L d)(-1). In the hydrolysis-acidogenesis process, the efficiency of solubilization decreased from 72.6% to 41.1%, and the acidogenesis efficiency decreased from 31.8% to 17.8% with an increase in the COD loading rate. On the other hand, the performance of the subsequent methanogenic process was not susceptible to the increase in the feeding COD loading rate in the hydrolysis-acidogenesis stage. Lactic acid was one of the main fermentation products, accounting for over 40% of the total soluble COD in the fermentation liquid. The batch experiments indicated that the lactic acid was the earliest predominant fermentation product, and distributions of fermentation products were pH dependent. Results showed that increasing the feeding OLR of kitchen wastes made the two-stage anaerobic digestion process more effective. Moreover, there was a potential improvement in the performance of anaerobic digestion of kitchen wastes with a corresponding improvement in the hydrolysis process.

Chemical and radiological risk factors associated with waste from energy production.

PubMed

Christensen, T; Fuglestvedt, J; Benestad, C; Ehdwall, H; Hansen, H; Mustonen, R; Stranden, E

1992-04-01

We have tried to estimate the toxic potential of waste from nuclear power plants and from power plants burning fossil fuels. The potential risks have been expressed as 'risk potentials' or 'person equivalents.' These are purely theoretical units and represent only an attempt to quantify the potential impact of different sources and substances on human health. Existing concentration limits for effects on human health are used. The philosophy behind establishing limits for several carcinogenic chemicals is based on a linear dose-effect curve. That is, no lower concentration of no effect exists and one has to accept a certain small risk by accepting the concentration limit. This is in line with the establishment of limits for radiation. Waste products from coal combustion have the highest potential risk among the fossil fuel alternatives. The highest risk is caused by metals, and the fly ash represents the effluent stream giving the largest contribution to the potential risk. The waste from nuclear power production has a lower potential risk than coal if today's limit values re used. If one adjusts the limits for radiation dose and the concentration limit values so that a similar risk is accepted by the limits, nuclear waste seems to have a much higher potential risk than waste from fossil fuel. The possibility that such risk estimates may be used as arguments for safe storage of the different types of waste is discussed. In order to obtain the actual risk from the potential risk, the dispersion of the waste in the environment and its uptake and effects in man have to be taken into account.

Probabilistic Radiological Performance Assessment Modeling and Uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tauxe, J.

2004-12-01

A generic probabilistic radiological Performance Assessment (PA) model is presented. The model, built using the GoldSim systems simulation software platform, concerns contaminant transport and dose estimation in support of decision making with uncertainty. Both the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) require assessments of potential future risk to human receptors of disposal of LLW. Commercially operated LLW disposal facilities are licensed by the NRC (or agreement states), and the DOE operates such facilities for disposal of DOE-generated LLW. The type of PA model presented is probabilistic in nature, and hence reflects the current state of knowledge about the site by using probability distributions to capture what is expected (central tendency or average) and the uncertainty (e.g., standard deviation) associated with input parameters, and propagating through the model to arrive at output distributions that reflect expected performance and the overall uncertainty in the system. Estimates of contaminant release rates, concentrations in environmental media, and resulting doses to human receptors well into the future are made by running the model in Monte Carlo fashion, with each realization representing a possible combination of input parameter values. Statistical summaries of the results can be compared to regulatory performance objectives, and decision makers are better informed of the inherently uncertain aspects of the model which supports their decision-making. While this information may make some regulators uncomfortable, they must realize that uncertainties which were hidden in a deterministic analysis are revealed in a probabilistic analysis, and the chance of making a correct decision is now known rather than hoped for. The model includes many typical features and processes that would be part of a PA, but is entirely fictitious. This does not represent any particular site and is meant to be a generic example. A

Regulatory basis for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant performance assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

HOWARD,BRYAN A.; CRAWFORD,M.B.; GALSON,D.A.

2000-05-22

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is the first operational repository designed for the safe disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive waste from the defense programs of the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for certifications and regulation of the WIPP facility for the radioactive components of the waste. The EPA has promulgated general radioactive waste disposal standards at 40 CFR Part 191. and WIPP-specific criteria to implement and interpret the generic disposal standards at 40 CFR Part 194. In October 1996. the DOE submitted its Compliance Certification Application (CCA) to the EPA tomore » demonstrate compliance with the disposal standards at Subparts B and C of 40 CFR Part 191. This paper summarizes the development of the overall legal framework for radioactive waste disposal at the WIPP, the parallel development of the WIPP performance assessment (PA), and how the EPA disposal standards and implementing criteria formed the basis for the CCA WIPP PA. The CCA resulted in a certification in May 1998 by the EPA of the WIPP'S compliance with the EPA's disposal standard, thus enabling the WIPP to begin radioactive waste disposal.« less

ICRP publication 121: radiological protection in paediatric diagnostic and interventional radiology.

PubMed

Khong, P-L; Ringertz, H; Donoghue, V; Frush, D; Rehani, M; Appelgate, K; Sanchez, R

2013-04-01

Paediatric patients have a higher average risk of developing cancer compared with adults receiving the same dose. The longer life expectancy in children allows more time for any harmful effects of radiation to manifest, and developing organs and tissues are more sensitive to the effects of radiation. This publication aims to provide guiding principles of radiological protection for referring clinicians and clinical staff performing diagnostic imaging and interventional procedures for paediatric patients. It begins with a brief description of the basic concepts of radiological protection, followed by the general aspects of radiological protection, including principles of justification and optimisation. Guidelines and suggestions for radiological protection in specific modalities - radiography and fluoroscopy, interventional radiology, and computed tomography - are subsequently covered in depth. The report concludes with a summary and recommendations. The importance of rigorous justification of radiological procedures is emphasised for every procedure involving ionising radiation, and the use of imaging modalities that are non-ionising should always be considered. The basic aim of optimisation of radiological protection is to adjust imaging parameters and institute protective measures such that the required image is obtained with the lowest possible dose of radiation, and that net benefit is maximised to maintain sufficient quality for diagnostic interpretation. Special consideration should be given to the availability of dose reduction measures when purchasing new imaging equipment for paediatric use. One of the unique aspects of paediatric imaging is with regards to the wide range in patient size (and weight), therefore requiring special attention to optimisation and modification of equipment, technique, and imaging parameters. Examples of good radiographic and fluoroscopic technique include attention to patient positioning, field size and adequate collimation, use

Cleanup Verification Package for the 300-18 Waste Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. M. Capron

This cleanup verification package documents completion of remedial action for the 300-18 waste site. This site was identified as containing radiologically contaminated soil, metal shavings, nuts, bolts, and concrete.

Carbon materials derived from waste tires as high-performance anodes in microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Chen, Wei; Feng, Huajun; Shen, Dongsheng; Jia, Yufeng; Li, Na; Ying, Xianbin; Chen, Ting; Zhou, Yuyang; Guo, Jiayun; Zhou, Mengjiao

2018-03-15

In this study, carbonized waste tires were directly used as a high-performance anode material in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The effect of the pyrolysis temperature used for waste tire carbonization on the current output performance was investigated to determine the optimal pyrolysis temperature. Thermal gravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry showed that tire carbonization started at 200°C and ended at about 500°C; the weight loss was about 64%. When used in an MFC, the electrode obtained from waste tires carbonized at 800°C gave a current density of 23.1±1.4Am -2 , which is much higher than that achieved with traditional graphite felt anodes (5.5±0.1Am -2 ). The results of this study will be useful in optimizing the design of carbonized waste tire anodes for enhancing MFC performances and will alleviate the environmental problems caused by waste tires. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A system dynamics-based environmental performance simulation of construction waste reduction management in China.

PubMed

Ding, Zhikun; Yi, Guizhen; Tam, Vivian W Y; Huang, Tengyue

2016-05-01

A huge amount of construction waste has been generated from increasingly higher number of construction activities than in the past, which has significant negative impacts on the environment if they are not properly managed. Therefore, effective construction waste management is of primary importance for future sustainable development. Based on the theory of planned behaviors, this paper develops a system dynamic model of construction waste reduction management at the construction phase to simulate the environmental benefits of construction waste reduction management. The application of the proposed model is shown using a case study in Shenzhen, China. Vensim is applied to simulate and analyze the model. The simulation results indicate that source reduction is an effective waste reduction measure which can reduce 27.05% of the total waste generation. Sorting behaviors are a premise for improving the construction waste recycling and reuse rates which account for 15.49% of the total waste generated. The environmental benefits of source reduction outweigh those of sorting behaviors. Therefore, to achieve better environmental performance of the construction waste reduction management, attention should be paid to source reduction such as low waste technologies and on-site management performance. In the meantime, sorting behaviors encouragement such as improving stakeholders' waste awareness, refining regulations, strengthening government supervision and controlling illegal dumping should be emphasized. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Classification of Radiological Changes in Burst Fractures

PubMed Central

Şentürk, Salim; Öğrenci, Ahmet; Gürçay, Ahmet Gürhan; Abdioğlu, Ahmet Atilla; Yaman, Onur; Özer, Ali Fahir

2018-01-01

AIM: Burst fractures can occur with different radiological images after high energy. We aimed to simplify radiological staging of burst fractures. METHODS: Eighty patients whom exposed spinal trauma and had burst fracture were evaluated concerning age, sex, fracture segment, neurological deficit, secondary organ injury and radiological changes that occurred. RESULTS: We performed a new classification in burst fractures at radiological images. CONCLUSIONS: According to this classification system, secondary organ injury and neurological deficit can be an indicator of energy exposure. If energy is high, the clinical status will be worse. Thus, we can get an idea about the likelihood of neurological deficit and secondary organ injuries. This classification has simplified the radiological staging of burst fractures and is a classification that gives a very accurate idea about the neurological condition. PMID:29531604

Interpreting and Reporting Radiological Water-Quality Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCurdy, David E.; Garbarino, John R.; Mullin, Ann H.

2008-01-01

This document provides information to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Science Centers on interpreting and reporting radiological results for samples of environmental matrices, most notably water. The information provided is intended to be broadly useful throughout the United States, but it is recommended that scientists who work at sites containing radioactive hazardous wastes need to consult additional sources for more detailed information. The document is largely based on recognized national standards and guidance documents for radioanalytical sample processing, most notably the Multi-Agency Radiological Laboratory Analytical Protocols Manual (MARLAP), and on documents published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the American National Standards Institute. It does not include discussion of standard USGS practices including field quality-control sample analysis, interpretive report policies, and related issues, all of which shall always be included in any effort by the Water Science Centers. The use of 'shall' in this report signifies a policy requirement of the USGS Office of Water Quality.

GeoMelt{sup R} ICV{sup TM} Treatment of Sellafield Pond Solids Waste - 13414

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Witwer, Keith; Woosley, Steve; Campbell, Brett

2013-07-01

Kurion, Inc., in partnership with AMEC Ltd., is demonstrating its GeoMelt{sup R} In-Container Vitrification (ICV){sup TM} Technology to Sellafield Ltd. (SL). SL is evaluating the proposition of directly converting a container (skip/box/drum) of raw solid ILW into an immobilized waste form using thermal treatment, such that the resulting product is suitable for interim storage at Sellafield and subsequent disposal at a future Geological Disposal Facility. Potential SL feed streams include sludges, ion-exchange media, sand, plutonium contaminated material, concrete, uranium, fuel cladding, soils, metals, and decommissioning wastes. The solid wastes have significant proportions of metallic constituents in the form of containers,more » plant equipment, structural material and swarf arising from the nuclear operations at Sellafield. GeoMelt's proprietary ICV process was selected for demonstration, with the focus being high and reactive metal wastes arising from solid ILW material. A composite surrogate recipe was used to demonstrate the technology towards treating waste forms of diverse types and shapes, as well as those considered difficult to process; all the while requiring few (if any) pre-treatment activities. Key strategic objectives, along with their success criterion, were established by SL for this testing, namely: 1. Passivate and stabilize the raw waste simulant, as demonstrated by the entire quantity of material being vitrified, 2. Immobilize the radiological and chemo-toxic species, as demonstrated via indicative mass balance using elemental analyses from an array of samples, 3. Production of an inert and durable product as evidenced by transformation of reactive metals to their inert oxide forms and satisfactory leachability results using PCT testing. Two tests were performed using the GeoMelt Demonstration Unit located at AMEC's Birchwood Park Facilities in the UK. Post-melt examination of the first test indicated some of the waste simulant had not

Performance of on-site Medical waste disinfection equipment in hospitals of Tabriz, Iran

PubMed Central

Taghipour, Hassan; Alizadeh, Mina; Dehghanzadeh, Reza; Farshchian, Mohammad Reza; Ganbari, Mohammad; Shakerkhatibi, Mohammad

2016-01-01

Background: The number of studies available on the performance of on-site medical waste treatment facilities is rare, to date. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of onsite medical waste treatment equipment in hospitals of Tabriz, Iran. Methods: A various range of the on-site medical waste disinfection equipment (autoclave, chemical disinfection, hydroclave, and dry thermal treatment) was considered to select 10 out of 22 hospitals in Tabriz to be included in the survey. The apparatus were monitored mechanically, chemically, and biologically for a six months period in all of the selected hospitals. Results: The results of the chemical monitoring (Bowie-Dick tests) indicated that 38.9% of the inspected autoclaves had operational problems in pre-vacuum, air leaks, inadequate steam penetration into the waste, and/or vacuum pump. The biological indicators revealed that about 55.55% of the samples were positive. The most of applied devices were not suitable for treating anatomical, pharmaceutical, cytotoxic, and chemical waste. Conclusion: Although on-site medical waste treating facilities have been installed in all the hospitals, the most of infectious-hazardous medical waste generated in the hospitals were deposited into a municipal solid waste landfill, without enough disinfection. The responsible authorities should stringently inspect and evaluate the operation of on-site medical waste treating equipment. An advanced off-site central facility with multi-treatment and disinfection equipment and enough capacity is recommended as an alternative. PMID:27766238

Performance of on-site Medical waste disinfection equipment in hospitals of Tabriz, Iran.

PubMed

Taghipour, Hassan; Alizadeh, Mina; Dehghanzadeh, Reza; Farshchian, Mohammad Reza; Ganbari, Mohammad; Shakerkhatibi, Mohammad

2016-01-01

Background: The number of studies available on the performance of on-site medical waste treatment facilities is rare, to date. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of onsite medical waste treatment equipment in hospitals of Tabriz, Iran. Methods: A various range of the on-site medical waste disinfection equipment (autoclave, chemical disinfection, hydroclave, and dry thermal treatment) was considered to select 10 out of 22 hospitals in Tabriz to be included in the survey. The apparatus were monitored mechanically, chemically, and biologically for a six months period in all of the selected hospitals. Results: The results of the chemical monitoring (Bowie-Dick tests) indicated that 38.9% of the inspected autoclaves had operational problems in pre-vacuum, air leaks, inadequate steam penetration into the waste, and/or vacuum pump. The biological indicators revealed that about 55.55% of the samples were positive. The most of applied devices were not suitable for treating anatomical, pharmaceutical, cytotoxic, and chemical waste. Conclusion: Although on-site medical waste treating facilities have been installed in all the hospitals, the most of infectious-hazardous medical waste generated in the hospitals were deposited into a municipal solid waste landfill, without enough disinfection. The responsible authorities should stringently inspect and evaluate the operation of on-site medical waste treating equipment. An advanced off-site central facility with multi-treatment and disinfection equipment and enough capacity is recommended as an alternative.

A Performance Weighted Collaborative Filtering algorithm for personalized radiology education.

PubMed

Lin, Hongli; Yang, Xuedong; Wang, Weisheng; Luo, Jiawei

2014-10-01

Devising an accurate prediction algorithm that can predict the difficulty level of cases for individuals and then selects suitable cases for them is essential to the development of a personalized training system. In this paper, we propose a novel approach, called Performance Weighted Collaborative Filtering (PWCF), to predict the difficulty level of each case for individuals. The main idea of PWCF is to assign an optimal weight to each rating used for predicting the difficulty level of a target case for a trainee, rather than using an equal weight for all ratings as in traditional collaborative filtering methods. The assigned weight is a function of the performance level of the trainee at which the rating was made. The PWCF method and the traditional method are compared using two datasets. The experimental data are then evaluated by means of the MAE metric. Our experimental results show that PWCF outperforms the traditional methods by 8.12% and 17.05%, respectively, over the two datasets, in terms of prediction precision. This suggests that PWCF is a viable method for the development of personalized training systems in radiology education. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Trends in radiology and experimental research.

PubMed

Sardanelli, Francesco

2017-01-01

European Radiology Experimental , the new journal launched by the European Society of Radiology, is placed in the context of three general and seven radiology-specific trends. After describing the impact of population aging, personalized/precision medicine, and information technology development, the article considers the following trends: the tension between subspecialties and the unity of the discipline; attention to patient safety; the challenge of reproducibility for quantitative imaging; standardized and structured reporting; search for higher levels of evidence in radiology (from diagnostic performance to patient outcome); the increasing relevance of interventional radiology; and continuous technological evolution. The new journal will publish not only studies on phantoms, cells, or animal models but also those describing development steps of imaging biomarkers or those exploring secondary end-points of large clinical trials. Moreover, consideration will be given to studies regarding: computer modelling and computer aided detection and diagnosis; contrast materials, tracers, and theranostics; advanced image analysis; optical, molecular, hybrid and fusion imaging; radiomics and radiogenomics; three-dimensional printing, information technology, image reconstruction and post-processing, big data analysis, teleradiology, clinical decision support systems; radiobiology; radioprotection; and physics in radiology. The journal aims to establish a forum for basic science, computer and information technology, radiology, and other medical subspecialties.

Research on the Environmental Performance Evaluation of Electronic Waste Reverse Logistics Enterprise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yu-Xiang; Chen, Fei-Yang; Tong, Tong

According to the characteristic of e-waste reverse logistics, environmental performance evaluation system of electronic waste reverse logistics enterprise is proposed. We use fuzzy analytic hierarchy process method to evaluate the system. In addition, this paper analyzes the enterprise X, as an example, to discuss the evaluation method. It's important to point out attributes and indexes which should be strengthen during the process of ewaste reverse logistics and provide guidance suggestions to domestic e-waste reverse logistics enterprises.

Organizational decentralization in radiology.

PubMed

Aas, I H Monrad

2006-01-01

At present, most hospitals have a department of radiology where images are captured and interpreted. Decentralization is the opposite of centralization and means 'away from the centre'. With a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and broadband communications, transmitting radiology images between sites will be far easier than before. Qualitative interviews of 26 resource persons were performed in Norway. There was a response rate of 90%. Decentralization of radiology interpretations seems less relevant than centralization, but several forms of decentralization have a role to play. The respondents mentioned several advantages, including exploitation of capacity and competence. They also mentioned several disadvantages, including splitting professional communities and reduced contact between radiologists and clinicians. With the new technology decentralization and centralization of image interpretation are important possibilities in organizational change. This will be important for the future of teleradiology.

Scintillation gamma spectrometer for analysis of hydraulic fracturing waste products.

PubMed

Ying, Leong; O'Connor, Frank; Stolz, John F

2015-01-01

Flowback and produced wastewaters from unconventional hydraulic fracturing during oil and gas explorations typically brings to the surface Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM), predominantly radioisotopes from the U238 and Th232 decay chains. Traditionally, radiological sampling are performed by sending collected small samples for laboratory tests either by radiochemical analysis or measurements by a high-resolution High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometer. One of the main isotopes of concern is Ra226 which requires an extended 21-days quantification period to allow for full secular equilibrium to be established for the alpha counting of its progeny daughter Rn222. Field trials of a sodium iodide (NaI) scintillation detector offers a more economic solution for rapid screenings of radiological samples. To achieve the quantification accuracy, this gamma spectrometer must be efficiency calibrated with known standard sources prior to field deployments to analyze the radioactivity concentrations in hydraulic fracturing waste products.

Performance of a Machine Learning Classifier of Knee MRI Reports in Two Large Academic Radiology Practices: A Tool to Estimate Diagnostic Yield.

PubMed

Hassanpour, Saeed; Langlotz, Curtis P; Amrhein, Timothy J; Befera, Nicholas T; Lungren, Matthew P

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of a natural language processing (NLP) system in classifying a database of free-text knee MRI reports at two separate academic radiology practices. An NLP system that uses terms and patterns in manually classified narrative knee MRI reports was constructed. The NLP system was trained and tested on expert-classified knee MRI reports from two major health care organizations. Radiology reports were modeled in the training set as vectors, and a support vector machine framework was used to train the classifier. A separate test set from each organization was used to evaluate the performance of the system. We evaluated the performance of the system both within and across organizations. Standard evaluation metrics, such as accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score (i.e., the weighted average of the precision and recall), and their respective 95% CIs were used to measure the efficacy of our classification system. The accuracy for radiology reports that belonged to the model's clinically significant concept classes after training data from the same institution was good, yielding an F1 score greater than 90% (95% CI, 84.6-97.3%). Performance of the classifier on cross-institutional application without institution-specific training data yielded F1 scores of 77.6% (95% CI, 69.5-85.7%) and 90.2% (95% CI, 84.5-95.9%) at the two organizations studied. The results show excellent accuracy by the NLP machine learning classifier in classifying free-text knee MRI reports, supporting the institution-independent reproducibility of knee MRI report classification. Furthermore, the machine learning classifier performed well on free-text knee MRI reports from another institution. These data support the feasibility of multiinstitutional classification of radiologic imaging text reports with a single machine learning classifier without requiring institution-specific training data.

Machine Learning in Radiology: Applications Beyond Image Interpretation.

PubMed

Lakhani, Paras; Prater, Adam B; Hutson, R Kent; Andriole, Kathy P; Dreyer, Keith J; Morey, Jose; Prevedello, Luciano M; Clark, Toshi J; Geis, J Raymond; Itri, Jason N; Hawkins, C Matthew

2018-02-01

Much attention has been given to machine learning and its perceived impact in radiology, particularly in light of recent success with image classification in international competitions. However, machine learning is likely to impact radiology outside of image interpretation long before a fully functional "machine radiologist" is implemented in practice. Here, we describe an overview of machine learning, its application to radiology and other domains, and many cases of use that do not involve image interpretation. We hope that better understanding of these potential applications will help radiology practices prepare for the future and realize performance improvement and efficiency gains. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance evaluation model of a pilot food waste collection system in Suzhou City, China.

PubMed

Wen, Zongguo; Wang, Yuanjia; De Clercq, Djavan

2015-05-01

This paper analyses the food waste collection and transportation (C&T) system in a pilot project in Suzhou by using a novel performance evaluation method. The method employed to conduct this analysis involves a unified performance evaluation index containing qualitative and quantitative indicators applied to data from Suzhou City. Two major inefficiencies were identified: a) low system efficiency due to insufficient processing capacity of commercial food waste facilities; and b) low waste resource utilization due to low efficiency of manual sorting. The performance evaluation indicated that the pilot project collection system's strong points included strong economics, low environmental impact and low social impact. This study also shows that Suzhou's integrated system has developed a comprehensive body of laws and clarified regulatory responsibilities for each of the various government departments to solve the problems of commercial food waste management. Based on Suzhou's experience, perspectives and lessons can be drawn for other cities and areas where food waste management systems are in the planning stage, or are encountering operational problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dose estimates for the solid waste performance assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rittman, P.D.

1994-08-30

The Solid Waste Performance Assessment calculations by PNL in 1990 were redone to incorporate changes in methods and parameters since then. The ten scenarios found in their report were reduced to three, the Post-Drilling Resident, the Post-Excavation Resident, and an All Pathways Irrigator. In addition, estimates of population dose to people along the Columbia River are also included. The attached report describes the methods and parameters used in the calculations, and derives dose factors for each scenario. In addition, waste concentrations, ground water concentrations, and river water concentrations needed to reach the performance objectives of 100 mrem/yr and 500 person-rem/yrmore » are computed. Internal dose factors from DOE-0071 were applied when computing internal dose. External dose rate factors came from the GENII Version 1.485 software package. Dose calculations were carried out on a spreadsheet. The calculations are described in detail in the report for 63 nuclides, including 5 not presently in the GENII libraries. The spreadsheet calculations were checked by comparison with GENII, as described in Appendix D.« less

Environmental performance of household waste management in Europe - An example of 7 countries.

PubMed

Andreasi Bassi, Susanna; Christensen, Thomas H; Damgaard, Anders

2017-11-01

An attributional life cycle assessment (LCA) of the management of 1ton of household waste was conducted in accordance with ISO 14044:2006 and the ILCD Handbook for seven European countries, namely Germany, Denmark, France, UK, Italy, Poland and Greece, representing different household waste compositions, waste management practices, technologies, and energy systems. National data were collected from a range of sources regarding household waste composition, household sorting efficiency, collection, waste treatments, recycling, electricity and heat composition, and technological efficiencies. The objective was to quantify the environmental performance in the different countries, in order to analyze the sources of the main environmental impacts and national differences which affect the results. In most of the seven countries, household waste management provides environmental benefits when considering the benefits of recycling of materials and recovering and utilization of energy. Environmental benefits come from paper recycling and, to a lesser extent, the recycling of metals and glass. Waste-to-energy plants can lead to an environmental load (as in France) or a saving (Germany and Denmark), depending mainly on the composition of the energy being substituted. Sensitivity analysis and a data quality assessment identified a range of critical parameters, suggesting from where better data should be obtained. The study concluded that household waste management is environmentally the best in European countries with a minimum reliance on landfilling, also induced by the implementation of the Waste Hierarchy, though environmental performance does not correlate clearly with the rate of material recycling. From an environmental point of view, this calls for a change in the waste management paradigm, with less focus on where the waste is routed and more of a focus on the quality and utilization of recovered materials and energy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The American Board of Radiology Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program in Radiologic Physics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas, Stephen R.; Hendee, William R.; Paliwal, Bhudatt R.

2005-01-01

Maintenance of Certification (MOC) recognizes that in addition to medical knowledge, several essential elements involved in delivering quality care must be developed and maintained throughout one's career. The MOC process is designed to facilitate and document the professional development of each diplomate of The American Board of Radiology (ABR) through its focus on the essential elements of quality care in Diagnostic Radiology and its subspecialties, and in the specialties of Radiation Oncology and Radiologic Physics. The initial elements of the ABR-MOC have been developed in accord with guidelines of The American Board of Medical Specialties. All diplomates with a ten-year,more » time-limited primary certificate in Diagnostic Radiologic Physics, Therapeutic Radiologic Physics, or Medical Nuclear Physics who wish to maintain certification must successfully complete the requirements of the appropriate ABR-MOC program for their specialty. Holders of multiple certificates must meet ABR-MOC requirements specific to the certificates held. Diplomates with lifelong certificates are not required to participate in the MOC, but are strongly encouraged to do so. MOC is based on documentation of individual participation in the four components of MOC: (1) professional standing, (2) lifelong learning and self-assessment, (3) cognitive expertise, and (4) performance in practice. Within these components, MOC addresses six competencies: medical knowledge, patient care, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, practice-based learning and improvement, and systems-based practice.« less

Imaging and radiology

MedlinePlus

Interventional radiology; Diagnostic radiology; X-ray imaging ... DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY Diagnostic radiology helps health care professionals see structures inside your body. Doctors that specialize in the interpretation ...

Performance assessment for continuing and future operations at solid waste storage area 6

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-09-01

This revised performance assessment (PA) for the continued disposal operations at Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 6 on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) has been prepared to demonstrate compliance with the performance objectives for low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal contained in the US Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5820.2A. This revised PA considers disposal operations conducted from September 26, 1988, through the projects lifetime of the disposal facility.

Determinant impact of waste collection and composition on anaerobic digestion performance: industrial results.

PubMed

Saint-Joly, C; Desbois, S; Lotti, J P

2000-01-01

The performance of the anaerobic digestion process depends deeply on the quality of the waste to be treated. This has been already demonstrated at the lab-scale. The objective of this study is to confirm this result at the industrial scale, with very long representative period and with the same process, the Valorga process. According to the waste quality and the collection type and even with the same conditions of fermentation, the biogas yield can vary by a factor of 1.5 when it is expressed (under normal conditions of pressure and temperature) in m3 biogas/t fresh waste, and by a factor of 2 when it is expressed in m3 CH4/t volatile solids. So, the biogas performance does not characterise a process since it is deeply governed by waste composition. This biogas productivity becomes a pertinent parameter only with consistent and relevant hypothesis and/or analytical results on the waste composition which depends on the collection procedure, the site characteristics and the season.

Radiological performance assessment for the E-Area Vaults Disposal Facility. Appendices A through M

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, J.R.

1994-04-15

These document contains appendices A-M for the performance assessment. They are A: details of models and assumptions, B: computer codes, C: data tabulation, D: geochemical interactions, E: hydrogeology of the Savannah River Site, F: software QA plans, G: completeness review guide, H: performance assessment peer review panel recommendations, I: suspect soil performance analysis, J: sensitivity/uncertainty analysis, K: vault degradation study, L: description of naval reactor waste disposal, M: porflow input file. (GHH)

Proposal of an environmental performance index to assess solid waste treatment technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goulart Coelho, Hosmanny Mauro, E-mail: hosmanny@hotmail.com; Lange, Lisete Celina; Coelho, Lineker Max Goulart

2012-07-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Proposal of a new concept in waste management: Cleaner Treatment. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Development of an index to assess quantitatively waste treatment technologies. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Delphi Method was carried out so as to define environmental indicators. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Environmental performance evaluation of waste-to-energy plants. - Abstract: Although the concern with sustainable development and environment protection has considerably grown in the last years it is noted that the majority of decision making models and tools are still either excessively tied to economic aspects or geared to the production process. Moreover, existing models focus on the priority steps of solid waste management, beyond wastemore » energy recovery and disposal. So, in order to help the lack of models and tools aiming at the waste treatment and final disposal, a new concept is proposed: the Cleaner Treatment, which is based on the Cleaner Production principles. This paper focuses on the development and validation of the Cleaner Treatment Index (CTI), to assess environmental performance of waste treatment technologies based on the Cleaner Treatment concept. The index is formed by aggregation (summation or product) of several indicators that consists in operational parameters. The weights of the indicator were established by Delphi Method and Brazilian Environmental Laws. In addition, sensitivity analyses were carried out comparing both aggregation methods. Finally, index validation was carried out by applying the CTI to 10 waste-to-energy plants data. From sensitivity analysis and validation results it is possible to infer that summation model is the most suitable aggregation method. For summation method, CTI results were superior to 0.5 (in a scale from 0 to 1) for most facilities evaluated. So, this study demonstrates that CTI is a simple and robust tool to assess and compare the environmental performance of

NegBio: a high-performance tool for negation and uncertainty detection in radiology reports.

PubMed

Peng, Yifan; Wang, Xiaosong; Lu, Le; Bagheri, Mohammadhadi; Summers, Ronald; Lu, Zhiyong

2018-01-01

Negative and uncertain medical findings are frequent in radiology reports, but discriminating them from positive findings remains challenging for information extraction. Here, we propose a new algorithm, NegBio, to detect negative and uncertain findings in radiology reports. Unlike previous rule-based methods, NegBio utilizes patterns on universal dependencies to identify the scope of triggers that are indicative of negation or uncertainty. We evaluated NegBio on four datasets, including two public benchmarking corpora of radiology reports, a new radiology corpus that we annotated for this work, and a public corpus of general clinical texts. Evaluation on these datasets demonstrates that NegBio is highly accurate for detecting negative and uncertain findings and compares favorably to a widely-used state-of-the-art system NegEx (an average of 9.5% improvement in precision and 5.1% in F1-score). https://github.com/ncbi-nlp/NegBio.

Common procedures and strategies for anaesthesia in interventional radiology.

PubMed

Landrigan-Ossar, Mary

2015-08-01

This review describes the range of cases now available in the interventional radiology suite and summarizes suggestions for their anaesthetic and perioperative management. The type and complexity of interventional radiology cases being performed increases from year to year. Anaesthesiologists' presence in interventional radiology is increasing in turn, due to increasingly ill patients and intricate procedures requiring more than local anaesthesia for well tolerated completion. The literature available describing this is largely written by radiologists, with little attention paid to anaesthetic considerations. Cases in interventional radiology are complex in terms of the logistics of working in an unfamiliar area, frequency of patient comorbidity and unfamiliar procedures. Ensuring familiarity with the variety of interventional radiology procedures and their periprocedure requirements can increase anaesthesiologists' comfort in interventional radiology.

Use of performance indicators to assess the solid waste management of health services.

PubMed

Assis, Mayara C; Gomes, Vanielle A P; Balista, Wagner C; Freitas, Rodrigo R DE

2017-01-01

Modern society faces serious challenges, among them, the complexity of environmental problems. Thus, there are several possible sources of environmental degradation, however, the waste produced by health services have an important peculiarity due to its toxic or pathogenic characteristics, since when managed improperly provide also health risk public. The involvement of solid waste from healthcare services environmental impact integrates matters a little more complex, because in addition to environmental health, they also interfere with the healthiness of environments that generate, with the consequences of nosocomial infections, occupational health and public. Thus, the management has become an urgent need, especially when we see no use of performance indicators management in healthcare environments in the city of São Mateus, ES. For this, we used the Analytic Hierarchy Process Method to prioritize such indicators as the potential improvement in health services waste management process - WHS and thus environmental analysis was performed with the use of a template for SWOT analysis. The results showed that the performance indicator training strategies developed with employees has the greatest potential to assist in improvements in WHS (Health Services Waste) management process followed indicator knowledge of the regulations associated with procedures performed by employees and importance of biosafety regulations.

How Visual Search Relates to Visual Diagnostic Performance: A Narrative Systematic Review of Eye-Tracking Research in Radiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Gijp, A.; Ravesloot, C. J.; Jarodzka, H.; van der Schaaf, M. F.; van der Schaaf, I. C.; van Schaik, J. P.; ten Cate, Th. J.

2017-01-01

Eye tracking research has been conducted for decades to gain understanding of visual diagnosis such as in radiology. For educational purposes, it is important to identify visual search patterns that are related to high perceptual performance and to identify effective teaching strategies. This review of eye-tracking literature in the radiology…

Should radiology residents be taught evidence-based radiology? An experiment with "the EBR Journal Club".

PubMed

Heilbrun, Marta E

2009-12-01

Introduce radiology residents to evidence-based radiology (EBR) using a journal club format based on the Radiology Alliance for Health Services Research/American Alliance of Academic Chief Residents in Radiology (RAHSR/A3CR2) Critical Thinking Skills sessions and EBR series of articles published in Radiology in 2007. The club began with a presentation outlining the process that would occur in an alternating format, with topics and articles chosen by residents. In session A, questions were rephrased in a Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome format, and a literature search was performed. Articles were discussed in session B, with residents assigned by year to the tasks of article summary, technology assessment, and comparison to checklists (Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy, Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials, or Quality of Reporting of Meta-analysis). The residents collectively assigned a level of evidence to each article, and a scribe provided a summary. Twenty-two residents participated, with 12/22 (55%) of residents submitting any question, 6/22 (27.3%) submitting more than one question, and 4 residents submitting questions in more than one session. Topics included radiation risk, emergency radiology, screening examinations, modality comparisons, and technology assessment. Of the 31 articles submitted for review, 15 were in radiology journals and 5 were published before 2000. For 2/9 topics searched, no single article that the residents selected was available through our library's subscription service. The maximum level of evidence assigned by residents was level III, "limited evidence." In each session, the residents concluded that they became less confident in the "right answer." They proposed that future reading recommendations come from attendings rather than literature searches. A journal club format is an effective tool to teach radiology residents EBR principles. Resistance comes from the difficulty in accessing good

Occupational dose in interventional radiology procedures.

PubMed

Chida, Koichi; Kaga, Yuji; Haga, Yoshihiro; Kataoka, Nozomi; Kumasaka, Eriko; Meguro, Taiichiro; Zuguchi, Masayuki

2013-01-01

Interventional radiology tends to involve long procedures (i.e., long fluoroscopic times). Therefore, radiation protection for interventional radiology staff is an important issue. This study describes the occupational radiation dose for interventional radiology staff, especially nurses, to clarify the present annual dose level for interventional radiology nurses. We compared the annual occupational dose (effective dose and dose equivalent) among interventional radiology staff in a hospital where 6606 catheterization procedures are performed annually. The annual occupational doses of 18 physicians, seven nurses, and eight radiologic technologists were recorded using two monitoring badges, one worn over and one under their lead aprons. The annual mean ± SD effective dose (range) to the physicians, nurses, and radiologic technologists using two badges was 3.00 ± 1.50 (0.84-6.17), 1.34 ± 0.55 (0.70-2.20), and 0.60 ± 0.48 (0.02-1.43) mSv/y, respectively. Similarly, the annual mean ± SD dose equivalent range was 19.84 ± 12.45 (7.0-48.5), 4.73 ± 0.72 (3.9-6.2), and 1.30 ± 1.00 (0.2-2.7) mSv/y, respectively. The mean ± SD effective dose for the physicians was 1.02 ± 0.74 and 3.00 ± 1.50 mSv/y for the one- and two-badge methods, respectively (p < 0.001). Similarly, the mean ± SD effective dose for the nurses (p = 0.186) and radiologic technologists (p = 0.726) tended to be lower using the one-badge method. The annual occupational dose for interventional radiology staff was in the order physicians > nurses > radiologic technologists. The occupational dose determined using one badge under the apron was far lower than the dose obtained with two badges in both physicians and nonphysicians. To evaluate the occupational dose correctly, we recommend use of two monitoring badges to evaluate interventional radiology nurses as well as physicians.

Cost accounting of radiological examinations. Cost analysis of radiological examinations of intermediate referral hospitals and general practice.

PubMed

Lääperi, A L

1996-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyse the cost structure of radiological procedures in the intermediary referral hospitals and general practice and to develop a cost accounting system for radiological examinations that takes into consideration all relevant cost factors and is suitable for management of radiology departments and regional planning of radiological resources. The material comprised 174,560 basic radiological examinations performed in 1991 at 5 intermediate referral hospitals and 13 public health centres in the Pirkanmaa Hospital District in Finland. All radiological departments in the hospitals were managed by a specialist in radiology. The radiology departments at the public health care centres operated on a self-referral basis by general practitioners. The data were extracted from examination lists, inventories and balance sheets; parts of the data were estimated or calculated. The radiological examinations were compiled according to the type of examination and equipment used: conventional, contrast medium, ultrasound, mammography and roentgen examinations with mobile equipment. The majority of the examinations (87%) comprised conventional radiography. For cost analysis the cost items were grouped into 5 cost factors: personnel, equipment, material, real estate and administration costs. The depreciation time used was 10 years for roentgen equipment, 5 years for ultrasound equipment and 5 to 10 years for other capital goods. An annual interest rate of 10% was applied. Standard average values based on a sample at 2 hospitals were used for the examination-specific radiologist time, radiographer time and material costs. Four cost accounting versions with varying allocation of the major cost items were designed. Two-way analysis of variance of the effect of different allocation methods on the costs and cost structure of the examination groups was performed. On the basis of the cost analysis a cost accounting program containing both monetary and

I-NERI-2007-004-K, DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NEW HIGH-LEVEL WASTE FORMS FOR ACHIEVING WASTE MINIMIZATION FROM PYROPROCESSING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

S.M. Frank

Work describe in this report represents the final year activities for the 3-year International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (I-NERI) project: Development and Characterization of New High-Level Waste Forms for Achieving Waste Minimization from Pyroprocessing. Used electrorefiner salt that contained actinide chlorides and was highly loaded with surrogate fission products was processed into three candidate waste forms. The first waste form, a high-loaded ceramic waste form is a variant to the CWF produced during the treatment of Experimental Breeder Reactor-II used fuel at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The two other waste forms were developed by researchers at the Korean Atomicmore » Energy Research Institute (KAERI). These materials are based on a silica-alumina-phosphate matrix and a zinc/titanium oxide matrix. The proposed waste forms, and the processes to fabricate them, were designed to immobilize spent electrorefiner chloride salts containing alkali, alkaline earth, lanthanide, and halide fission products that accumulate in the salt during the processing of used nuclear fuel. This aspect of the I-NERI project was to demonstrate 'hot cell' fabrication and characterization of the proposed waste forms. The outline of the report includes the processing of the spent electrorefiner salt and the fabrication of each of the three waste forms. Also described is the characterization of the waste forms, and chemical durability testing of the material. While waste form fabrication and sample preparation for characterization must be accomplished in a radiological hot cell facility due to hazardous radioactivity levels, smaller quantities of each waste form were removed from the hot cell to perform various analyses. Characterization included density measurement, elemental analysis, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and the Product Consistency Test, which is a leaching method to measure chemical durability. Favorable results from this demonstration

Radiological Protection in Medicine; OCHRONA RADIOLOGICZNA W MEDYCYNIE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pensko, J.

1961-01-01

S>A review of radiological protection theory and systems, directed toward medical considerations is given. Examples of the types of radioactive materials and types of radiation to which humans might be exposed, the phenomena of energy loss by these types of radiation, and the effects of these transfers of energy in humans, in animals, and in matter in general, are discussed. The present limits (1961) for dose rates and exposures, under various conditions, to the several types of radiation are categorized. The shielding effects of some materials are tabulated; the data for x radiation are prevalent. Arrangement of equipment and recommendedmore » procedures for operation of x-ray devices in medical practice and diagnostic studies are described. The uses of radiation, x rays in particular, in medical therapy for various illnesses and diseases are discussed in detail. Methods of handling and disposing of radioactive wastes are presented, taking into consideration radiological protection and safety of the workers. (R.P.R.)« less

Fuel properties and engine performance of biodiesel from waste cooking oil collected in Dhaka city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, R. B.; Islam, R.; Uddin, M. N.; Ehsan, Md.

2016-07-01

Waste cooking oil can be a potential source of biodiesel that has least effect on the edible oil consumption. Increasing number of hotel-restaurants and more active monitoring by health authorities have increased the generation of waste cooking oil significantly in densely populated cities like Dhaka. If not used or disposed properly, waste cooking oil itself may generate lot of environmental issues. In this work, waste cooking oils from different restaurants within Dhaka City were collected and some relevant properties of these waste oils were measured. Based on the samples studied one with the highest potential as biodiesel feed was identified and processed for engine performance. Standard trans-esterification process was used to produce biodiesel from the selected waste cooking oil. Biodiesel blends of B20 and B40 category were made and tested on a single cylinder direct injection diesel engine. Engine performance parameters included - bhp, bsfc and exhaust emission for rated and part load conditions. Results give a quantitative assessment of the potential of using biodiesel from waste cooking oil as fuel for diesel engines in Bangladesh.

Radiology research in mainland China in the past 10 years: a survey of original articles published in Radiology and European Radiology.

PubMed

Zhang, Long Jiang; Wang, Yun Fei; Yang, Zhen Lu; Schoepf, U Joseph; Xu, Jiaqian; Lu, Guang Ming; Li, Enzhong

2017-10-01

To evaluate the features and trends of Radiology research in Mainland China through bibliometric analysis of the original articles published in Radiology and European Radiology (ER) between 2006 and 2015. We reviewed the original articles published in Radiology and ER between 2006 and 2015. The following information was abstracted: imaging subspecialty, imaging technique(s) used, research type, sample size, study design, statistical analysis, study results, funding declarations, international collaborations, number of authors, department and province of the first author. All variables were examined longitudinally over time. Radiology research in Mainland China saw a substantial increase in original research articles published, especially in the last 5 years (P < 0.001). Within Mainland China's Radiology research, neuroradiology, vascular/interventional Radiology, and abdominal Radiology were the most productive fields; MR imaging was the most used modality, and a distinct geographic provenience was observed for articles published in Radiology and ER. Radiology research in Mainland China has seen substantial growth in the past 5 years with neuroradiology, vascular/interventional Radiology, and abdominal Radiology as the most productive fields. MR imaging is the most used modality. Article provenience shows a distinct geographical pattern. • Radiology research in Mainland China saw a substantial increase. • Neuroradiology, vascular/interventional Radiology, and abdominal Radiology are the most productive fields. • MRI is the most used modality in Mainland China's Radiology research. • Guangdong, Shanghai, and Beijing are the most productive provinces.

Radiological Control Center (RADCC) Renaming Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-31

Consoles in the Radiological Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center are seen during ceremonies to name the facility in honor of Randy Scott. A professional health physicist of more than 40 years, Scott served as the Florida spaceport's Radiation Protection Officer for 14 years until his death June 17, 2016. Located in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout building, the Randall E. Scott Radiological Control Center is staffed by technical and radiological experts from NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing and the state of Florida. The group performs data collection and assessment functions supporting launch site and field data collection activities.

Radiological Control Center (RADCC) Renaming Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-31

A portion of the Radiological Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center is seen during ceremonies to name the facility in honor of Randy Scott. A professional health physicist of more than 40 years, Scott served as the Florida spaceport's Radiation Protection Officer for 14 years until his death June 17, 2016. Located in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout building, the Randall E. Scott Radiological Control Center is staffed by technical and radiological experts from NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing and the state of Florida. The group performs data collection and assessment functions supporting launch site and field data collection activities.

Modes of information delivery in radiologic anatomy education: Impact on student performance.

PubMed

Ketelsen, Dominik; Schrödl, Falk; Knickenberg, Inés; Heckemann, Rolf A; Hothorn, Torsten; Neuhuber, Winfried; Bautz, Werner A L; Grunewald, Markus

2007-01-01

This study provides a systematic assessment of different methods of delivering radiologic teaching content (lecture, printed text, and digital content delivery) under standard conditions, enabling comparison of the effectiveness of these methods. A printed atlas of sectional anatomy was used as a standard. Digital content was developed on the basis of the printed atlas. Lecturers used both the printed and the digital content to prepare lectures. Standardized teaching material thus created was presented to second-term undergraduate students who had attended the school's anatomy course, but had not received any radiology teaching. Multiple choice examinations were used to assess the students' ability to recognize anatomical structures in known as well as unknown images. In a survey, the students' subjective experience of the learning process was assessed. No difference was seen between the groups regarding examination results. Students preferred a combination of digital media and lectures by enthusiastic teachers. The shortage of teachers requires a compromise concerning the delivery of radiologic anatomy content in a medical school setting. Based on our results, we recommend a combined approach of lecture and digital content delivery.

A reference standard-based quality assurance program for radiology.

PubMed

Liu, Patrick T; Johnson, C Daniel; Miranda, Rafael; Patel, Maitray D; Phillips, Carrie J

2010-01-01

The authors have developed a comprehensive radiology quality assurance (QA) program that evaluates radiology interpretations and procedures by comparing them with reference standards. Performance metrics are calculated and then compared with benchmarks or goals on the basis of published multicenter data and meta-analyses. Additional workload for physicians is kept to a minimum by having trained allied health staff members perform the comparisons of radiology reports with the reference standards. The performance metrics tracked by the QA program include the accuracy of CT colonography for detecting polyps, the false-negative rate for mammographic detection of breast cancer, the accuracy of CT angiography detection of coronary artery stenosis, the accuracy of meniscal tear detection on MRI, the accuracy of carotid artery stenosis detection on MR angiography, the accuracy of parathyroid adenoma detection by parathyroid scintigraphy, the success rate for obtaining cortical tissue on ultrasound-guided core biopsies of pelvic renal transplants, and the technical success rate for peripheral arterial angioplasty procedures. In contrast with peer-review programs, this reference standard-based QA program minimizes the possibilities of reviewer bias and erroneous second reviewer interpretations. The more objective assessment of performance afforded by the QA program will provide data that can easily be used for education and management conferences, research projects, and multicenter evaluations. Additionally, such performance data could be used by radiology departments to demonstrate their value over nonradiology competitors to referring clinicians, hospitals, patients, and third-party payers. Copyright 2010 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toxicology profiles of chemical and radiological contaminants at Hanford

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harper, B.L.; Strenge, D.L.; Stenner, R.D.

1995-07-01

This document summarizes toxicology information required under Section 3.3 (Toxicity Assessment) of HSRAM, and can also be used to develop the short toxicology profiles required in site assessments (described in HSRAM, Section 3.3.5). Toxicology information is used in the dose-response step of the risk assessment process. The dose-response assessment describes the quantitative relationship between the amount of exposure to a substance and the extent of toxic injury or disease. Data are derived from animal studies or, less frequently, from studies in exposed human populations. The risks of a substance cannot be ascertained with any degree of confidence unless dose-response relationsmore » are quantified. This document summarizes dose-response information available from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The contaminants selected for inclusion in this document represent most of the contaminants found at Hanford (both radiological and chemical), based on sampling and analysis performed during site investigations, and historical information on waste disposal practices at the Hanford Site.« less

Interventional radiology procedures after pancreatic resections for pancreatic and periampullary diseases.

PubMed

Casadei, Riccardo; Ricci, Claudio; Giampalma, Emanuela; D'Ambra, Marielda; Taffurelli, Giovanni; Mosconi, Cristina; Golfieri, Rita; Minni, Francesco

2014-07-28

The use of interventional radiology has increased as the first-line management of complications after pancreatic resections. Patients in whom interventional radiology was performed were compared with those in whom interventional radiology was not performed as regards type of pancreatic resection, diagnosis, postoperative mortality and morbidity, postoperative pancreatic fistula postpancreatectomy haemorrhage, bile leakage, reoperation rate and length of hospital stay. Our aim was to evaluate the usefulness of interventional radiology in the treatment of complications after pancreatic resection. One hundred and eighty-two (62.8%) out of 290 patients experienced postoperative complications. Interventional radiology procedures were performed in 37 cases (20.3%): percutaneous drainage in 28, transhepatic biliary drainage in 8 and arterial embolisation in 3 cases. Technical success was obtained in all cases and clinical success in 75.7%. Reoperation was avoided in 86.5%. In patients with major complications, clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula and bile leaks as well as those with late postpancreatectomy haemorrhage (P=0.030) and patients with postpancreatectomy haemorrhage grade C (P=0.029), interventional radiology was used (P<0.001, P<0.001 and P=0.009, respectively) significantly more frequently than in the remaining patients. The reoperation and mortality rates were similar in the two groups (P=0.885 and P=0.100, respectively) while patients treated with interventional radiology procedures had a significant longer length of hospital stay than those in the non-interventional radiology group (37.5 ± 23.4 vs. 18.7 ± 11.7 days; P<0.001). Interventional radiology procedures were useful, especially for patients with postoperative pancreatic fistulas and bile leaks in whom reoperation was very often avoided.

Physical and cognitive task analysis in interventional radiology.

PubMed

Johnson, S; Healey, A; Evans, J; Murphy, M; Crawshaw, M; Gould, D

2006-01-01

To identify, describe and detail the cognitive thought processes, decision-making, and physical actions involved in the preparation and successful performance of core interventional radiology procedures. Five commonly performed core interventional radiology procedures were selected for cognitive task analysis. Several examples of each procedure being performed by consultant interventional radiologists were videoed. The videos of those procedures, and the steps required for successful outcome, were analysed by a psychologist and an interventional radiologist. Once a skeleton algorithm of the procedures was defined, further refinement was achieved using individual interview techniques with consultant interventional radiologists. Additionally a critique of each iteration of the established algorithm was sought from non-participating independent consultant interventional radiologists. Detailed task descriptions and decision protocols were developed for five interventional radiology procedures (arterial puncture, nephrostomy, venous access, biopsy-using both ultrasound and computed tomography, and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram). Identical tasks performed within these procedures were identified and standardized within the protocols. Complex procedures were broken down and their constituent processes identified. This might be suitable for use as a training protocol to provide a universally acceptable safe practice at the most fundamental level. It is envisaged that data collected in this way can be used as an educational resource for trainees and could provide the basis for a training curriculum in interventional radiology. It will direct trainees towards safe practice of the highest standard. It will also provide performance objectives of a simulator model.

Sorbent materials for rapid remediation of wash water during radiological event relief

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jolin, William C.; Kaminski, Michael

2016-11-01

Procedures for removing harmful radiation from interior and exterior surfaces of homes and businesses after a nuclear or radiological disaster may generate large volumes of radiologically contaminated waste water. Rather than releasing this waste water to potentially contaminate surrounding areas, it is preferable to treat it onsite. Retention barrels are a viable option because of their simplicity in preparation and availability of possible sorbent materials. This study investigated the use of aluminosilicate clay minerals as sorbent materials to retain 137Cs, 85Sr, and 152Eu. Vermiculite strongly retained 137Cs, though other radionuclides displayed diminished affinity for the surface. Montmorillonite exhibited increased affinitymore » to sorb 85Sr and 152Eu in the presence of higher concentrations of 137Cs. To simulate flow within retention barrels, vermiculite was mixed with sand and used in small-scale column experiments. The GoldSim contaminate fate module was used to model breakthrough and assess the feasibility of using clay minerals as sorbent materials in retention barrels. The modeled radionuclide breakthrough profiles suggest that vermiculite-sand and montmorillonite-sand filled barrels could be used for treatment of contaminated water generated from field operations.« less

Radiological interventions in malignant biliary obstruction

PubMed Central

Madhusudhan, Kumble Seetharama; Gamanagatti, Shivanand; Srivastava, Deep Narayan; Gupta, Arun Kumar

2016-01-01

Malignant biliary obstruction is commonly caused by gall bladder carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma and metastatic nodes. Percutaneous interventions play an important role in managing these patients. Biliary drainage, which forms the major bulk of radiological interventions, can be palliative in inoperable patients or pre-operative to improve liver function prior to surgery. Other interventions include cholecystostomy and radiofrequency ablation. We present here the indications, contraindications, technique and complications of the radiological interventions performed in patients with malignant biliary obstruction. PMID:27247718

Karlsruhe Database for Radioactive Wastes (KADABRA) - Accounting and Management System for Radioactive Waste Treatment - 12275

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Himmerkus, Felix; Rittmeyer, Cornelia

2012-07-01

The data management system KADABRA was designed according to the purposes of the Cen-tral Decontamination Department (HDB) of the Wiederaufarbeitungsanlage Karlsruhe Rueckbau- und Entsorgungs-GmbH (WAK GmbH), which is specialized in the treatment and conditioning of radioactive waste. The layout considers the major treatment processes of the HDB as well as regulatory and legal requirements. KADABRA is designed as an SAG ADABAS application on IBM system Z mainframe. The main function of the system is the data management of all processes related to treatment, transfer and storage of radioactive material within HDB. KADABRA records the relevant data concerning radioactive residues, interimmore » products and waste products as well as the production parameters relevant for final disposal. Analytical data from the laboratory and non destructive assay systems, that describe the chemical and radiological properties of residues, production batches, interim products as well as final waste products, can be linked to the respective dataset for documentation and declaration. The system enables the operator to trace the radioactive material through processing and storage. Information on the actual sta-tus of the material as well as radiological data and storage position can be gained immediately on request. A variety of programs accessed to the database allow the generation of individual reports on periodic or special request. KADABRA offers a high security standard and is constantly adapted to the recent requirements of the organization. (authors)« less

Improved Identification of Noun Phrases in Clinical Radiology Reports Using a High-Performance Statistical Natural Language Parser Augmented with the UMLS Specialist Lexicon

PubMed Central

Huang, Yang; Lowe, Henry J.; Klein, Dan; Cucina, Russell J.

2005-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a method of extracting noun phrases with full phrase structures from a set of clinical radiology reports using natural language processing (NLP) and to investigate the effects of using the UMLS® Specialist Lexicon to improve noun phrase identification within clinical radiology documents. Design: The noun phrase identification (NPI) module is composed of a sentence boundary detector, a statistical natural language parser trained on a nonmedical domain, and a noun phrase (NP) tagger. The NPI module processed a set of 100 XML-represented clinical radiology reports in Health Level 7 (HL7)® Clinical Document Architecture (CDA)–compatible format. Computed output was compared with manual markups made by four physicians and one author for maximal (longest) NP and those made by one author for base (simple) NP, respectively. An extended lexicon of biomedical terms was created from the UMLS Specialist Lexicon and used to improve NPI performance. Results: The test set was 50 randomly selected reports. The sentence boundary detector achieved 99.0% precision and 98.6% recall. The overall maximal NPI precision and recall were 78.9% and 81.5% before using the UMLS Specialist Lexicon and 82.1% and 84.6% after. The overall base NPI precision and recall were 88.2% and 86.8% before using the UMLS Specialist Lexicon and 93.1% and 92.6% after, reducing false-positives by 31.1% and false-negatives by 34.3%. Conclusion: The sentence boundary detector performs excellently. After the adaptation using the UMLS Specialist Lexicon, the statistical parser's NPI performance on radiology reports increased to levels comparable to the parser's native performance in its newswire training domain and to that reported by other researchers in the general nonmedical domain. PMID:15684131

Improved identification of noun phrases in clinical radiology reports using a high-performance statistical natural language parser augmented with the UMLS specialist lexicon.

PubMed

Huang, Yang; Lowe, Henry J; Klein, Dan; Cucina, Russell J

2005-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a method of extracting noun phrases with full phrase structures from a set of clinical radiology reports using natural language processing (NLP) and to investigate the effects of using the UMLS(R) Specialist Lexicon to improve noun phrase identification within clinical radiology documents. The noun phrase identification (NPI) module is composed of a sentence boundary detector, a statistical natural language parser trained on a nonmedical domain, and a noun phrase (NP) tagger. The NPI module processed a set of 100 XML-represented clinical radiology reports in Health Level 7 (HL7)(R) Clinical Document Architecture (CDA)-compatible format. Computed output was compared with manual markups made by four physicians and one author for maximal (longest) NP and those made by one author for base (simple) NP, respectively. An extended lexicon of biomedical terms was created from the UMLS Specialist Lexicon and used to improve NPI performance. The test set was 50 randomly selected reports. The sentence boundary detector achieved 99.0% precision and 98.6% recall. The overall maximal NPI precision and recall were 78.9% and 81.5% before using the UMLS Specialist Lexicon and 82.1% and 84.6% after. The overall base NPI precision and recall were 88.2% and 86.8% before using the UMLS Specialist Lexicon and 93.1% and 92.6% after, reducing false-positives by 31.1% and false-negatives by 34.3%. The sentence boundary detector performs excellently. After the adaptation using the UMLS Specialist Lexicon, the statistical parser's NPI performance on radiology reports increased to levels comparable to the parser's native performance in its newswire training domain and to that reported by other researchers in the general nonmedical domain.

Addressing the coming radiology crisis-the Society for Computer Applications in Radiology transforming the radiological interpretation process (TRIP) initiative.

PubMed

Andriole, Katherine P; Morin, Richard L; Arenson, Ronald L; Carrino, John A; Erickson, Bradley J; Horii, Steven C; Piraino, David W; Reiner, Bruce I; Seibert, J Anthony; Siegel, Eliot

2004-12-01

The Society for Computer Applications in Radiology (SCAR) Transforming the Radiological Interpretation Process (TRIP) Initiative aims to spearhead research, education, and discovery of innovative solutions to address the problem of information and image data overload. The initiative will foster interdisciplinary research on technological, environmental and human factors to better manage and exploit the massive amounts of data. TRIP will focus on the following basic objectives: improving the efficiency of interpretation of large data sets, improving the timeliness and effectiveness of communication, and decreasing medical errors. The ultimate goal of the initiative is to improve the quality and safety of patient care. Interdisciplinary research into several broad areas will be necessary to make progress in managing the ever-increasing volume of data. The six concepts involved are human perception, image processing and computer-aided detection (CAD), visualization, navigation and usability, databases and integration, and evaluation and validation of methods and performance. The result of this transformation will affect several key processes in radiology, including image interpretation; communication of imaging results; workflow and efficiency within the health care enterprise; diagnostic accuracy and a reduction in medical errors; and, ultimately, the overall quality of care.

Informatics in radiology: automated Web-based graphical dashboard for radiology operational business intelligence.

PubMed

Nagy, Paul G; Warnock, Max J; Daly, Mark; Toland, Christopher; Meenan, Christopher D; Mezrich, Reuben S

2009-11-01

Radiology departments today are faced with many challenges to improve operational efficiency, performance, and quality. Many organizations rely on antiquated, paper-based methods to review their historical performance and understand their operations. With increased workloads, geographically dispersed image acquisition and reading sites, and rapidly changing technologies, this approach is increasingly untenable. A Web-based dashboard was constructed to automate the extraction, processing, and display of indicators and thereby provide useful and current data for twice-monthly departmental operational meetings. The feasibility of extracting specific metrics from clinical information systems was evaluated as part of a longer-term effort to build a radiology business intelligence architecture. Operational data were extracted from clinical information systems and stored in a centralized data warehouse. Higher-level analytics were performed on the centralized data, a process that generated indicators in a dynamic Web-based graphical environment that proved valuable in discussion and root cause analysis. Results aggregated over a 24-month period since implementation suggest that this operational business intelligence reporting system has provided significant data for driving more effective management decisions to improve productivity, performance, and quality of service in the department.

Source term evaluation model for high-level radioactive waste repository with decay chain build-up.

PubMed

Chopra, Manish; Sunny, Faby; Oza, R B

2016-09-18

A source term model based on two-component leach flux concept is developed for a high-level radioactive waste repository. The long-lived radionuclides associated with high-level waste may give rise to the build-up of activity because of radioactive decay chains. The ingrowths of progeny are incorporated in the model using Bateman decay chain build-up equations. The model is applied to different radionuclides present in the high-level radioactive waste, which form a part of decay chains (4n to 4n + 3 series), and the activity of the parent and daughter radionuclides leaching out of the waste matrix is estimated. Two cases are considered: one when only parent is present initially in the waste and another where daughters are also initially present in the waste matrix. The incorporation of in situ production of daughter radionuclides in the source is important to carry out realistic estimates. It is shown that the inclusion of decay chain build-up is essential to avoid underestimation of the radiological impact assessment of the repository. The model can be a useful tool for evaluating the source term of the radionuclide transport models used for the radiological impact assessment of high-level radioactive waste repositories.

Verification survey report of the south waste tank farm training/test tower and hazardous waste storage lockers at the West Valley demonstration project, West Valley, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weaver, Phyllis C.

A team from ORAU's Independent Environmental Assessment and Verification Program performed verification survey activities on the South Test Tower and four Hazardous Waste Storage Lockers. Scan data collected by ORAU determined that both the alpha and alpha-plus-beta activity was representative of radiological background conditions. The count rate distribution showed no outliers that would be indicative of alpha or alpha-plus-beta count rates in excess of background. It is the opinion of ORAU that independent verification data collected support the site?s conclusions that the South Tower and Lockers sufficiently meet the site criteria for release to recycle and reuse.

National low-level waste management program radionuclide report series, Volume 14: Americium-241

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Winberg, M.R.; Garcia, R.S.

1995-09-01

This report, Volume 14 of the National Low-Level Waste Management Program Radionuclide Report Series, discusses the radiological and chemical characteristics of americium-241 ({sup 241}Am). This report also includes discussions about waste types and forms in which {sup 241}Am can be found and {sup 241}Am behavior in the environment and in the human body.

Online Radiology Reporting with Peer Review as a Learning and Feedback Tool in Radiology; Implementation, Validity, and Student Impressions.

PubMed

McEvoy, Fintan J; Shen, Nicholas W; Nielsen, Dorte H; Buelund, Lene E; Holm, Peter

2017-02-01

Communicating radiological reports to peers has pedagogical value. Students may be uneasy with the process due to a lack of communication and peer review skills or to their failure to see value in the process. We describe a communication exercise with peer review in an undergraduate veterinary radiology course. The computer code used to manage the course and deliver images online is reported, and we provide links to the executable files. We tested to see if undergraduate peer review of radiological reports has validity and describe student impressions of the learning process. Peer review scores for student-generated radiological reports were compared to scores obtained in the summative multiple choice (MCQ) examination for the course. Student satisfaction was measured using a bespoke questionnaire. There was a weak positive correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.32, p < 0.01) between peer review scores students received and the student scores obtained in the MCQ examination. The difference in peer review scores received by students grouped according to their level of course performance (high vs. low) was statistically significant (p < 0.05). No correlation was found between peer review scores awarded by the students and the scores they obtained in the MCQ examination (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.17, p = 0.14). In conclusion, we have created a realistic radiology imaging exercise with readily available software. The peer review scores are valid in that to a limited degree they reflect student future performance in an examination. Students valued the process of learning to communicate radiological findings but do not fully appreciated the value of peer review.

Radiological anatomy - evaluation of integrative education in radiology.

PubMed

Dettmer, S; Schmiedl, A; Meyer, S; Giesemann, A; Pabst, R; Weidemann, J; Wacker, F K; Kirchhoff, T

2013-09-01

Evaluation and analysis of the integrative course "Radiological Anatomy" established since 2007 at the Medical School Hannover (MHH) in comparison with conventional education. Anatomy and radiology are usually taught separately with a considerable time lag. Interdisciplinary teaching of these associated subjects seems logical for several reasons. Therefore, the integrative course "Radiological Anatomy" was established in the second year of medical education, combining these two closely related subjects. This interdisciplinary course was retrospectively evaluated by consideration of a student questionnaire and staff observations. The advantages and disadvantages of integrative teaching in medical education are discussed. The course ratings were excellent (median 1; mean 1.3 on a scale of 1 to 6). This is significantly (p < 0.001) better than the average of all evaluated courses in the respective term (grade 2.8). The course improved the anatomical comprehension (90 %) and the students stated that the topics were relevant for their future medical education (90 %). Furthermore, interest in the subject's anatomy and radiology increased during the course (88 %). According to the students' suggestions the course was enhanced by a visitation in the Department of Radiology and the additional topic central nervous system. Integrative teaching of anatomy and radiology was well received by the students. Both, anatomical and radiological comprehension and the motivation to learn were improved. However, it should be considered, that the amount of work and time required by the teaching staff is considerably increased compared to traditional teaching. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Informatics in radiology: evaluation of an e-learning platform for teaching medical students competency in ordering radiologic examinations.

PubMed

Marshall, Nina L; Spooner, Muirne; Galvin, P Leo; Ti, Joanna P; McElvaney, N Gerald; Lee, Michael J

2011-01-01

A preliminary audit of orders for computed tomography was performed to evaluate the typical performance of interns ordering radiologic examinations. According to the audit, the interns showed only minimal improvement after 8 months of work experience. The online radiology ordering module (ROM) program included baseline assessment of student performance (part I), online learning with the ROM (part II), and follow-up assessment of performance with simulated ordering with the ROM (part III). A curriculum blueprint determined the content of the ROM program, with an emphasis on practical issues, including provision of logistic information, clinical details, and safety-related information. Appropriate standards were developed by a committee of experts, and detailed scoring systems were devised for assessment. The ROM program was successful in addressing practical issues in a simulated setting. In the part I assessment, the mean score for noting contraindications for contrast media was 24%; this score increased to 59% in the part III assessment (P = .004). Similarly, notification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus status and pregnancy status and provision of referring physician contact information improved significantly. The quality of the clinical notes was stable, with good initial scores. Part III testing showed overall improvement, with the mean score increasing from 61% to 76% (P < .0001). In general, medical students lack the core knowledge that is needed for good-quality ordering of radiology services, and the experience typically afforded to interns does not address this lack of knowledge. The ROM program was a successful intervention that resulted in statistically significant improvements in the quality of radiologic examination orders, particularly with regard to logistic and radiation safety issues.

Radioactive waste isolation in salt: special advisory report on the status of the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation's plans for repository performance assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ditmars, J.D.; Walbridge, E.W.; Rote, D.M.

1983-10-01

Repository performance assessment is analysis that identifies events and processes that might affect a repository system for isolation of radioactive waste, examines their effects on barriers to waste migration, and estimates the probabilities of their occurrence and their consequences. In 1983 Battelle Memorial Institute's Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation (ONWI) prepared two plans - one for performance assessment for a waste repository in salt and one for verification and validation of performance assessment technology. At the request of the US Department of Energy's Salt Repository Project Office (SRPO), Argonne National Laboratory reviewed those plans and prepared this report to advisemore » SRPO of specific areas where ONWI's plans for performance assessment might be improved. This report presents a framework for repository performance assessment that clearly identifies the relationships among the disposal problems, the processes underlying the problems, the tools for assessment (computer codes), and the data. In particular, the relationships among important processes and 26 model codes available to ONWI are indicated. A common suggestion for computer code verification and validation is the need for specific and unambiguous documentation of the results of performance assessment activities. A major portion of this report consists of status summaries of 27 model codes indicated as potentially useful by ONWI. The code summaries focus on three main areas: (1) the code's purpose, capabilities, and limitations; (2) status of the elements of documentation and review essential for code verification and validation; and (3) proposed application of the code for performance assessment of salt repository systems. 15 references, 6 figures, 4 tables.« less

Development of high-performance supercapacitor electrode derived from sugar industry spent wash waste.

PubMed

Mahto, Ashesh; Gupta, Rajeev; Ghara, Krishna Kanta; Srivastava, Divesh N; Maiti, Pratyush; D, Kalpana; Rivera, Paul-Zavala; Meena, R; Nataraj, S K

2017-10-15

This study aims at developing supercapacitor materials from sugar and distillery industry wastes, thereby mediating waste disposal problem through reuse. In a two-step process, biomethanated spent wash (BMSW) was acid treated to produce solid waste sludge and waste water with significantly reduced total organic carbon (TOC) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) content. Further, waste sludge was directly calcined in presence of activating agent ZnCl 2 in inert atmosphere resulting in high surface area (730-900m 2 g -1 ) carbon of unique hexagonal morphology. Present technique resulted in achieving two-faceted target of liquid-solid waste remediation and production of high-performance carbon material. The resulted high surface area carbon was tested in both three and two electrode systems. Electrochemical tests viz. cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge and impedance measurement were carried out in aqueous KOH electrolyte yielding specific capacitance as high as 120Fg -1 , whereas all solid supercapacitor devised using PVA/H 3 PO 4 polyelectrolyte showed stable capacitance of 105Fg -1 at 0.2Ag -1 . The presence of transition metal particles and hetero-atoms on carbon surface were confirmed by XPS, EDX and TEM analysis which enhanced the conductivity and imparted pseudocapacitance to some extent into the working electrode. The present study successfully demonstrated production of high-performance electrode material from dirtiest wastewater making process green, sustainable and economically viable. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Pediatric Interventional Radiology: Vascular Interventions.

PubMed

Kandasamy, Devasenathipathy; Gamanagatti, Shivanand; Gupta, Arun Kumar

2016-07-01

Pediatric interventional radiology (PIR) comprises a range of minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that are performed using image guidance. PIR has emerged as an essential adjunct to various surgical and medical conditions. Over the years, technology has undergone dramatic and continuous evolution, making this speciality grow. In this review, the authors will discuss various vascular interventional procedures undertaken in pediatric patients. It is challenging for the interventional radiologist to accomplish a successful interventional procedure. There are many vascular interventional radiology procedures which are being performed and have changed the way the diseases are managed. Some of the procedures are life saving and have become the treatment of choice in those patients. The future is indeed bright for the practice and practitioners of pediatric vascular and non-vascular interventions. As more and more of the procedures that are currently being performed in adults get gradually adapted for use in the pediatric population, it may be possible to perform safe and successful interventions in many of the pediatric vascular lesions that are otherwise being referred for surgery.

Work productivity in rheumatoid arthritis: relationship with clinical and radiological features.

PubMed

Chaparro Del Moral, Rafael; Rillo, Oscar Luis; Casalla, Luciana; Morón, Carolina Bru; Citera, Gustavo; Cocco, José A Maldonado; Correa, María de Los Ángeles; Buschiazzo, Emilio; Tamborenea, Natalia; Mysler, Eduardo; Tate, Guillermo; Baños, Andrea; Herscovich, Natalia

2012-01-01

Objective. To assess the relationship between work productivity with disease activity, functional capacity, life quality and radiological damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. The study included consecutive employed patients with RA (ACR'87), aged over 18. Demographic, disease-related, and work-related variables were determined. The reduction of work productivity was assessed by WPAI-RA. Results. 90 patients were evaluated, 71% women. Age average is 50 years old, DAS28 4, and RAQoL 12. Median SENS is 18 and HAQ-A 0.87. Mean absenteeism was of 14%, presenting an average of 6.30 work hours wasted weekly. The reduction in performance at work or assistance was of 38.4% and the waste of productivity was of 45%. Assistance correlated with DAS28 (r = 0.446; P < 0.001), HAQ-A (r = 0.545; P < 0.001) and RAQoL (r = 0.475; P < 0.001). Lower total productivity was noticed in higher levels of activity and functional disability. Patients with SENS > 18 showed lower work productivity than those with SENS < 18 (50 versus 34; P = 0.04). In multiple regression analysis, variables associated with reduction of total work productivity were HAQ-A and RAQoL. Conclusion. RA patients with higher disease severity showed higher work productivity compromise.

Work Productivity in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Relationship with Clinical and Radiological Features

PubMed Central

Chaparro del Moral, Rafael; Rillo, Oscar Luis; Casalla, Luciana; Morón, Carolina Bru; Citera, Gustavo; Cocco, José A. Maldonado; Correa, María de los Ángeles; Buschiazzo, Emilio; Tamborenea, Natalia; Mysler, Eduardo; Tate, Guillermo; Baños, Andrea; Herscovich, Natalia

2012-01-01

Objective. To assess the relationship between work productivity with disease activity, functional capacity, life quality and radiological damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. The study included consecutive employed patients with RA (ACR'87), aged over 18. Demographic, disease-related, and work-related variables were determined. The reduction of work productivity was assessed by WPAI-RA. Results. 90 patients were evaluated, 71% women. Age average is 50 years old, DAS28 4, and RAQoL 12. Median SENS is 18 and HAQ-A 0.87. Mean absenteeism was of 14%, presenting an average of 6.30 work hours wasted weekly. The reduction in performance at work or assistance was of 38.4% and the waste of productivity was of 45%. Assistance correlated with DAS28 (r = 0.446; P < 0.001), HAQ-A (r = 0.545; P < 0.001) and RAQoL (r = 0.475; P < 0.001). Lower total productivity was noticed in higher levels of activity and functional disability. Patients with SENS > 18 showed lower work productivity than those with SENS < 18 (50 versus 34; P = 0.04). In multiple regression analysis, variables associated with reduction of total work productivity were HAQ-A and RAQoL. Conclusion. RA patients with higher disease severity showed higher work productivity compromise. PMID:23320166

Development of Pflotran Code for Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Performance Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeitler, T.; Day, B. A.; Frederick, J.; Hammond, G. E.; Kim, S.; Sarathi, R.; Stein, E.

2017-12-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) has been developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the geologic (deep underground) disposal of transuranic (TRU) waste. Containment of TRU waste at the WIPP is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DOE demonstrates compliance with the containment requirements by means of performance assessment (PA) calculations. WIPP PA calculations estimate the probability and consequence of potential radionuclide releases from the repository to the accessible environment for a regulatory period of 10,000 years after facility closure. The long-term performance of the repository is assessed using a suite of sophisticated computational codes. There is a current effort to enhance WIPP PA capabilities through the further development of the PFLOTRAN software, a state-of-the-art massively parallel subsurface flow and reactive transport code. Benchmark testing of the individual WIPP-specific process models implemented in PFLOTRAN (e.g., gas generation, chemistry, creep closure, actinide transport, and waste form) has been performed, including results comparisons for PFLOTRAN and existing WIPP PA codes. Additionally, enhancements to the subsurface hydrologic flow mode have been made. Repository-scale testing has also been performed for the modified PFLTORAN code and detailed results will be presented. Ultimately, improvements to the current computational environment will result in greater detail and flexibility in the repository model due to a move from a two-dimensional calculation grid to a three-dimensional representation. The result of the effort will be a state-of-the-art subsurface flow and transport capability that will serve WIPP PA into the future for use in compliance recertification applications (CRAs) submitted to the EPA. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-mission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of

Performance of a Steel/Oxide Composite Waste Form for Combined Waste Steams from Advanced Electrochemical Processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Indacochea, J. E.; Gattu, V. K.; Chen, X.

The results of electrochemical corrosion tests and modeling activities performed collaboratively by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory as part of workpackage NU-13-IL-UIC-0203-02 are summarized herein. The overall objective of the project was to develop and demonstrate testing and modeling approaches that could be used to evaluate the use of composite alloy/ceramic materials as high-level durable waste forms. Several prototypical composite waste form materials were made from stainless steels representing fuel cladding, reagent metals representing metallic fuel waste streams, and reagent oxides representing oxide fuel waste streams to study the microstructures and corrosion behaviorsmore » of the oxide and alloy phases. Microelectrodes fabricated from small specimens of the composite materials were used in a series of electrochemical tests to assess the corrosion behaviors of the constituent phases and phase boundaries in an aggressive acid brine solution at various imposed surface potentials. The microstructures were characterized in detail before and after the electrochemical tests to relate the electrochemical responses to changes in both the electrode surface and the solution composition. The results of microscopic, electrochemical, and solution analyses were used to develop equivalent circuit and physical models representing the measured corrosion behaviors of the different materials pertinent to long-term corrosion behavior. This report provides details regarding (1) the production of the composite materials, (2) the protocol for the electrochemical measurements and interpretations of the responses of multi-phase alloy and oxide composites, (3) relating corrosion behaviors to microstructures of multi-phase alloys based on 316L stainless steel and HT9 (410 stainless steel was used as a substitute) with added Mo, Ni, and/or Mn, and (4) modeling the corrosion behaviors and rates of several alloy/oxide composite

Action research regarding the optimisation of radiological protection for nurses during vascular interventional radiology.

PubMed

Mori, Hiroshige

2015-06-01

The optimisation and decision-making processes for radiological protection have been broadened by the introduction of re-examination or feedback after introducing protective measures. In this study, action research was used to reduce the occupational exposure of vascular interventional radiology (IR) nurses. Four radiological protection improvement measures were continuously performed in cooperation with the researchers, nurses and stakeholders, and the nurses' annual effective doses were compared before and after the improvements. First, the dosimetry equipment was changed from one electronic personal dosimeter (EPD) to two silver-activated phosphate glass dosimeters (PGDs). Second, the nurses were educated regarding maintaining a safe distance from the sources of scattered and leakage radiation. Third, portable radiation shielding screens were placed in the IR rooms. Fourth, the x-ray units' pulse rates were reduced by half. On changing the dosimetry method, the two PGDs recorded a 4.4 fold greater dose than the single EPD. Educating nurses regarding radiological protection and reducing the pulse rates by half decreased their effective doses to one-third and two-fifths of the baseline dose, respectively. No significant difference in their doses was detected after the placement of the shielding screens. Therefore, the action research effectively decreased the occupational doses of the vascular IR nurses.

Decision Support System For Management Of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal At The Nevada Test Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shott, G.; Yucel, V.; Desotell, L.

2006-07-01

The long-term safety of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) low-level radioactive disposal facilities is assessed by conducting a performance assessment -- a systematic analysis that compares estimated risks to the public and the environment with performance objectives contained in DOE Manual 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual. Before site operations, facilities design features such as final inventory, waste form characteristics, and closure cover design may be uncertain. Site operators need a modeling tool that can be used throughout the operational life of the disposal site to guide decisions regarding the acceptance of problematic waste streams, new disposal cell design, environmental monitoringmore » program design, and final site closure. In response to these needs the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) has developed a decision support system for the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site in Frenchman Flat on the Nevada Test Site. The core of the system is a probabilistic inventory and performance assessment model implemented in the GoldSim{sup R} simulation platform. The modeling platform supports multiple graphic capabilities that allow clear documentation of the model data sources, conceptual model, mathematical implementation, and results. The combined models have the capability to estimate disposal site inventory, contaminant concentrations in environmental media, and radiological doses to members of the public engaged in various activities at multiple locations. The model allows rapid assessment and documentation of the consequences of waste management decisions using the most current site characterization information, radionuclide inventory, and conceptual model. The model is routinely used to provide annual updates of site performance, evaluate the consequences of disposal of new waste streams, develop waste concentration limits, optimize the design of new disposal cells, and assess the adequacy of

Radioactive characterization of the main materials involved in the titanium dioxide production process and their environmental radiological impact.

PubMed

Mantero, J; Gazquez, M J; Bolivar, J P; Garcia-Tenorio, R; Vaca, F

2013-06-01

A study about the distribution of several radionuclides from the uranium and the thorium series radionuclides along the production process of a typical NORM industry devoted to the production of titanium dioxide has been performed. With this end the activity concentrations in raw materials, final product, co-products, and wastes of the production process have been determined by both gamma-ray and alpha-particle spectrometry. The main raw material used in the studied process (ilmenite) presents activity concentrations of around 300 Bq kg(-1) for Th-series radionuclides and 100 Bq kg(-1) for the U-series ones. These radionuclides in the industrial process are distributed in the different steps of the production process according mostly to the chemical behaviour of each radioelement, following different routes. As an example, most of the radium remains associated with the un-dissolved material waste, with activity concentrations around 3 kBq kg(-1) of (228)Ra and around 1 kBq kg(-1) of (226)Ra, while the final commercial products (TiO2 pigments and co-products) contain negligible amounts of radioactivity. The obtained results have allowed assessing the possible public radiological impact associated with the use of the products and co-products obtained in this type of industry, as well as the environmental radiological impact associated with the solid residues and liquid generated discharges. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiology Undergraduate and Resident Curricula: A Narrative Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Linaker, Kathleen L.

2015-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the literature regarding radiology curricula for both undergraduates and residents. Methods A review of the literature was performed using relevant key words. Articles were retrieved through December 2012 using PubMed, ScienceDirect, ERIC, Proquest, and ICL databases along with a manual review of references. Results Of the 4716 unique abstracts reviewed by the author, 142 were found to be relevant to the purpose of this study. Undergraduate radiology education, radiology curriculum, and radiology pedagogy vary widely between disciplines and between colleges within disciplines. Formal radiology education is not taught at all medical programs and little radiology training is incorporated into non-radiology residencies. This results in some medical graduates not being taught how to interpret basic radiology images and not learning contraindications and indications for ordering diagnostic imaging tests. There are no definitive studies examining how to incorporate radiology into the curriculum, how to teach radiology to either undergraduates or residents, or how to assess this clinical competency. Conclusions This review shows that radiology education is perceived to be important in undergraduate and residency programs. However, some programs do not include radiology training, thus graduates from those programs do not learn radiology essentials. PMID:26770172

Updates on Percutaneous Radiologic Gastrostomy/Gastrojejunostomy and Jejunostomy

PubMed Central

Park, Auh-Whan

2010-01-01

Gastrostomy placement for nutritional support for patients with inadequate oral intake has been attempted using surgical, endoscopic, and, more recently, percutaneous radiologically guided methods. Surgical gastrostomy has been superseded by both endoscopic and radiologic gastrostomy. We describe herein the indications, contraindications, patient preparations, techniques, complications, and aftercare with regard to radiologic gastrostomy. In addition, we discuss the available tube types and their perceived advantages. There remain some controversies regarding gastropexy performance and primary percutaneous gastrojejunostomy. Percutaneous jejunostomy is indicated for patients whose stomach is inaccessible for gastrostomy placement or for those who have had a previous gastrectomy. PMID:21103291

33 Shafts Category of Transuranic Waste Stored Below Ground within Area G

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hargis, Kenneth Marshall; Monk, Thomas H

This report compiles information to support the evaluation of alternatives and analysis of regulatory paths forward for the 33 shafts. The historical information includes a form completed by waste generators for each waste package (Reference 6) that included a waste description, estimates of Pu-239 and uranium-235 (U-235) based on an accounting technique, and calculations of mixed fission products (MFP) based on radiation measurements. A 1979 letter and questionnaire (Reference 7) provides information on waste packaging of hot cell waste and the configuration of disposal shafts as storage in the 33 Shafts was initiated. Tables of data by waste package weremore » developed during a review of historical documents that was performed in 2005 (Reference 8). Radiological data was coupled with material-type data to estimate the initial isotopic content of each waste package and an Oak Ridge National Laboratory computer code was used to calculate 2009 decay levels. Other sources of information include a waste disposal logbook for the 33 shafts (Reference 9), reports that summarize remote-handled waste generated at the CMR facility (Reference 10) and placement of waste in the 33 shafts (Reference 11), a report on decommissioning of the LAMPRE reactor (Reference 12), interviews with an employee and manager involved in placing waste in the 33 shafts (References 13 and 14), an interview with a long-time LANL employee involved in waste operations (Reference 15), a 2002 plan for disposition of remote-handled TRU waste (Reference 16), and photographs obtained during field surveys of several shafts in 2007. The WIPP Central Characterization Project (CCP) completed an Acceptable Knowledge (AK) summary report for 16 canisters of remote-handled waste from the CMR Facility that contains information relevant to the 33 Shafts on hot-cell operations and timeline (Reference 17).« less

A model for evaluating the social performance of construction waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yuan Hongping, E-mail: hpyuan2005@gmail.com

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Scant attention is paid to social performance of construction waste management (CWM). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We develop a model for assessing the social performance of CWM. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer With the model, the social performance of CWM can be quantitatively simulated. - Abstract: It has been determined by existing literature that a lot of research efforts have been made to the economic performance of construction waste management (CWM), but less attention is paid to investigation of the social performance of CWM. This study therefore attempts to develop a model for quantitatively evaluating the social performance of CWM by using a system dynamicsmore » (SD) approach. Firstly, major variables affecting the social performance of CWM are identified and a holistic system for assessing the social performance of CWM is formulated in line with feedback relationships underlying these variables. The developed system is then converted into a SD model through the software iThink. An empirical case study is finally conducted to demonstrate application of the model. Results of model validation indicate that the model is robust and reasonable to reflect the situation of the real system under study. Findings of the case study offer helpful insights into effectively promoting the social performance of CWM of the project investigated. Furthermore, the model exhibits great potential to function as an experimental platform for dynamically evaluating effects of management measures on improving the social performance of CWM of construction projects.« less

Reinventing radiology reimbursement.

PubMed

Marshall, John; Adema, Denise

2005-01-01

Lee Memorial Health System (LMHS), located in southwest Florida, consists of 5 hospitals, a home health agency, a skilled nursing facility, multiple outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, and primary care physician offices. LMHS annually performs more than 300,000 imaging procedures with gross imaging revenues exceeding dollar 350 million. In fall 2002, LMHS received the results of an independent audit of its IR coding. The overall IR coding error rate was determined to be 84.5%. The projected net financial impact of these errors was an annual reimbursement loss of dollar 182,000. To address the issues of coding errors and reimbursement loss, LMHS implemented its clinical reimbursementspecialist (CRS) system in October 2003, as an extension of financial services' reimbursement division. LMHS began with CRSs in 3 service lines: emergency department, cardiac catheterization, and radiology. These 3 CRSs coordinate all facets of their respective areas' chargemaster, patient charges, coding, and reimbursement functions while serving as a resident coding expert within their clinical areas. The radiology reimbursement specialist (RRS) combines an experienced radiologic technologist, interventional technologist, medical records coder, financial auditor, reimbursement specialist, and biller into a single position. The RRS's radiology experience and technologist knowledge are key assets to resolving coding conflicts and handling complex interventional coding. In addition, performing a daily charge audit and an active code review are essential if an organization is to eliminate coding errors. One of the inherent effects of eliminating coding errors is the capturing of additional RVUs and units of service. During its first year, based on account level detail, the RRS system increased radiology productivity through the additional capture of just more than 3,000 RVUs and 1,000 additional units of service. In addition, the physicians appreciate having someone who "keeps up

137Cs Radiological risk estimation of NSD facility at Karawang site by using RESRAD onsite application: effect of cover thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setiawan, B.; Prihastuti, S.; Moersidik, S. S.

2018-02-01

The operational of near surface disposal facility during waste packages loading activity into the facility, or in a monitoring activity around disposal facility at Karawang area is predicted to give a radiological risk to radiation workers. The thickness of disposal facility cover system affected the number of radiological risk of workers. Due to this reason, a radiological risk estimation needs to be considered. RESRAD onsite code is applied for this purpose by analyse the individual accepted dose and radiological risk data of radiation workers. The obtained results and then are compared with radiation protection reference in accordance with national regulation. In this case, the data from the experimental result of Karawang clay as host of disposal facility such as Kd value of 137Cs was used. Results showed that the thickness of the cover layer of disposal facility affected to the radiological risk which accepted by workers in a near surface disposal facility.

Pediatric interventional radiology clinic - how are we doing?

PubMed

Rubenstein, Jonathan; Zettel, Julie C; Lee, Eric; Cote, Michelle; Aziza, Albert; Connolly, Bairbre L

2016-07-01

Development of a pediatric interventional radiology clinic is a necessary component of providing a pediatric interventional radiology service. Patient satisfaction is important when providing efficient, high-quality care. To analyze the care provided by a pediatric interventional radiology clinic from the perspective of efficiency and parent satisfaction, so as to identify areas for improvement. The prospective study was both quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative component measured clinic efficiency (waiting times, duration of clinic visit, nurse/physician time allocation and assessments performed; n = 91). The qualitative component assessed parental satisfaction with their experience with the pediatric interventional radiology clinic, using a questionnaire (5-point Likert scale) and optional free text section for feedback (n = 80). Questions explored the family's perception of relevance of information provided, consent process and overall satisfaction with their pediatric interventional radiology clinic experience. Families waited a mean of 11 and 10 min to meet the physician and nurse, respectively. Nurses and physicians spent a mean of 28 and 21 min with the families, respectively. The average duration of the pediatric interventional radiology clinic consultation was 56 min. Of 80 survey participants, 83% were satisfied with their experience and 94% said they believed providing consent before the day of the procedure was helpful. Only 5% of respondents were not satisfied with the time-efficiency of the interventional radiology clinic. Results show the majority of patients/parents are very satisfied with the pediatric interventional radiology clinic visit. The efficiency of the pediatric interventional radiology clinic is satisfactory; however, adherence to stricter scheduling can be improved.

Occupational necessity and educational invention: resident teaching of radiologic technologists.

PubMed

Gunderman, Richard B; Fraley, Ronald; Jackson, Valerie; Robinson, Susan; Williamson, Kenneth

2003-04-01

Radiology faces a severe and growing shortage of radiologic technologists. One way of redressing this problem is to improve the quality of education provided to radiologic technology students. Yet growing clinical demands increasingly erode faculty time for teaching. This study examined whether radiology residents could provide equivalent instruction in radiologic technology at lower cost, and whether such experience could enhance residents' interest in teaching as part of their careers. Course evaluation forms completed by the students in a required radiologic pathology course were reviewed, and student-reported faculty and resident performances in teaching were compared. Residents also were surveyed for their reactions to the experience of teaching this course. Ninety percent of students (27 of 30) either agreed or strongly agreed that the course was well taught by radiology faculty members, and 97% (29 of 30) either agreed or strongly agreed that the course was well taught by radiology residents. The total direct cost of instruction by radiology residents was 73% lower than the cost of instruction by faculty. Residents who participated in teaching found the experience worthwhile, and they described a wide variety of personal and educational benefits. Involving radiology residents in teaching can help redress the growing shortage of radiologic technologists, relieve some of the pressure on faculty time, and contribute to the professional development of the next generation of radiologists.

Accountable care organizations and radiology: threat or opportunity?

PubMed

Abramson, Richard G; Berger, Paul E; Brant-Zawadzki, Michael N

2012-12-01

Although the anticipated rise of accountable care organizations brings certain potential threats to radiologists, including direct threats to revenue and indirect systemic changes jeopardizing the bargaining leverage of radiology groups, accountable care organizations, and other integrated health care delivery models may provide radiology with an important opportunity to reassert its leadership and assume a more central role within health care systems. Capitalizing on this potential opportunity, however, will require radiology groups to abandon the traditional "film reader" mentality and engage actively in the design and implementation of nontraditional systems service lines aimed at adding differentiated value to larger health care organizations. Important interlinked and mutually reinforcing components of systems service lines, derived from radiology's core competencies, may include utilization management and decision support, IT leadership, quality and safety assurance, and operational enhancements to meet organizational goals. Such systems-oriented service products, tailored to the needs of individual integrated care entities and supported by objective performance metrics, may provide market differentiation to shield radiology from commoditization and could become an important source of new nonclinical revenue. Copyright © 2012 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Incidence of Radiologically Isolated Syndrome: A Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Forslin, Y; Granberg, T; Jumah, A Antwan; Shams, S; Aspelin, P; Kristoffersen-Wiberg, M; Martola, J; Fredrikson, S

2016-06-01

Incidental MR imaging findings resembling MS in asymptomatic individuals, fulfilling the Okuda criteria, are termed "radiologically isolated syndrome." Those with radiologically isolated syndrome are at high risk of their condition converting to MS. The epidemiology of radiologically isolated syndrome remains largely unknown, and there are no population-based studies, to our knowledge. Our aim was to study the population-based incidence of radiologically isolated syndrome in a high-incidence region for MS and to evaluate the effect on radiologically isolated syndrome incidence when revising the original radiologically isolated syndrome criteria by using the latest radiologic classification for dissemination in space. All 2272 brain MR imaging scans in 1907 persons obtained during 2013 in the Swedish county of Västmanland, with a population of 259,000 inhabitants, were blindly evaluated by a senior radiologist and a senior neuroradiologist. The Okuda criteria for radiologically isolated syndrome were applied by using both the Barkhof and Swanton classifications for dissemination in space. Assessments of clinical data were performed by a radiology resident and a senior neurologist. The cumulative incidence of radiologically isolated syndrome was 2 patients (0.1%), equaling an incidence rate of 0.8 cases per 100,000 person-years, in a region with an incidence rate of MS of 10.2 cases per 100,000 person-years. There was no difference in the radiologically isolated syndrome incidence rate when applying a modified version of the Okuda criteria by using the newer Swanton classification for dissemination in space. Radiologically isolated syndrome is uncommon in a high-incidence region for MS. Adapting the Okuda criteria to use the dissemination in space-Swanton classification may be feasible. Future studies on radiologically isolated syndrome may benefit from a collaborative approach to ensure adequate numbers of participants. © 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Ground Penetrating Radar as a Contextual Sensor for Multi-Sensor Radiological Characterisation

PubMed Central

Ukaegbu, Ikechukwu K.; Gamage, Kelum A. A.

2017-01-01

Radioactive sources exist in environments or contexts that influence how they are detected and localised. For instance, the context of a moving source is different from a stationary source because of the effects of motion. The need to incorporate this contextual information in the radiation detection and localisation process has necessitated the integration of radiological and contextual sensors. The benefits of the successful integration of both types of sensors is well known and widely reported in fields such as medical imaging. However, the integration of both types of sensors has also led to innovative solutions to challenges in characterising radioactive sources in non-medical applications. This paper presents a review of such recent applications. It also identifies that these applications mostly use visual sensors as contextual sensors for characterising radiation sources. However, visual sensors cannot retrieve contextual information about radioactive wastes located in opaque environments encountered at nuclear sites, e.g., underground contamination. Consequently, this paper also examines ground-penetrating radar (GPR) as a contextual sensor for characterising this category of wastes and proposes several ways of integrating data from GPR and radiological sensors. Finally, it demonstrates combined GPR and radiation imaging for three-dimensional localisation of contamination in underground pipes using radiation transport and GPR simulations. PMID:28387706

Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC) : gap analysis for high fidelity and performance assessment code development.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Joon H.; Siegel, Malcolm Dean; Arguello, Jose Guadalupe, Jr.

2011-03-01

This report describes a gap analysis performed in the process of developing the Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC) in support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Campaign. The goal of the Waste IPSC is to develop an integrated suite of computational modeling and simulation capabilities to quantitatively assess the long-term performance of waste forms in the engineered and geologic environments of a radioactive waste storage or disposal system. The Waste IPSC will provide this simulation capability (1) for a range of disposal concepts, waste form types, engineered repositorymore » designs, and geologic settings, (2) for a range of time scales and distances, (3) with appropriate consideration of the inherent uncertainties, and (4) in accordance with rigorous verification, validation, and software quality requirements. The gap analyses documented in this report were are performed during an initial gap analysis to identify candidate codes and tools to support the development and integration of the Waste IPSC, and during follow-on activities that delved into more detailed assessments of the various codes that were acquired, studied, and tested. The current Waste IPSC strategy is to acquire and integrate the necessary Waste IPSC capabilities wherever feasible, and develop only those capabilities that cannot be acquired or suitably integrated, verified, or validated. The gap analysis indicates that significant capabilities may already exist in the existing THC codes although there is no single code able to fully account for all physical and chemical processes involved in a waste disposal system. Large gaps exist in modeling chemical processes and their couplings with other processes. The coupling of chemical processes with flow transport and mechanical deformation remains challenging. The data for extreme environments (e.g., for elevated temperature and high ionic strength media) that

Performance Characteristics of Waste Glass Powder Substituting Portland Cement in Mortar Mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kara, P.; Csetényi, L. J.; Borosnyói, A.

2016-04-01

In the present work, soda-lime glass cullet (flint, amber, green) and special glass cullet (soda-alkaline earth-silicate glass coming from low pressure mercury-discharge lamp cullet and incandescent light bulb borosilicate glass waste cullet) were ground into fine powders in a laboratory planetary ball mill for 30 minutes. CEM I 42.5N Portland cement was applied in mortar mixtures, substituted with waste glass powder at levels of 20% and 30%. Characterisation and testing of waste glass powders included fineness by laser diffraction particle size analysis, specific surface area by nitrogen adsorption technique, particle density by pycnometry and chemical analysis by X-ray fluorescence spectrophotometry. Compressive strength, early age shrinkage cracking and drying shrinkage tests, heat of hydration of mortars, temperature of hydration, X-ray diffraction analysis and volume stability tests were performed to observe the influence of waste glass powder substitution for Portland cement on physical and engineering properties of mortar mixtures.

Performance of CMOS imager as sensing element for a Real-time Active Pixel Dosimeter for Interventional Radiology procedures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magalotti, D.; Bissi, L.; Conti, E.; Paolucci, M.; Placidi, P.; Scorzoni, A.; Servoli, L.

2014-01-01

Staff members applying Interventional Radiology procedures are exposed to ionizing radiation, which can induce detrimental effects to the human body, and requires an improvement of radiation protection. This paper is focused on the study of the sensor element for a wireless real-time dosimeter to be worn by the medical staff during the interventional radiology procedures, in the framework of the Real-Time Active PIxel Dosimetry (RAPID) INFN project. We characterize a CMOS imager to be used as detection element for the photons scattered by the patient body. The CMOS imager has been first characterized in laboratory using fluorescence X-ray sources, then a PMMA phantom has been used to diffuse the X-ray photons from an angiography system. Different operating conditions have been used to test the detector response in realistic situations, by varying the X-ray tube parameters (continuous/pulsed mode, tube voltage and current, pulse parameters), the sensor parameters (gain, integration time) and the relative distance between sensor and phantom. The sensor response has been compared with measurements performed using passive dosimeters (TLD) and also with a certified beam, in an accredited calibration centre, in order to obtain an absolute calibration. The results are very encouraging, with dose and dose rate measurement uncertainties below the 10% level even for the most demanding Interventional Radiology protocols.

Performance assessment methodology and preliminary results for low-level radioactive waste disposal in Taiwan.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arnold, Bill Walter; Chang, Fu-lin; Mattie, Patrick D.

2006-02-01

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Taiwan's Institute for Nuclear Energy Research (INER) have teamed together to evaluate several candidate sites for Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLW) disposal in Taiwan. Taiwan currently has three nuclear power plants, with another under construction. Taiwan also has a research reactor, as well as medical and industrial wastes to contend with. Eventually the reactors will be decomissioned. Operational and decommissioning wastes will need to be disposed in a licensed disposal facility starting in 2014. Taiwan has adopted regulations similar to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) low-level radioactive waste rules (10 CFR 61) to govern themore » disposal of LLW. Taiwan has proposed several potential sites for the final disposal of LLW that is now in temporary storage on Lanyu Island and on-site at operating nuclear power plants, and for waste generated in the future through 2045. The planned final disposal facility will have a capacity of approximately 966,000 55-gallon drums. Taiwan is in the process of evaluating the best candidate site to pursue for licensing. Among these proposed sites there are basically two disposal concepts: shallow land burial and cavern disposal. A representative potential site for shallow land burial is located on a small island in the Taiwan Strait with basalt bedrock and interbedded sedimentary rocks. An engineered cover system would be constructed to limit infiltration for shallow land burial. A representative potential site for cavern disposal is located along the southeastern coast of Taiwan in a tunnel system that would be about 500 to 800 m below the surface. Bedrock at this site consists of argillite and meta-sedimentary rocks. Performance assessment analyses will be performed to evaluate future performance of the facility and the potential dose/risk to exposed populations. Preliminary performance assessment analyses will be used in the site-selection process and to aid in design of

Proposal of an environmental performance index to assess solid waste treatment technologies.

PubMed

Coelho, Hosmanny Mauro Goulart; Lange, Liséte Celina; Coelho, Lineker Max Goulart

2012-07-01

Although the concern with sustainable development and environment protection has considerably grown in the last years it is noted that the majority of decision making models and tools are still either excessively tied to economic aspects or geared to the production process. Moreover, existing models focus on the priority steps of solid waste management, beyond waste energy recovery and disposal. So, in order to help the lack of models and tools aiming at the waste treatment and final disposal, a new concept is proposed: the Cleaner Treatment, which is based on the Cleaner Production principles. This paper focuses on the development and validation of the Cleaner Treatment Index (CTI), to assess environmental performance of waste treatment technologies based on the Cleaner Treatment concept. The index is formed by aggregation (summation or product) of several indicators that consists in operational parameters. The weights of the indicator were established by Delphi Method and Brazilian Environmental Laws. In addition, sensitivity analyses were carried out comparing both aggregation methods. Finally, index validation was carried out by applying the CTI to 10 waste-to-energy plants data. From sensitivity analysis and validation results it is possible to infer that summation model is the most suitable aggregation method. For summation method, CTI results were superior to 0.5 (in a scale from 0 to 1) for most facilities evaluated. So, this study demonstrates that CTI is a simple and robust tool to assess and compare the environmental performance of different treatment plants being an excellent quantitative tool to support Cleaner Treatment implementation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance of mechanical biological treatment of residual municipal waste in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

den Boer, Emilia; Jędrczak, Andrzej

2017-11-01

The number and capacity of mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) plants in Europe increased significantly in the past two decades as a response to the legal obligation to limit the landfilling of biodegradable waste in landfills and to increase recycling and energy recovery from waste. The aim of these plants is to prepare residual municipal waste for recovery and disposal operations, including especially separation and stabilization of the easily biodegradable fraction (the biofraction). The final products of MBP technology are recyclables, stabilate, high calorific fraction which is used for the production of refuse derived fuel (RDF) and the remaining residual fraction. The shares of the output fractions, especially of the recyclables and RDF determine the overall efficiency of MBT technology in diverting waste from landfills. In this paper results of an assessment of one exemplary MBT plant are provided. The analysis was performed within a comparative study in which 20 selected MBT plants in Poland were subject to a detailed analysis, focusing, both at the design parameters as well as operational ones. The selected plant showed relatively higher overall materials recovery efficiency. With the view to circular economy targets, increased automation of the mechanical waste treatment will be required to support achieving high level diversion from landfills. The study reviled that stabilisation of biofraction should be improved by a better control of process conditions, especially moisture content.

A Probabilistic Performance Assessment Study of Potential Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Sites in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knowlton, R. G.; Arnold, B. W.; Mattie, P. D.; Kuo, M.; Tien, N.

2006-12-01

For several years now, Taiwan has been engaged in a process to select a low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal site. Taiwan is generating LLW from operational and decommissioning wastes associated with nuclear power reactors, as well as research, industrial, and medical radioactive wastes. The preliminary selection process has narrowed the search to four potential candidate sites. These sites are to be evaluated in a performance assessment analysis to determine the likelihood of meeting the regulatory criteria for disposal. Sandia National Laboratories and Taiwan's Institute of Nuclear Energy Research have been working together to develop the necessary performance assessment methodology and associated computer models to perform these analyses. The methodology utilizes both deterministic (e.g., single run) and probabilistic (e.g., multiple statistical realizations) analyses to achieve the goals. The probabilistic approach provides a means of quantitatively evaluating uncertainty in the model predictions and a more robust basis for performing sensitivity analyses to better understand what is driving the dose predictions from the models. Two types of disposal configurations are under consideration: a shallow land burial concept and a cavern disposal concept. The shallow land burial option includes a protective cover to limit infiltration potential to the waste. Both conceptual designs call for the disposal of 55 gallon waste drums within concrete lined trenches or tunnels, and backfilled with grout. Waste emplaced in the drums may be solidified. Both types of sites are underlain or placed within saturated fractured bedrock material. These factors have influenced the conceptual model development of each site, as well as the selection of the models to employ for the performance assessment analyses. Several existing codes were integrated in order to facilitate a comprehensive performance assessment methodology to evaluate the potential disposal sites. First, a need

A Study of Waste-Heat-Boiler Size and Performance of a Conceptual Marine COGAS System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-02-01

The addition of a waste-heat boiler which extracts heat from the gas turbine exhaust gas to operate a bottoming Rankine cycle is one way to improve the...do not change significantly. Higher saturation pressure actually results in a somewhat lower boiler heat transfer, but the Rankine - cycle performance...of heat transferred in the waste-heat boiler and (2) the conversion efficiency of the Rankine cycle . In sizing the waste-heat boiler, attention was

Implementation of a Longitudinal Introduction to Radiology Course During Internship Year Improves Diagnostic Radiology Residents' Academic and Clinical Skills: A Canadian Experience.

PubMed

Darras, Kathryn E; Worthington, Anne; Russell, David; Hou, Daniel J; Forster, Bruce B; Hague, Cameron J; Mar, Colin; Chang, Silvia D

2016-07-01

In order to ease the transition from internship to diagnostic radiology residency, a year-long didactic introduction to radiology course was offered to post-graduate year one (PGY-1) diagnostic radiology residents during their internship, which consisted of 27 hours of lecture over 9 months. The purpose of this study was to determine the quantitative and qualitative educational value of this course and its effect with respect to on-call preparedness. Two consecutive cohorts of Diagnostic Radiology residents were included: the first cohort (PGY-1s in 2011-2012) did not participate in the new course (Old Curriculum Residents) and the second cohort (PGY-1s in 2012-2013) completed the new course (New Curriculum Residents). These two cohorts were compared both qualitatively and quantitatively. Scores were compared from the standardized Canadian National Pre-Call Observed Standardized Clinical Examination and American College of Radiology Diagnostic Radiology In-Training examination, which are taken in the PGY-2 year, at months 5 and 7, respectively. In addition, staff observation of on-call resident performance and resident self-reported preparedness were considered. Cohorts were compared using Mann-Whitney U test with significance defined as P value <0.05. P values from 0.05 to 0.10 were noted as possibly significant and further analyzed using a Cohen d test where the difference was determined to be small (0.2), medium (0.5), or large (0.8). New Curriculum Residents reported that the content of the PGY1 curriculum was more appropriate than the old curriculum to prepare them for call in PGY2 (P = 0.013). New Curriculum Residents scored better than the Old Curriculum Residents on the Diagnostic Radiology In-Training examination (P = 0.039) and on the emergency cases of the Canadian National Pre-Call Observed Standardized Clinical Examination (P = 0.035). Staff radiologists, who were not blinded, reported that the New Curriculum Residents were better prepared

Diesel engine performance and emissions with fuels derived from waste tyres.

PubMed

Verma, Puneet; Zare, Ali; Jafari, Mohammad; Bodisco, Timothy A; Rainey, Thomas; Ristovski, Zoran D; Brown, Richard J

2018-02-06

The disposal of waste rubber and scrap tyres is a significant issue globally; disposal into stockpiles and landfill poses a serious threat to the environment, in addition to creating ecological problems. Fuel production from tyre waste could form part of the solution to this global issue. Therefore, this paper studies the potential of fuels derived from waste tyres as alternatives to diesel. Production methods and the influence of reactor operating parameters (such as reactor temperature and catalyst type) on oil yield are outlined. These have a major effect on the performance and emission characteristics of diesel engines when using tyre derived fuels. In general, tyre derived fuels increase the brake specific fuel consumption and decrease the brake thermal efficiency. The majority of studies indicate that NOx emissions increase with waste tyre derived fuels; however, a few studies have reported the opposite trend. A similar increasing trend has been observed for CO and CO 2 emissions. Although most studies reported an increase in HC emission owing to lower cetane number and higher density, some studies have reported reduced HC emissions. It has been found that the higher aromatic content in such fuels can lead to increased particulate matter emissions.

Multi-criteria group decision making for evaluating the performance of e-waste recycling programs under uncertainty.

PubMed

Wibowo, Santoso; Deng, Hepu

2015-06-01

This paper presents a multi-criteria group decision making approach for effectively evaluating the performance of e-waste recycling programs under uncertainty in an organization. Intuitionistic fuzzy numbers are used for adequately representing the subjective and imprecise assessments of the decision makers in evaluating the relative importance of evaluation criteria and the performance of individual e-waste recycling programs with respect to individual criteria in a given situation. An interactive fuzzy multi-criteria decision making algorithm is developed for facilitating consensus building in a group decision making environment to ensure that all the interest of individual decision makers have been appropriately considered in evaluating alternative e-waste recycling programs with respect to their corporate sustainability performance. The developed algorithm is then incorporated into a multi-criteria decision support system for making the overall performance evaluation process effectively and simple to use. Such a multi-criteria decision making system adequately provides organizations with a proactive mechanism for incorporating the concept of corporate sustainability into their regular planning decisions and business practices. An example is presented for demonstrating the applicability of the proposed approach in evaluating the performance of e-waste recycling programs in organizations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Summary of the 2012 Wide Area Recovery and Resiliency Program (WARRP) Waste Management Workshop

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Workshop advanced the planning of federal, state and local officials in the area of waste management following a chemical, biological or radiological wide-area incident in the Denver, Colorado urban area.

Electrical Resistivity Imaging Below Nuclear Waste Tank Farms at the Hanford Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rucker, D. F.; Levitt, M. T.

2006-12-01

The Hanford Site, a Department of Energy nuclear processing facility in eastern Washington, contains a complex series of radiological liquid waste disposal and storage facilities. The primary method of interim storage is the use of large single-shelled steel tanks with capacities of up to 3790 m3 (1 million gallons). The tanks are organized below ground into tank farms, with about 12 tanks per farm. The liquid waste within the tanks is primarily comprised of inorganic salts with minor constituents of heavy metals and radiological metals. The electrical properties of the radiological waste are significantly different to that of the surrounding engineered fill and native geologic formations. Over the past 60 years since the earliest tanks have been in use, many have been known to leak. An electrical resistivity survey was conducted within a tank farm to map the extent of the plumes resulting from historic leaks. Traditional surface-based electrical resistivity surveys resulted in unusable data due to the significant subsurface infrastructure that included a network of delivery pipes, wells, fences, and electrical discharge sources . HGI adapted the resistivity technique to include the site infrastructure as transceivers to augment data density and geometry. The results show a distribution of low resistivity values within the farm in areas that match known historic leak sites. The addition of site infrastructure as sensors demonstrates that the electrical resistivity technique can be used in highly industrial sites.

Pediatric radiology malpractice claims - characteristics and comparison to adult radiology claims.

PubMed

Breen, Micheál A; Dwyer, Kathy; Yu-Moe, Winnie; Taylor, George A

2017-06-01

Medical malpractice is the primary method by which people who believe they have suffered an injury in the course of medical care seek compensation in the United States and Canada. An increasing body of research demonstrates that failure to correctly diagnose is the most common allegation made in malpractice claims against radiologists. Since the 1994 survey by the Society of Chairmen of Radiology in Children's Hospitals (SCORCH), no other published studies have specifically examined the frequency or clinical context of malpractice claims against pediatric radiologists or arising from pediatric imaging interpretation. We hypothesize that the frequency, character and outcome of malpractice claims made against pediatric radiologists differ from those seen in general radiology practice. We searched the Controlled Risk Insurance Co. (CRICO) Strategies' Comparative Benchmarking System (CBS), a private repository of approximately 350,000 open and closed medical malpractice claims in the United States, for claims related to pediatric radiology. We further queried these cases for the major allegation, the clinical environment in which the claim arose, the clinical severity of the alleged injury, indemnity paid (if payment was made), primary imaging modality involved (if applicable) and primary International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision (ICD-9) diagnosis underlying the claim. There were a total of 27,056 fully coded claims of medical malpractice in the CBS database in the 5-year period between Jan. 1, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2014. Of these, 1,472 cases (5.4%) involved patients younger than 18 years. Radiology was the primary service responsible for 71/1,472 (4.8%) pediatric cases. There were statistically significant differences in average payout for pediatric radiology claims ($314,671) compared to adult radiology claims ($174,033). The allegations were primarily diagnosis-related in 70% of pediatric radiology claims. The most common imaging modality implicated in

Incentive regulation and performance measurement of the Portuguese solid waste management services.

PubMed

Marques, Rui Cunha; Simões, Pedro

2009-03-01

Measuring the performance of solid waste management services usually uncovers very high potential for gains in efficiency and productivity. This circumstance occurs, naturally, due to the fact that these services are outside the market and because they are subjected to various market failures in their organizational framework. The aim of this study was to examine the Portuguese regulatory model and to measure the performance of the Portuguese solid waste management services in order to identify the major reforms carried out and their outcomes. As a first objective, the sunshine regulatory approach adopted in Portugal, in which performance comparison and its public discussion are the main tools, was investigated. The second objective was to compute the efficiency of the Portuguese solid waste management services by means of the non-parametric technique of data envelopment analysis (DEA), evaluating the Portuguese regulatory model and the existing market structure, as well as the influence of the operational environment on efficiency. The benchmarking frontier technique of DEA is particularly useful in the efficiency measurement of public utilities, in which knowledge of the production function is relatively scarce. Several DEA models were used and they all depicted significant inefficiency. The study also proved that efficiency did not depend on ownership (public or private) and that there was no difference in efficiency between the players, irrespective of whether they were regulated or not.

Characterization of Class A low-level radioactive waste 1986--1990. Volume 6: Appendices G--J

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dehmel, J.C.; Loomis, D.; Mauro, J.

1994-01-01

Under contract to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, the firms of S. Cohen & Associates, Inc. (SC&A) and Eastern Research Group (ERG) have compiled a report that describes the physical, chemical, and radiological properties of Class-A low-level radioactive waste. The report also presents information characterizing various methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste. A database management program was developed for use in accessing, sorting, analyzing, and displaying the electronic data provided by EG&G. The program was used to present and aggregate data characterizing the radiological, physical, and chemical properties of the wastemore » from descriptions contained in shipping manifests. The data thus retrieved are summarized in tables, histograms, and cumulative distribution curves presenting radionuclide concentration distributions in Class-A waste as a function of waste streams, by category of waste generators, and regions of the United States. The report also provides information characterizing methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste, including industrial, municipal, and hazardous waste regulated under Subparts C and D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The information includes a list of disposal options, the geographical locations of the processing and disposal facilities, and a description of the characteristics of such processing and disposal facilities. Volume 1 contains the Executive Summary, Volume 2 presents the Class-A waste database, Volume 3 presents the information characterizing non-radioactive waste management practices and facilities, and Volumes 4 through 7 contain Appendices A through P with supporting information.« less

Radiological protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations resulting from a nuclear accident.

PubMed

Sugiyama, Daisuke; Hattori, Takatoshi

2013-01-01

In environmental remediation after nuclear accidents, radioactive wastes have to be appropriately managed in existing exposure situations with contamination resulting from the emission of radionuclides by such accidents. In this paper, a framework of radiation protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations for application to the practical and reasonable waste management in contaminated areas, referring to related ICRP recommendations was proposed. In the proposed concept, intermediate reference levels for waste management are adopted gradually according to the progress of the reduction in the existing ambient dose in the environment on the basis of the principles of justification and optimisation by taking into account the practicability of the management of radioactive waste and environmental remediation. It is essential to include the participation of relevant stakeholders living in existing exposure situations in the selection of reference levels for the existing ambient dose and waste management.

Radiological protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations resulting from a nuclear accident

PubMed Central

Sugiyama, Daisuke; Hattori, Takatoshi

2013-01-01

In environmental remediation after nuclear accidents, radioactive wastes have to be appropriately managed in existing exposure situations with contamination resulting from the emission of radionuclides by such accidents. In this paper, a framework of radiation protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations for application to the practical and reasonable waste management in contaminated areas, referring to related ICRP recommendations was proposed. In the proposed concept, intermediate reference levels for waste management are adopted gradually according to the progress of the reduction in the existing ambient dose in the environment on the basis of the principles of justification and optimisation by taking into account the practicability of the management of radioactive waste and environmental remediation. It is essential to include the participation of relevant stakeholders living in existing exposure situations in the selection of reference levels for the existing ambient dose and waste management. PMID:22719047

Radiological Control Center (RADCC) Renaming Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-31

A Mars Science Laboratory cap is displayed in the Randall E. Scott Radiological Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The facility was recently named in honor of Randy Scott, a professional health physicist of more than 40 years. He served as the Florida spaceport's Radiation Protection Officer for 14 years until his death June 17, 2016. Launched Nov. 26, 2011, the Mars Science Laboratory with the Curiosity lander was powered by a radioisotope thermalelectric generator. Located in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout building, the Randall E. Scott Radiological Control Center is staffed by technical and radiological experts from NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing and the state of Florida. The group performs data collection and assessment functions supporting launch site and field data collection activities during launces involving plutonium-powered spacecraft such as the Mars Science Laboratory.

Natural Language Processing in Radiology: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Pons, Ewoud; Braun, Loes M M; Hunink, M G Myriam; Kors, Jan A

2016-05-01

Radiological reporting has generated large quantities of digital content within the electronic health record, which is potentially a valuable source of information for improving clinical care and supporting research. Although radiology reports are stored for communication and documentation of diagnostic imaging, harnessing their potential requires efficient and automated information extraction: they exist mainly as free-text clinical narrative, from which it is a major challenge to obtain structured data. Natural language processing (NLP) provides techniques that aid the conversion of text into a structured representation, and thus enables computers to derive meaning from human (ie, natural language) input. Used on radiology reports, NLP techniques enable automatic identification and extraction of information. By exploring the various purposes for their use, this review examines how radiology benefits from NLP. A systematic literature search identified 67 relevant publications describing NLP methods that support practical applications in radiology. This review takes a close look at the individual studies in terms of tasks (ie, the extracted information), the NLP methodology and tools used, and their application purpose and performance results. Additionally, limitations, future challenges, and requirements for advancing NLP in radiology will be discussed. (©) RSNA, 2016 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Radiology in Medical Education: A Pediatric Radiology Elective as a Template for Other Radiology Courses.

PubMed

Hilmes, Melissa A; Hyatt, Eddie; Penrod, Cody H; Fleming, Amy E; Singh, Sudha P

2016-03-01

Traditionally, the pediatric radiology elective for medical students and pediatric residents constituted a morning teaching session focused mainly on radiography and fluoroscopy. A more structured elective was desired to broaden the exposure to more imaging modalities, create a more uniform educational experience, and include assessment tools. In 2012, an introductory e-mail and formal syllabus, including required reading assignments, were sent to participants before the start date. A rotating weekly schedule was expanded to include cross-sectional imaging (ultrasound, CT, MR) and nuclear medicine. The schedule could accommodate specific goals of the pediatric resident or medical student, as requested. Starting in 2013, an online pre-test and post-test were developed, as well as an online end-of-rotation survey specific to the pediatric radiology elective. Taking the Image Gently pledge was required. A scavenger hunt tool, cue cards, and electronic modules were added. Pre-test and post-test scores, averaged over 2 years, showed improvement in radiology knowledge, with scores increasing by 27% for medical students and 21% for pediatric residents. Surveys at the end of the elective were overwhelmingly positive, with constructive criticism and complimentary comments. We have successfully created an elective experience in radiology that dedicates time to education while preserving the workflow of radiologists. We have developed tools to provide a customized experience with many self-directed learning opportunities. Our tools and techniques are easily translatable to a general or adult radiology elective. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Data analysis and review of radiology services at Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

PubMed

Bethapudi, Sarath; Ritchie, David; Bongale, Santosh; Gordon, Jonny; MacLean, John; Mendl, Liz

2015-10-01

Medical services at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games (CWG) were provided though a purpose-built medical polyclinic, which had a fully equipped radiology department along with other services, set up within the main Games Village. Data analysis of radiology services offered at CWG has not been published before. Imaging services within the polyclinic, Athletes Village, Glasgow 2014 CWG. The aim of the paper is to analyse data on radiological investigations and assess the demand and distribution of workload on imaging services at CWG 2014. Data on radiology investigations at the CWG 2014 was retrieved from the Carestream picture archiving and communication system (PACS) and Pharmasys (CWG official centralised electronic database system) and analysed. Six hundred ninety-seven diagnostic and interventional procedures were performed. Of these 37.9% were magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, 22% were diagnostic ultrasound (US) examinations, 33.1% were radiographs, 4.3% were computed tomography (CT) scans and 2.7% were imaging-guided interventional procedures. 88% of imaging was performed on athletes and the remainder were performed on team officials and workforce. Demand on radiology services gradually picked up through the pre-competition period and peaked half way through the CWG. Radiology played a vital role in the successful provision of medical services at the Glasgow 2014 CWG. High demand on imaging services can be expected at major international sporting events and therefore pre-event planning is vital. Having back-up facilities in case of technical failure should be given due importance when planning radiology services at future CWG events.

Secondary Waste Cast Stone Waste Form Qualification Testing Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Westsik, Joseph H.; Serne, R. Jeffrey

2012-09-26

The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is being constructed to treat the 56 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in 177 underground tanks at the Hanford Site. The WTP includes a pretreatment facility to separate the wastes into high-level waste (HLW) and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions for vitrification and disposal. The LAW will be converted to glass for final disposal at the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). Cast Stone – a cementitious waste form, has been selected for solidification of this secondary waste stream after treatment in the ETF. The secondary-waste Cast Stone waste form must be acceptablemore » for disposal in the IDF. This secondary waste Cast Stone waste form qualification testing plan outlines the testing of the waste form and immobilization process to demonstrate that the Cast Stone waste form can comply with the disposal requirements. Specifications for the secondary-waste Cast Stone waste form have not been established. For this testing plan, Cast Stone specifications are derived from specifications for the immobilized LAW glass in the WTP contract, the waste acceptance criteria for the IDF, and the waste acceptance criteria in the IDF Permit issued by the State of Washington. This testing plan outlines the testing needed to demonstrate that the waste form can comply with these waste form specifications and acceptance criteria. The testing program must also demonstrate that the immobilization process can be controlled to consistently provide an acceptable waste form product. This testing plan also outlines the testing needed to provide the technical basis for understanding the long-term performance of the waste form in the disposal environment. These waste form performance data are needed to support performance assessment analyses of the long-term environmental impact of the secondary-waste Cast Stone waste form in the IDF« less

Analysis of Operation TEAPOT nuclear test BEE radiological and meteorological data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Quinn, V.E.

This report describes the Weather Service Nuclear Support Office (WSNSO) analyses of the radiological and meteorological data collected for the BEE nuclear test of Operation TEAPOT. Inconsistencies in the radiological data and their resolution are discussed. The methods of normalizing the radiological data to a standard time and estimating fallout-arrival times are presented. The meteorological situations on event day and the following day are described. A comparison of the WSNSO fallout analysis with an analysis performed in the 1950's is presented. The radiological data used to derive the WSNSO fallout pattern are tabulated in an appendix.

Pediatric interventional radiology workforce survey: 10-year follow-up.

PubMed

Kaufman, Claire S; James, Charles A; Harned, Roger K; Connolly, Bairbre L; Roebuck, Derek J; Cahill, Anne M; Dubois, Josee; Morello, Frank P; Morgan, Robin K; Sidhu, Manrita K

2017-05-01

Pediatric interventional radiology is a distinct subspecialty differing from both pediatric diagnostic radiology and adult interventional radiology. We conducted a workforce survey in 2005 to evaluate the state of pediatric interventional radiology at that time. Since then there have been many advancements to the subspecialty, including the founding of the Society for Pediatric Interventional Radiology (SPIR). To evaluate the current state of the pediatric interventional radiology workforce and compare findings with those of the initial 2005 workforce survey. We sent a two-part survey electronically to members of SPIR, the Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR), the Society of Chairmen of Radiology in Children's Hospitals (SCORCH) and the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR). Part 1 focused on individual practitioners (n=177), while part 2 focused on group practices and was answered by a leader from each group (n=88). We examined descriptive statistics and, when possible, compared the results to the study from 2005. A total of 177 individuals replied (a 331% increase over the first study) and 88 pediatric interventional radiology (IR) service sites responded (a 131.6% increase). Pediatric IR has become a more clinically oriented specialty, with a statistically significant increase in services with admitting privileges, clinics and performance of daily rounds. Pediatric IR remains diverse in training and practice. Many challenges still exist, including anesthesia/hospital support, and the unknown impact of the new IR residency on pediatric IR training, although the workforce shortage has been somewhat alleviated, as demonstrated by the decreased mean call from 165 days/year to 67.2 days/year. Pediatric interventional radiology practitioners and services have grown significantly since 2005, although the profile of this small subspecialty has changed and some challenges remain.

Approaching the Practice Quality Improvement Project in Interventional Radiology.

PubMed

Reis, Stephen P; White, Benjamin; Sutphin, Patrick D; Pillai, Anil K; Kalva, Sanjeeva P; Toomay, Seth M

2015-12-01

An important component of maintenance of certification and quality improvement in radiology is the practice quality improvement (PQI) project. In this article, the authors describe several methodologies for initiating and completing PQI projects. Furthermore, the authors illustrate several tools that are vital in compiling, analyzing, and presenting data in an easily understandable and reproducible manner. Last, they describe two PQI projects performed in an interventional radiology division that have successfully improved the quality of care for patients. Using the DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) quality improvement framework, interventional radiology throughput has been increased, to lessen mediport wait times from 43 to 8 days, and mediport infection rates have decreased from more than 2% to less than 0.4%. Copyright © 2015 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 60.1025 - Do subpart E new source performance standards also apply to my municipal waste combustion unit?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... standards also apply to my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1025 Section 60.1025 Protection of... NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units for Which... municipal waste combustion unit? If this subpart AAAA applies to your municipal waste combustion unit, then...

40 CFR 60.1025 - Do subpart E new source performance standards also apply to my municipal waste combustion unit?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... standards also apply to my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1025 Section 60.1025 Protection of... NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units for Which... municipal waste combustion unit? If this subpart AAAA applies to your municipal waste combustion unit, then...

40 CFR 60.1025 - Do subpart E new source performance standards also apply to my municipal waste combustion unit?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... standards also apply to my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1025 Section 60.1025 Protection of... NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units for Which... municipal waste combustion unit? If this subpart AAAA applies to your municipal waste combustion unit, then...

40 CFR 60.1025 - Do subpart E new source performance standards also apply to my municipal waste combustion unit?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... standards also apply to my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1025 Section 60.1025 Protection of... NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units for Which... municipal waste combustion unit? If this subpart AAAA applies to your municipal waste combustion unit, then...

40 CFR 60.1025 - Do subpart E new source performance standards also apply to my municipal waste combustion unit?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... standards also apply to my municipal waste combustion unit? 60.1025 Section 60.1025 Protection of... NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Small Municipal Waste Combustion Units for Which... municipal waste combustion unit? If this subpart AAAA applies to your municipal waste combustion unit, then...

Information extraction from multi-institutional radiology reports.

PubMed

Hassanpour, Saeed; Langlotz, Curtis P

2016-01-01

also evaluated the generalizability of our approach across different organizations by training and testing our system on data from different organizations. Our results show the efficacy of our machine learning approach in extracting the information model's elements (10-fold cross-validation average performance: precision: 87%, recall: 84%, F1 score: 85%) and its superiority and generalizability compared to the common non-machine learning approach (p-value<0.05). Our machine learning information extraction approach provides an effective automatic method to annotate and extract clinically significant information from a large collection of free text radiology reports. This information extraction system can help clinicians better understand the radiology reports and prioritize their review process. In addition, the extracted information can be used by researchers to link radiology reports to information from other data sources such as electronic health records and the patient's genome. Extracted information also can facilitate disease surveillance, real-time clinical decision support for the radiologist, and content-based image retrieval. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Environmental performance evaluation of large-scale municipal solid waste incinerators using data envelopment analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, H.-W.; Chang, N.-B., E-mail: nchang@mail.ucf.ed; Chen, J.-C.

2010-07-15

Limited to insufficient land resources, incinerators are considered in many countries such as Japan and Germany as the major technology for a waste management scheme capable of dealing with the increasing demand for municipal and industrial solid waste treatment in urban regions. The evaluation of these municipal incinerators in terms of secondary pollution potential, cost-effectiveness, and operational efficiency has become a new focus in the highly interdisciplinary area of production economics, systems analysis, and waste management. This paper aims to demonstrate the application of data envelopment analysis (DEA) - a production economics tool - to evaluate performance-based efficiencies of 19more » large-scale municipal incinerators in Taiwan with different operational conditions. A 4-year operational data set from 2002 to 2005 was collected in support of DEA modeling using Monte Carlo simulation to outline the possibility distributions of operational efficiency of these incinerators. Uncertainty analysis using the Monte Carlo simulation provides a balance between simplifications of our analysis and the soundness of capturing the essential random features that complicate solid waste management systems. To cope with future challenges, efforts in the DEA modeling, systems analysis, and prediction of the performance of large-scale municipal solid waste incinerators under normal operation and special conditions were directed toward generating a compromised assessment procedure. Our research findings will eventually lead to the identification of the optimal management strategies for promoting the quality of solid waste incineration, not only in Taiwan, but also elsewhere in the world.« less

Environmental performance evaluation of large-scale municipal solid waste incinerators using data envelopment analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Ho-Wen; Chang, Ni-Bin; Chen, Jeng-Chung; Tsai, Shu-Ju

2010-07-01

Limited to insufficient land resources, incinerators are considered in many countries such as Japan and Germany as the major technology for a waste management scheme capable of dealing with the increasing demand for municipal and industrial solid waste treatment in urban regions. The evaluation of these municipal incinerators in terms of secondary pollution potential, cost-effectiveness, and operational efficiency has become a new focus in the highly interdisciplinary area of production economics, systems analysis, and waste management. This paper aims to demonstrate the application of data envelopment analysis (DEA)--a production economics tool--to evaluate performance-based efficiencies of 19 large-scale municipal incinerators in Taiwan with different operational conditions. A 4-year operational data set from 2002 to 2005 was collected in support of DEA modeling using Monte Carlo simulation to outline the possibility distributions of operational efficiency of these incinerators. Uncertainty analysis using the Monte Carlo simulation provides a balance between simplifications of our analysis and the soundness of capturing the essential random features that complicate solid waste management systems. To cope with future challenges, efforts in the DEA modeling, systems analysis, and prediction of the performance of large-scale municipal solid waste incinerators under normal operation and special conditions were directed toward generating a compromised assessment procedure. Our research findings will eventually lead to the identification of the optimal management strategies for promoting the quality of solid waste incineration, not only in Taiwan, but also elsewhere in the world. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 270.230 - May I perform remediation waste management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false May I perform remediation waste management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the area where the remediation wastes originated... Plans (RAPs) Obtaining A Rap for An Off-Site Location § 270.230 May I perform remediation waste...

Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC) : FY10 development and integration.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Criscenti, Louise Jacqueline; Sassani, David Carl; Arguello, Jose Guadalupe, Jr.

2011-02-01

This report describes the progress in fiscal year 2010 in developing the Waste Integrated Performance and Safety Codes (IPSC) in support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Campaign. The goal of the Waste IPSC is to develop an integrated suite of computational modeling and simulation capabilities to quantitatively assess the long-term performance of waste forms in the engineered and geologic environments of a radioactive waste storage or disposal system. The Waste IPSC will provide this simulation capability (1) for a range of disposal concepts, waste form types, engineered repository designs,more » and geologic settings, (2) for a range of time scales and distances, (3) with appropriate consideration of the inherent uncertainties, and (4) in accordance with robust verification, validation, and software quality requirements. Waste IPSC activities in fiscal year 2010 focused on specifying a challenge problem to demonstrate proof of concept, developing a verification and validation plan, and performing an initial gap analyses to identify candidate codes and tools to support the development and integration of the Waste IPSC. The current Waste IPSC strategy is to acquire and integrate the necessary Waste IPSC capabilities wherever feasible, and develop only those capabilities that cannot be acquired or suitably integrated, verified, or validated. This year-end progress report documents the FY10 status of acquisition, development, and integration of thermal-hydrologic-chemical-mechanical (THCM) code capabilities, frameworks, and enabling tools and infrastructure.« less

The role of radiology in the Oklahoma City bombing.

PubMed

Nye, P J; Tytle, T L; Jarman, R N; Eaton, B G

1996-08-01

To evaluate the role of radiologic services in the assessment of injuries and identification of deceased victims of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Okla. In cooperation with the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center Disaster Studies Group, all victims of the Oklahoma City bombing who were treated in hospitals were evaluated. All radiologic studies performed in these patients during a 4-week period after the bombing were recorded. Major injuries incurred by the victims were noted but were not documented. In addition, assistance provided by radiologic services to the medical examiner's office for identification of deceased victims was assessed. On the day of the bombing, 99% (480 of 485) of the imaging studies performed were either plain radiography, primarily of the extremities and chest, or computed tomography (CT), half of which were of the head. Six deceased victims were identified solely by means of characteristics on radiographs. Almost all bombing-related radiologic studies were either plain radiography or CT. Other modalities had only limited roles. In deceased victims, plain radiography aided identification, and in many other victims it allowed localization of materials that were potential pieces of evidence.

Synthesis and Performance Evaluation of a New Deoiling Agent for Treatment of Waste Oil-Based Drilling Fluids

PubMed Central

Liu, Pingting; Huang, Zhiyu; Deng, Hao; Wang, Rongsha; Xie, Shuixiang

2014-01-01

Oil-based drilling fluid is used more and more in the field of oil and gas exploration. However, because of unrecyclable treating agent and hard treatment conditions, the traditional treating technologies of waste oil-based drilling fluid have some defects, such as waste of resource, bulky equipment, complex treatment processes, and low oil recovery rate. In this work, switchable deoiling agent (SDA), as a novel surfactant for treatment of waste oil-based drilling fluid, was synthesized by amine, formic acid, and formaldehyde solution. With this agent, the waste oil-based drilling fluid can be treated without complex process and expensive equipment. Furthermore, the agent used in the treatment can be recycled, which reduces waste of resource and energy. The switch performance, deoiling performance, structural characterization, and mechanisms of action are studied. The experimental results show that the oil content of the recycled oil is higher than 96% and more than 93% oil in waste oil-based drilling fluid can be recycled. The oil content of the solid residues of deoiling is less than 3%. PMID:25045749

Synthesis and performance evaluation of a new deoiling agent for treatment of waste oil-based drilling fluids.

PubMed

Liu, Pingting; Huang, Zhiyu; Deng, Hao; Wang, Rongsha; Xie, Shuixiang

2014-01-01

Oil-based drilling fluid is used more and more in the field of oil and gas exploration. However, because of unrecyclable treating agent and hard treatment conditions, the traditional treating technologies of waste oil-based drilling fluid have some defects, such as waste of resource, bulky equipment, complex treatment processes, and low oil recovery rate. In this work, switchable deoiling agent (SDA), as a novel surfactant for treatment of waste oil-based drilling fluid, was synthesized by amine, formic acid, and formaldehyde solution. With this agent, the waste oil-based drilling fluid can be treated without complex process and expensive equipment. Furthermore, the agent used in the treatment can be recycled, which reduces waste of resource and energy. The switch performance, deoiling performance, structural characterization, and mechanisms of action are studied. The experimental results show that the oil content of the recycled oil is higher than 96% and more than 93% oil in waste oil-based drilling fluid can be recycled. The oil content of the solid residues of deoiling is less than 3%.

A Head and Neck Simulator for Radiology and Radiotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Larissa; Campos, Tarcísio P. R.

2013-06-01

Phantoms are suitable tools to simulate body tissues and organs in radiology and radiation therapy. This study presents the development of a physical head and neck phantom and its radiological response for simulating brain pathology. The following features on the phantom are addressed and compared to human data: mass density, chemical composition, anatomical shape, computerized tomography images and Hounsfield Units. Mass attenuation and kerma coefficients of the synthetic phantom and normal tissues, as well as their deviations, were also investigated. Radiological experiments were performed, including brain tumors and subarachnoid hemorrhage simulations. Computerized tomography images of such pathologies in phantom and human were obtained. The anthropometric dimensions of the phantom present anatomical conformation similar to a human head and neck. Elemental weight percentages of the equivalent tissues match the human ones. Hounsfield Unit values of the main developed structures are presented, approaching human data. Kerma and mass attenuation coefficients spectra from human and phantom are presented, demonstrating smaller deviations in the radiological X-ray spectral domain. In conclusion, the phantom presented suitable normal and pathological radiological responses relative to those observed in humans. It may improve radiological protocols and education in medical imaging.

Ongoing environmental monitoring and assessment of the long-term impacts of the February 2014 radiological release from the waste isolation pilot plant.

PubMed

Thakur, Punam; Runyon, Tim

2018-04-09

Three years ago, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) experienced its first minor accident involving a radiological release. Late in the evening on February 14, 2014, a waste container in the repository underwent a chemical reaction that caused the container to overheat and breach, releasing its contents into the underground. Following a lengthy recovery process, the facility recently resumed waste disposal operations. The accident released significant levels of radioactivity into the disposal room and adjacent exhaust drifts, and although no one was present in the underground at the time of the release, a total of 22 workers tested positive for very low level of radiation, presumably from some of the radioactive material that was released above ground through a small leak in the HEPA filtration system. The dominant radionuclides released were 241 Am and 239 + 240 Pu in a ratio that matched the content of the drum from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) that was eventually identified as the breached container. From the air particulate monitoring and plume modeling, it was concluded that the dose, at the nearest location accessible to the general public, from this radiation release event would have been less than 0.01 mSv (< 1 mrem/year). This level is well below the 0.1 mSv/year (10 mrem/year) regulatory limit for DOE facilities established by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).While no long-term impacts to public health or the environment are expected as a result of the WIPP radiation release, the limited ventilation and residual contamination levels in the underground are still a concern and pose a major challenge for the full recovery of WIPP. This article provides an up-to-date overview of environmental monitoring results through the WIPP recovery and an estimate of the long-term impacts of the accident on the natural and human environment.

Biogeochemical Investigations to Evaluate the Performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillow, J. B.

2009-12-01

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a U.S. Department of Energy facility located in southeastern New Mexico, approximately 655 m (2150 ft.) below ground surface in a bedded salt, Permian evaporite formation. This mined geologic repository has been receiving transuranic (TRU) waste from defense-related and environmental-management activities since March 1999. TRU waste contains alpha-emitting transuranic nuclides with half-lives greater than twenty years at concentrations greater than 100 nCi/gram. These actinide-contaminated wastes were generated from nuclear-weapons production and related processing activities. They include various organics, adsorbed liquids, sludges, cellulosics, plastics, rubber, and a variety of metals and cemented materials. An extensive set of investigations were performed to establish the basis for TRU waste disposal at WIPP and to support initial certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A significant element of the conceptual geochemical model for WIPP is the microbiologically-driven reactions leading to biodegradation of organic constituents in TRU wastes, as well as interactions with actinides present in the waste. This presentation will discuss the biogeochemical investigations that were performed to evaluate microbiological activity at WIPP, including studies of gas generation due to biodegradation of cellulose, plastic, and rubber materials and actinide-microbe interactions leading to changes in actinide chemical speciation. Highlights of this work are discussed here. Cellulose biodegradation in salt-brine systems results in the generation of carbon dioxide and hydrogen, and aqueous fermentation products (low molecular weight organic acids). Hypersaline brine can limit the range of microbial metabolic pathways, due to the energetic stresses of maintaining osmotic balance compatible with metabolic processes. Methanogenesis yields the lowest free energy per mole of carbon and as such is often not detected in

Socioeconomic trends in radiology.

PubMed

Barneveld Binkhuysen, F H

1998-01-01

For radiology the socioeconomic environment is a topic of increasing importance. In addition to the well-known important scientific developments in radiology such as interventional MRI, several other major trends can be recognized: (1) changes in the delivery of health care, in which all kinds of managed care are developing and will influence the practice of radiology, and (2) the process of computerization and digitization. The socioeconomic environment of radiology will be transformed by the developments in managed care, teleradiology and the integration of information systems. If radiologists want to manage future radiology departments they must have an understanding of the changes in the fields of economics and politics that are taking place and that will increasingly influence radiology. Some important and recognizable aspects of these changes will be described here.

NCRP Program Area Committee 5: Environmental Radiation and Radioactive Waste Issues.

PubMed

Chen, S Y; Napier, Bruce

2016-02-01

Program Area Committee 5 of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) focuses its activities on environmental radiation and radioactive waste issues. The Committee completed a number of reports in these subject areas, most recently NCRP Report No. 175, Decision Making for Late-Phase Recovery from Major Nuclear or Radiological Incidents. Historically this Committee addressed emerging issues of the nation pertaining to radioactivity or radiation in the environment or radioactive waste issues due either to natural origins or to manmade activities.

Open Access Journal Policies: A Systematic Analysis of Radiology Journals.

PubMed

Narayan, Anand; Lobner, Katie; Fritz, Jan

2018-02-01

The open access movement has pushed for greater access to scientific knowledge by expanding access to scientific journal articles. There is limited information about the extent to which open access policies have been adopted by radiology journals. We performed a systematic analysis to ascertain the proportion of radiology journals with open access options. A search was performed with the assistance of a clinical informationist. Full and mixed English-language diagnostic and interventional radiology Web of Science journals (impact factors > 1.0) were included. Nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, physics, and solicitation-only journals were excluded. Primary outcome was open access option (yes or no) with additional outcomes including presence or absence of embargo, complete or partial copyright transfer, publication fees, and self-archiving policies. Secondary outcomes included journal citations, journal impact factors, immediacy, Eigenfactor, and article influence scores. Independent double readings were performed with differences resolved by consensus, supplemented by contacting editorial staff at each journal. In all, 125 journals were identified; review yielded 49 journals (39%, mean impact factor of 2.61). Thirty-six of the journals had open access options (73.4%), and four journals were exclusively open access (8.2%). Twelve-month embargoes were most commonly cited (90.6%) with 28.6% of journals stating that they did not require a complete transfer of copyright. Prices for open access options ranged from $750 to $4,000 (median $3,000). No statistically significant differences were found in journal impact measures comparing journals with open access options to journals without open access options. Diagnostic and interventional radiology journals have widely adopted open access options with a few radiology journals being exclusively open access. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanical-biological treatment: performance and potentials. An LCA of 8 MBT plants including waste characterization.

PubMed

Montejo, Cristina; Tonini, Davide; Márquez, María del Carmen; Astrup, Thomas Fruergaard

2013-10-15

In the endeavour of avoiding presence of biodegradable waste in landfills and increasing recycling, mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) plants have seen a significant increase in number and capacity in the last two decades. The aim of these plants is separating and stabilizing the quickly biodegradable fraction of the waste as well as recovering recyclables from mixed waste streams. In this study the environmental performance of eight MBT-based waste management scenarios in Spain was assessed by means of life cycle assessment. The focus was on the technical and environmental performance of the MBT plants. These widely differed in type of biological treatment and recovery efficiencies. The results indicated that the performance is strongly connected with energy and materials recovery efficiency. The recommendation for upgrading and/or commissioning of future plants is to optimize materials recovery through increased automation of the selection and to prioritize biogas-electricity production from the organic fraction over direct composting. The optimal strategy for refuse derived fuel (RDF) management depends upon the environmental compartment to be prioritized and the type of marginal electricity source in the system. It was estimated that, overall, up to ca. 180-190 kt CO2-eq. y(-1) may be saved by optimizing the MBT plants under assessment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiological risk assessment and biosphere modelling for radioactive waste disposal in Switzerland.

PubMed

Brennwald, M S; van Dorp, F

2009-12-01

Long-term safety assessments for geological disposal of radioactive waste in Switzerland involve the demonstration that the annual radiation dose to humans due to the potential release of radionuclides from the waste repository into the biosphere will not exceed the regulatory limit of 0.1 mSv. Here, we describe the simple but robust approach used by Nagra (Swiss National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste) to quantify the dose to humans as a result to time-dependent release of radionuclides from the geosphere into the biosphere. The model calculates the concentrations of radionuclides in different terrestrial and aquatic compartments of the surface environment. The fluxes of water and solids within the environment are the drivers for the exchange of radionuclides between these compartments. The calculated radionuclide concentrations in the biosphere are then used to estimate the radiation doses to humans due to various exposure paths (e.g. ingestion of radionuclides via drinking water and food, inhalation of radionuclides, external irradiation from radionuclides in soils). In this paper we also discuss recent new achievements and planned future work.

Validation of the Proficiency Examination for Diagnostic Radiologic Technology. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ.

The validity of the Proficiency Examination for Diagnostic Radiologic Technology was investigated, using 140 radiologic technologists who took both the written Proficiency Examination and a performance test. As an additional criterion measure of job proficiency, supervisors' assessments were obtained for 128 of the technologists. The resulting…

Selected accounts receivable performance statistics for radiology practices: an analysis of the adjusted collection percentage and days charges in accounts receivable.

PubMed

Cergnul, John J; Russell, Philip J; Sunshine, Jonathan H

2005-12-01

To provide comparative data and analysis with respect to accounts receivable management performance criteria. Data from 3 sources were analyzed: the Radiology Business Management Association's (RBMA) 2003 Accounts Receivable Performance Survey; the RBMA's 2003 Accounts Receivable Survey; and Hogan and Sunshine's 2004 Radiology article "Financial Ratios in Diagnostic Radiology Practices: Variability and Trends," the data for which were drawn primarily from the ACR's 1999 Survey of Practices. The RBMA surveyed (via e-mail and postal mail) only its members, with response rates of 15% and 9%, respectively. The ACR's survey response rate was 66%, via postal mail, and was distributed without regard to the RBMA membership status of the practice manager or even whether the practice employed a practice manager. Comparison among the survey results provided information on trends. Median practice professional component adjusted collection percentage (ACP) deteriorated from 87.3% to 85.1% between the RBMA surveys. Practices limited to global fee billing faired much better when performing their billing in house, as opposed to using a billing service, with mean ACPs of 91.2% and 79.4%, respectively. Days charges in accounts receivable 2004 mean results for professional component billing and global fee billing were nearly identical at 56.11 and 55.54 days, respectively. The 2003 RBMA survey reported 63.74 days for professional component billing and 77.33 days for global fee billing. The improvement from 2003 to 2004 was highly significant for both professional component billing and global fee billing. The 2004 RBMA survey also reflected a rather dramatic improvement in days charges in accounts receivable compared with Hogan and Sunshine's results, which showed a mean of 69 days charges in accounts receivable. The conflicting trends between ACP performance and days charges in accounts receivable performance may be explained by the increasing sophistication of accounts receivable

A practical approach for inexpensive searches of radiology report databases.

PubMed

Desjardins, Benoit; Hamilton, R Curtis

2007-06-01

We present a method to perform full text searches of radiology reports for the large number of departments that do not have this ability as part of their radiology or hospital information system. A tool written in Microsoft Access (front-end) has been designed to search a server (back-end) containing the indexed backup weekly copy of the full relational database extracted from a radiology information system (RIS). This front end-/back-end approach has been implemented in a large academic radiology department, and is used for teaching, research and administrative purposes. The weekly second backup of the 80 GB, 4 million record RIS database takes 2 hours. Further indexing of the exported radiology reports takes 6 hours. Individual searches of the indexed database typically take less than 1 minute on the indexed database and 30-60 minutes on the nonindexed database. Guidelines to properly address privacy and institutional review board issues are closely followed by all users. This method has potential to improve teaching, research, and administrative programs within radiology departments that cannot afford more expensive technology.

A study of waste and delivery valve design modification to the pump performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harith, M. N.; Bakar, R. A.; Ramasamy, D.; Kardigama, K.; Quanjin, Ma

2018-04-01

This paper objective is to share design revolution of waste and delivery valve that contribute to the overall pump performance. In this paper, 3 new designs of waste and delivery valve pump are presented with comprehensive internal flow analysis using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation over 4 cases that have been deeply study for one of the design chosen. 4 cases involving opening and closing both valve or either one. 0.265m height size of customized waste valve with an opening limiter and spring was used to demonstrate cyclic closing and opening valve operation extended up to 0.164m gap. Based on result, this characteristics contribute to 10-20% waste water reduction and enhancement of flow rate height up to 80m. Apart from that this paper also share some of pressure (dynamic, total, static), velocity (x, y, z axis) simulation including the vector flow were under different flow cases.

Environmental risks of radioactive discharges from a low-level radioactive waste disposal site at Dessel, Belgium.

PubMed

Batlle, J Vives I; Sweeck, L; Wannijn, J; Vandenhove, H

2016-10-01

The potential radiological impact of releases from a low-level radioactive waste (Category A waste) repository in Dessel, Belgium on the local fauna and flora was assessed under a reference scenario for gradual leaching. The potential impact situations for terrestrial and aquatic fauna and flora considered in this study were soil contamination due to irrigation with contaminated groundwater from a well at 70 m from the repository, contamination of the local wetlands receiving the highest radionuclide flux after migration through the aquifer and contamination of the local river receiving the highest radionuclide flux after migration through the aquifer. In addition, an exploratory study was carried out for biota residing in the groundwater. All impact assessments were performed using the Environmental Risk from Ionising Contaminants: Assessment and Management (ERICA) tool. For all scenarios considered, absorbed dose rates to biota were found to be well below the ERICA 10 μGy h -1 screening value. The highest dose rates were observed for the scenario where soil was irrigated with groundwater from the vicinity of the repository. For biota residing in the groundwater well, a few dose rates were slightly above the screening level but significantly below the dose rates at which the smallest effects are observed for those relevant species or groups of species. Given the conservative nature of the assessment, it can be concluded that manmade radionuclides deposited into the environment by the near surface disposal of category A waste at Dessel do not have a significant radiological impact to wildlife. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uncertainty analysis for low-level radioactive waste disposal performance assessment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, D.W.; Yambert, M.W.; Kocher, D.C.

1994-12-31

A performance assessment of the operating Solid Waste Storage Area 6 (SWSA 6) facility for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been prepared to provide the technical basis for demonstrating compliance with the performance objectives of DOE Order 5820.2A, Chapter 111.2 An analysis of the uncertainty incorporated into the assessment was performed which addressed the quantitative uncertainty in the data used by the models, the subjective uncertainty associated with the models used for assessing performance of the disposal facility and site, and the uncertainty in the models used for estimating dose and humanmore » exposure. The results of the uncertainty analysis were used to interpret results and to formulate conclusions about the performance assessment. This paper discusses the approach taken in analyzing the uncertainty in the performance assessment and the role of uncertainty in performance assessment.« less

Historical Background on Assessment the Performance of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rechard, R.P.

1999-06-01

In 1979, six years after selecting the Delaware Basin as a potential disposal area, Congress authorized the US Department of Energy to build the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, as a research and development facility for the safe management, storage, and disposal of waste contaminated with transuranic radioisotopes. In 1998, 19 years after authorization and 25 years after site selection, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified that the WIPP disposal system complied with its regulations. The EPA's decision was primarily based on the results from a performance assessment conducted in 1996. This performance assessment wasmore » the culmination of four preliminary performance assessments conducted between 1989 and 1992. This report provides a historical setting and context for how the performance of the deep geologic repository at the WIPP was analyzed. Also included is background on political forces acting on the project. For example, the federal requirement to provide environmental impact statements and negotiated agreements with the State of New Mexico influenced the type of scientific areas that were investigated and the engineering analysis prior to 1989 for the WIPP.« less

White Paper: Curriculum in Interventional Radiology.

PubMed

Mahnken, Andreas H; Bücker, Arno; Hohl, Christian; Berlis, Ansgar

2017-04-01

Purpose  Scope and clinical importance of interventional radiology markedly evolved over the last decades. Consequently it was acknowledged as independent subspecialty by the "European Union of Medical Specialists" (UEMS). Based on radiological imaging techniques Interventional Radiology is an integral part of Radiology. Materials und Methods  In 2009 the German Society for Interventional Radiology and minimally-invasive therapy (DeGIR) developed a structured training in Interventional Radiology. In cooperation with the German Society of Neuroradiology (DGNR) this training was extended to also cover Interventional Neuroradiology in 2012. Tailored for this training in Interventional Radiology a structured curriculum was developed, covering the scope of this modular training. Results  The curriculum is based on the DeGIR/DGNR modular training concept in Interventional Radiology. There is also an European Curriculum and Syllabus for Interventional Radiology developed by the "Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe" (CIRSE). The presented curriculum in Interventional Radiology is designed to provide a uniform base for the training in Interventional Radiology in Germany, based on the competencies obtained during residency. Conclusion  This curriculum can be used as a basis for training in Interventional Radiology by all training sites. Key Points: · Interventional Radiology is an integral part of clinical radiology. · The German Society for Interventional Radiology and minimally-invasive therapy (DeGIR) developed a curriculum in Interventional Radiology. · This curriculum is an integrative basis for the training in interventional. Citation Format · Mahnken AH, Bücker A, Hohl C et al. White Paper: Curriculum in Interventional Radiology. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2017; 189: 309 - 311. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The Importance of Human-Computer Interaction in Radiology E-learning.

PubMed

den Harder, Annemarie M; Frijlingh, Marissa; Ravesloot, Cécile J; Oosterbaan, Anne E; van der Gijp, Anouk

2016-04-01

With the development of cross-sectional imaging techniques and transformation to digital reading of radiological imaging, e-learning might be a promising tool in undergraduate radiology education. In this systematic review of the literature, we evaluate the emergence of image interaction possibilities in radiology e-learning programs and evidence for effects of radiology e-learning on learning outcomes and perspectives of medical students and teachers. A systematic search in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, ERIC, and PsycInfo was performed. Articles were screened by two authors and included when they concerned the evaluation of radiological e-learning tools for undergraduate medical students. Nineteen articles were included. Seven studies evaluated e-learning programs with image interaction possibilities. Students perceived e-learning with image interaction possibilities to be a useful addition to learning with hard copy images and to be effective for learning 3D anatomy. Both e-learning programs with and without image interaction possibilities were found to improve radiological knowledge and skills. In general, students found e-learning programs easy to use, rated image quality high, and found the difficulty level of the courses appropriate. Furthermore, they felt that their knowledge and understanding of radiology improved by using e-learning. In conclusion, the addition of radiology e-learning in undergraduate medical education can improve radiological knowledge and image interpretation skills. Differences between the effect of e-learning with and without image interpretation possibilities on learning outcomes are unknown and should be subject to future research.

[eLearning-radiology.com--sustainability for quality assurance].

PubMed

Ketelsen, D; Talanow, R; Uder, M; Grunewald, M

2009-04-01

The aim of the study was to analyze the availability of published radiological e-learning tools and to establish a solution for quality assurance. Substantial pubmed research was performed to identify radiological e-learning tools. 181 e-learning programs were selected. As examples two databases expanding their programs with external links, Compare (n = 435 external links) and TNT-Radiology (n = 1078 external links), were evaluated. A concept for quality assurance was developed by an international taskforce. At the time of assessment, 56.4 % (102 / 181) of the investigated e-learning tools were accessible at their original URL. A subgroup analysis of programs published 5 to 8 years ago showed significantly inferior availability to programs published 3 to 5 years ago (p < 0.01). The analysis of external links showed 49.2 % and 61.0 % accessible links for the programs Compare (published 2003) and TNT-Radiology (published 2006), respectively. As a consequence, the domain www.eLearning-radiology.com was developed by the taskforce and published online. This tool allows authors to present their programs and users to evaluate the e-learning tools depending on several criteria in order to remove inoperable links and to obtain information about the complexity and quality of the e-learning tools. More than 50 % of investigated radiological e-learning tools on the Internet were not accessible after a period of 5 to 8 years. As a consequence, an independent, international tool for quality assurance was designed and published online under www.eLearning-radiology.com .

Radiological assessment of water treatment processes in a water treatment plant in Saudi Arabia: Water and sludge radium content, radon air concentrations and dose rates.

PubMed

Al-Jaseem, Q Kh; Almasoud, Fahad I; Ababneh, Anas M; Al-Hobaib, A S

2016-09-01

There is an increase demand for clean water sources in Saudi Arabia and, yet, renewable water resources are very limited. This has forced the authorities to explore deep groundwater which is known to contain large concentrations of radionuclides, mainly radium isotopes. Lately, there has been an increase in the number of water treatment plants (WTPs) around the country. In this study, a radiological assessment of a WTP in Saudi Arabia was performed. Raw water was found to have total radium activity of 0.23Bq/L, which exceeds the international limit of 0.185Bq/L (5pCi/L). The WTP investigated uses three stages of treatment: flocculation/sedimentation, sand filtration and reverse osmosis. The radium removal efficiency was evaluated for each stage and the respective values were 33%, 22% and 98%. Moreover, the activity of radium in the solid waste generated from the WTP in the sedimentation and sand filtrations stages were measured and found to be 4490 and 6750Bq/kg, respectively, which exceed the national limit of 1000Bq/kg for radioactive waste. A radiological assessment of the air inside the WTP was also performed by measuring the radon concentrations and dose rates and were found in the ranges of 2-18Bq/m(3) and 70-1000nSv/h, respectively. The annual effective dose was calculated and the average values was found to be 0.3mSv which is below the 1mSv limit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lab-scale co-digestion of kitchen waste and brown water for a preliminary performance evaluation of a decentralized waste and wastewater management.

PubMed

Lavagnolo, Maria Cristina; Girotto, Francesca; Hirata, Osamu; Cossu, Raffaello

2017-08-01

An overall interaction is manifested between wastewater and solid waste management schemes. At the Laboratory of Environmental Engineering (LISA) of the University of Padova, Italy, the scientific and technical implications of putting into practice a decentralized waste and wastewater treatment based on the separation of grey water, brown water (BW - faecal matter) and yellow water (YW - urine) are currently undergoing investigation in the Aquanova Project. An additional aim of this concept is the source segregation of kitchen waste (KW) for subsequent anaerobic co-digestion with BW. To determine an optimal mixing ratio and temperature for use in the treatment of KW, BW, and eventually YW, by means of anaerobic digestion, a series of lab-scale batch tests were performed. Organic mixtures of KW and BW performed much better (max. 520mlCH 4 /gVS) in terms of methane yields than the individual substrates alone (max. 220mlCH 4 /gVS). A small concentration of urine proved to have a positive effect on anaerobic digestion performance, possibly due to the presence of micronutrients in YW. When considering high YW concentrations in the anaerobically digested mixtures, no ammonia inhibition was observed until a 30% and 10% YW content was added under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization and remediation of a mixed waste-contaminated site at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnston, J.W.; Thacker, M.S.; DeWitt, C.B.

In the area of environmental restoration, one of the most challenging problems is the task of remediating mixed waste-contaminated sites. This paper discusses a successful Interim Corrective Measure (ICM) performed at a mixed waste-contaminated site on Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The site, known as RW-68, Cratering Area and Radium Dump/Slag Piles, was used during the late 1940s and early 1950s for the destruction and incineration of captured World War II aircraft. It contained 19 slag piles totaling approximately 150 tons of slag, ash, refractory brick, and metal debris. The piles were contaminated with radium-226 andmore » RCRA-characteristic levels of heavy metals. Therefore, the piles were considered mixed waste. To eliminate the threat to human health and the environment, an ICM of removal, segregation, stabilization, and disposal was conducted from October through December 1996. Approximately 120 cubic yards (cu yds) of mixed waste, 188 cu yds of low-level radioactive-contaminated soil, 1 cu yd of low-level radioactive-contaminated debris, 5 cu yds of RCRA-characteristic hazardous waste, and 45 tons of nonhazardous debris were stabilized and disposed of during the ICM. To render the RCRA metals and radionuclides insoluble, stabilization was performed on the mixed and RCRA-characteristic waste streams. All stabilized material was subjected to TCLP analysis to verify it no longer exhibited RCRA-characteristic properties. Radiological and geophysical surveys were conducted concurrently with site remediation activities. These surveys provided real-time documentation of site conditions during each phase of the ICM and confirmed successful cleanup of the site. The three radioactive waste streams, stabilized mixed waste, low-level radioactive-contaminated soil, and low-level radioactive-contaminated debris, were disposed of at the Envirocare low-level radioactive disposal facility.« less

Performance of continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) on fermentative biohydrogen production from melon waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahyari, K.; Sarto; Syamsiah, S.; Prasetya, A.

2016-11-01

This research was meant to investigate performance of continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) as bioreactor for producing biohydrogen from melon waste through dark fermentation method. Melon waste are commonly generated from agricultural processing stages i.e. cultivation, post-harvesting, industrial processing, and transportation. It accounted for more than 50% of total harvested fruit. Feedstock of melon waste was fed regularly to CSTR according to organic loading rate at value 1.2 - 3.6 g VS/ (l.d). Optimum condition was achieved at OLR 2.4 g VS/ (l.d) with the highest total gas volume 196 ml STP. Implication of higher OLR value is reduction of total gas volume due to accumulation of acids (pH 4.0), and lower substrate volatile solid removal. In summary, application of this method might valorize melon waste and generates renewable energy sources.

Underwater characterization of control rods for waste disposal using SMOPY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gallozzi-Ulmann, A.; Couturier, P.; Amgarou, K.

Storage of spent fuel assemblies in cooling ponds requires careful control of the geometry and proximity of adjacent assemblies. Measurement of the fuel burnup makes it possible to optimise the storage arrangement of assemblies taking into account the effect of the burnup on the criticality safety margins ('burnup credit'). Canberra has developed a measurement system for underwater measurement of spent fuel assemblies. This system, known as 'SMOPY', performs burnup measurements based on gamma spectroscopy (collimated CZT detector) and neutron counting (fission chamber). The SMOPY system offers a robust and waterproof detection system as well as the needed capability of performingmore » radiometric measurements in the harsh high dose - rate environments of the cooling ponds. The gamma spectroscopy functionality allows powerful characterization measurements to be performed, in addition to burnup measurement. Canberra has recently performed waste characterisation measurements at a Nuclear Power Plant. Waste activity assessment is important to control costs and risks of shipment and storage, to ensure that the activity level remains in the range allowed by the facility, and to declare activity data to authorities. This paper describes the methodology used for the SMOPY measurements and some preliminary results of a radiological characterisation of AIC control rods. After describing the features and normal operation of the SMOPY system, we describe the approach used for establishing an optimum control rod geometric scanning approach (optimum count time and speed) and the method of the gamma spectrometry measurements as well as neutron check measurements used to verify the absence of neutron sources in the waste. We discuss the results obtained including {sup 60}Co, {sup 110m}Ag and {sup 108m}Ag activity profiles (along the length of the control rods) and neutron results including Total Measurement Uncertainty evaluations. Full self-consistency checks were performed

Assessment of radiological protection systems among diagnostic radiology facilities in North East India.

PubMed

Singh, Thokchom Dewan; Jayaraman, T; Arunkumar Sharma, B

2017-03-01

This study aims to assess the adequacy level of radiological protection systems available in the diagnostic radiology facilities located in three capital cities of North East (NE) India. It further attempts to understand, using a multi-disciplinary approach, how the safety codes/standards in diagnostic radiology framed by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to achieve adequate radiological protection in facilities, have been perceived, conceptualized, and applied accordingly in these facilities. About 30 diagnostic radiology facilities were randomly selected from three capitals of states in NE India; namely Imphal (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya) and Guwahati (Assam). A semi-structured questionnaire developed based on a multi-disciplinary approach was used for this study. It was observed that radiological practices undertaken in these facilities were not exactly in line with safety codes/standards in diagnostic radiology of the AERB and the IAEA. About 50% of the facilities had registered/licensed x-ray equipment with the AERB. More than 80% of the workers did not use radiation protective devices, although these devices were available in the facilities. About 85% of facilities had no institutional risk management system. About 70% of the facilities did not carry out periodic quality assurance testing of their x-ray equipment or surveys of radiation leakage around the x-ray room, and did not display radiation safety indicators in the x-ray rooms. Workers in these facilities exhibited low risk perception about the risks associated with these practices. The majority of diagnostic radiology facilities in NE India did not comply with the radiological safety codes/standards framed by the AERB and IAEA. The study found inadequate levels of radiological protection systems in the majority of facilities. This study suggests a need to establish firm measures that comply with the radiological safety codes/standards of the

RADIOPROTECTION CAMPAIGN AND CARD: EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES THAT REDUCE CHILDREN'S EXCESSIVE EXPOSURE TO RADIOLOGICAL EXAMS.

PubMed

Bernardo, Mônica Oliveira; Almeida, Fernando Antonio de; Morgado, Flavio

2017-01-01

To analyze the results of an initiative aimed at improving the reasonable use of radiological examinations, ensuring their technical quality, implementing a radioprotection campaign that includes training of the professional team, and introducing the radioprotection card for children under 12 years old as a tool for parents and doctors to control children's exposure to radiation. The study was held in a health care insurance system covering 140,000 people. A radioprotection campaign was implemented according to Image Gently • protocols, ensuring the lowest dose of radiation and the quality of examinations, and the radioprotection card was implemented. To assess the effectiveness of these actions, the number of radiological examinations performed at the pediatric emergency room in a period of one year preceding the campaign was compared with the number of radiological examinations performed one year after the campaign. The campaign was well accepted by all professionals, families, and patients involved. In the year following the implementation of radioprotection strategies, there was a 22% reduction of radiological examinations performed at the pediatric emergency room. There was also a 29% reduction in the request of two or more radiological examinations for the same child or examinations with two or more incidences. The campaign and the radioprotection card for children under 12 years old proved to be feasible strategies and correlated with a reduction in radiological examinations requested and performed at the pediatric emergency room.

Evaluation of performance indicators applied to a material recovery facility fed by mixed packaging waste.

PubMed

Mastellone, Maria Laura; Cremiato, Raffaele; Zaccariello, Lucio; Lotito, Roberta

2017-06-01

Most of the integrated systems for municipal solid waste management aim to increase the recycling of secondary materials by means of physical processes including sorting, shredding and reprocessing. Several restrictions prevent from reaching a very high material recycling efficiency: the variability of the composition of new-marketed materials used for packaging production and its shape and complexity are critical issues. The packaging goods are in fact made of different materials (aluminium, polymers, paper, etc.), possibly assembled, having different shape (flat, cylindrical, one-dimensional, etc.), density, colours, optical properties and so on. These aspects limit the effectiveness and efficiency of the sorting and reprocessing plants. The scope of this study was to evaluate the performance of a large scale Material Recovery Facility (MRF) by utilizing data collected during a long period of monitoring. The database resulted from the measured data has been organized in four sections: (1) data related to the amount and type of inlet waste; (2) amount and composition of output products and waste; (3) operating data (such as worked hours for shift, planned and unscheduled maintenance time, setting parameters of the equipment, and energy consumption for shift); (4) economic data (value of each product, disposal price for the produced waste, penalty for non-compliance of products and waste, etc.). A part of this database has been utilized to build an executive dashboard composed by a set of performance indicators suitable to measure the effectiveness and the efficiency of the MRF operations. The dashboard revealed itself as a powerful tool to support managers and engineers in their decisions in respect to the market demand or compliance regulation variation as well as in the designing of the lay-out improvements. The results indicated that the 40% of the input waste was recovered as valuable products and that a large part of these (88%) complied with the standards of

Mobile laboratories: An innovative and efficient solution for radiological characterization of sites under or after decommissioning.

PubMed

Goudeau, V; Daniel, B; Dubot, D

2017-04-21

During the operation and the decommissioning of a nuclear site the operator must assure the protection of the workers and the environment. It must furthermore identify and classify the various wastes, while optimizing the associated costs. At all stages of the decommissioning radiological measurements are performed to determine the initial situation, to monitor the demolition and clean-up, and to verify the final situation. Radiochemical analysis is crucial for the radiological evaluation process to optimize the clean-up operations and to the respect limits defined with the authorities. Even though these types of analysis are omnipresent in activities such as the exploitation, the monitoring, and the cleaning up of nuclear plants, some nuclear sites do not have their own radiochemical analysis laboratory. Mobile facilities can overcome this lack when nuclear facilities are dismantled, when contaminated sites are cleaned-up, or in a post-accident situation. The current operations for the characterization of radiological soils of CEA nuclear facilities, lead to a large increase of radiochemical analysis. To manage this high throughput of samples in a timely manner, the CEA has developed a new mobile laboratory for the clean-up of its soils, called SMaRT (Shelter for Monitoring and nucleAR chemisTry). This laboratory is dedicated to the preparation and the radiochemical analysis (alpha, beta, and gamma) of potentially contaminated samples. In this framework, CEA and Eichrom laboratories has signed a partnership agreement to extend the analytical capacities and bring on site optimized and validated methods for different problematic. Gamma-emitting radionuclides can usually be measured in situ as little or no sample preparation is required. Alpha and beta-emitting radionuclides are a different matter. Analytical chemistry laboratory facilities are required. Mobile and transportable laboratories equipped with the necessary tools can provide all that is needed. The main

Radiological Scoping Survey of the Scotia Depot Scotia, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

E. N. Bailey

2005-02-05

At the request of the Defense Logistics Agency, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education conducted radiological scoping surveys of the Scotia Depot during the period of September 24 through 27, 2007. The scoping survey included visual inspections and limited radiological surveys performed in accordance with area classification that included surface scans, total and removable activity measurements, and soil sampling.

Characteristics and trends of radiology research: a survey of original articles published in AJR and Radiology between 2001 and 2010.

PubMed

Lim, Kyoung Ja; Yoon, Dae Young; Yun, Eun Joo; Seo, Young Lan; Baek, Sora; Gu, Dong Hyeon; Yoon, Soo Jeong; Han, Ari; Ku, You Jin; Kim, Sam Soo

2012-09-01

To determine the characteristics and trends of the original articles published in two major American radiology journals, AJR American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) and Radiology, between 2001 and 2010. This was a retrospective bibliometric analysis that did not involve human subjects and was exempt from institutional review board approval. All 6542 original articles published in AJR and Radiology between 2001 and 2010 were evaluated. The following information was abstracted from each article: radiologic subspecialty, radiologic technique used, type of research, sample size, study design, statistical analysis, study outcome, declared funding, number of authors, affiliation of the first author, and country of the first author. In addition, all the variables examined were presented along with the trend over time. The most common subspecialty of study was abdominal (1219 of 6542, 18.6%), followed by vascular/interventional (804 of 6542, 12.3%). A total of 3744 (57.2%) original articles used magnetic resonance (MR) imaging or computed tomography (CT), 5495 (84.1%) were clinical research articles, 3060 (46.8%) had sample size of more than 50, 4087 (62.5%) were retrospective, 4714 (72.1%) performed statistical analysis, 6225 (95.2%) showed positive study outcome, 4784 (73.1%) were not funded, 3942 (60.3%) had four to seven authors, and 5731 (87.6%) were written by the primary author who was from a department of radiology or radiology-related specialties. The United States published 45.5% (2975 of 6542) of the articles, followed by Japan (n = 525, 8.0%), Germany (n = 485, 7.4%), and South Korea (n = 455, 7.0%). In the time trend analysis, the following variables showed a significantly positive trend: cardiac subspecialty, CT and MR imaging as the radiologic techniques, type of research as other (nonbasic, nonclinical), sample size of more than 50, four to seven as the number of authors, medicine-related department of the first author, and South Korea and Italy as

Utility of Interobserver Agreement Statistics in Establishing Radiology Resident Learning Curves During Self-directed Radiologic Anatomy Training.

PubMed

Tureli, Derya; Altas, Hilal; Cengic, Ismet; Ekinci, Gazanfer; Baltacioglu, Feyyaz

2015-10-01

The aim of the study was to ascertain the learning curves for the radiology residents when first introduced to an anatomic structure in magnetic resonance images (MRI) to which they have not been previously exposed to. The iliolumbar ligament is a good marker for testing learning curves of radiology residents because the ligament is not part of a routine lumbar MRI reporting and has high variability in detection. Four radiologists, three residents without previous training and one mentor, studied standard axial T1- and T2-weighted images of routine lumbar MRI examinations. Radiologists had to define iliolumbar ligament while blinded to each other's findings. Interobserver agreement analyses, namely Cohen and Fleiss κ statistics, were performed for groups of 20 cases to evaluate the self-learning curve of radiology residents. Mean κ values of resident-mentor pairs were 0.431, 0.608, 0.604, 0.826, and 0.963 in the analysis of successive groups (P < .001). The results indicate that the concordance between the experienced and inexperienced radiologists started as weak (κ <0.5) and gradually became very acceptable (κ >0.8). Therefore, a junior radiology resident can obtain enough experience in identifying a rather ambiguous anatomic structure in routine MRI after a brief instruction of a few minutes by a mentor and studying approximately 80 cases by oneself. Implementing this methodology will help radiology educators obtain more concrete ideas on the optimal time and effort required for supported self-directed visual learning processes in resident education. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Discharge Areas of Radionuclides Originating From Nuclear Waste Repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marklund, L.; Xu, S.; Worman, A.

2009-05-01

If leakages in nuclear waste repositories located in crystalline bedrock arise, radionuclides will reach the biosphere and cause a risk of radiological impact. The extent of the radiological impact depends on in which landscape elements the radionuclides emerge. In this study, we investigate if there are certain landscape elements that generally will act as discharge areas for radionuclides leaking from subsurface deposits. We also characterize the typical properties that distinguish these areas from others. In humid regions, landscape topography is the most important driving force for groundwater flow. Because groundwater is the main transporting agent for migrating radionuclides, the topography will determine the flowpaths of leaking radionuclides. How topography and heterogeneities in the subsurface affect the discharge distribution of the radionuclides is therefore an important scope of this study. To address these issues, we developed a 3-D transport model. Our analyses are based on site-specific data from two different areas in Sweden, Forsmark, Uppland, and Oskarshamn, Småland. The Swedish Nuclear Waste Management Company (SKB) has selected these two areas as candidate areas for a deep repository of nuclear waste and the areas are currently subject to site investigations. Our results suggest that there are hot-spots in the landscape i.e. areas with high probability of receiving large amounts of radionuclides from a leaking repository of nuclear waste. The hot-spots concentrate in the sea, streams, lakes and wetlands. All these elements are found at lower elevations in the landscape. This pattern is mostly determined by the landscape topography and the locations of fracture zones. There is a relationship between fracture zones and topography, and therefore the importance of the topography for the discharge area distribution is not contradicted by the heterogeneity in the bedrock. The varieties of landscape elements which have potential for receiving

Anismus, Physiology, Radiology: Is It Time for Some Pragmatism? A Comparative Study of Radiological and Anorectal Physiology Findings in Patients With Anismus.

PubMed

Pisano, Umberto; Irvine, Lesley; Szczachor, Justina; Jawad, Ahsin; MacLeod, Andrew; Lim, Michael

2016-10-01

Anismus is a functional disorder featuring obstructive symptoms and paradoxical contractions of the pelvic floor. This study aims to establish diagnosis agreement between physiology and radiology, associate anismus with morphological outlet obstruction, and explore the role of sphincteric pressure and rectal volumes in the radiological diagnosis of anismus. Consecutive patients were evaluated by using magnetic resonance imaging proctography/fluoroscopic defecography and anorectal physiology. Morphological radiological features were associated with physiology tests. A categorical analysis was performed using the chi-square test, and agreement was assessed via the kappa coefficient. A Mann-Whitney test was used to assess rectal volumes and sphincterial pressure distributions between groups of patients. A P-value of <0.05 was significant. Forty-three patients (42 female patients) underwent anorectal physiology and radiology imaging. The median age was 54 years (interquartile range, 41.5-60 years). Anismus was seen radiologically and physiologically in 18 (41.8%) and 12 patients (27.9%), respectively. The agreement between modalities was 0.298 (P = 0.04). Using physiology as a reference, radiology had positive and negative predictive values of 44% and 84%, respectively. Rectoceles, cystoceles, enteroceles and pathological pelvic floor descent were not physiologically predictive of animus (P > 0.05). The sphincterial straining pressure was 71 mmHg in the anismus group versus 12 mmHg. Radiology was likely to identify anismus when the straining pressure exceeded 50% of the resting pressure (P = 0.08). Radiological techniques detect pelvic morphological abnormalities, but lead to overdiagnoses of anismus. No proctographic pathological feature predicts anismus reliably. A stronger pelvic floor paradoxical contraction is associated with a greater likelihood of detection by proctography.

Anismus, Physiology, Radiology: Is It Time for Some Pragmatism? A Comparative Study of Radiological and Anorectal Physiology Findings in Patients With Anismus

PubMed Central

Irvine, Lesley; Szczachor, Justina; Jawad, Ahsin; MacLeod, Andrew; Lim, Michael

2016-01-01

Purpose Anismus is a functional disorder featuring obstructive symptoms and paradoxical contractions of the pelvic floor. This study aims to establish diagnosis agreement between physiology and radiology, associate anismus with morphological outlet obstruction, and explore the role of sphincteric pressure and rectal volumes in the radiological diagnosis of anismus. Methods Consecutive patients were evaluated by using magnetic resonance imaging proctography/fluoroscopic defecography and anorectal physiology. Morphological radiological features were associated with physiology tests. A categorical analysis was performed using the chi-square test, and agreement was assessed via the kappa coefficient. A Mann-Whitney test was used to assess rectal volumes and sphincterial pressure distributions between groups of patients. A P-value of <0.05 was significant. Results Forty-three patients (42 female patients) underwent anorectal physiology and radiology imaging. The median age was 54 years (interquartile range, 41.5–60 years). Anismus was seen radiologically and physiologically in 18 (41.8%) and 12 patients (27.9%), respectively. The agreement between modalities was 0.298 (P = 0.04). Using physiology as a reference, radiology had positive and negative predictive values of 44% and 84%, respectively. Rectoceles, cystoceles, enteroceles and pathological pelvic floor descent were not physiologically predictive of animus (P > 0.05). The sphincterial straining pressure was 71 mmHg in the anismus group versus 12 mmHg. Radiology was likely to identify anismus when the straining pressure exceeded 50% of the resting pressure (P = 0.08). Conclusion Radiological techniques detect pelvic morphological abnormalities, but lead to overdiagnoses of anismus. No proctographic pathological feature predicts anismus reliably. A stronger pelvic floor paradoxical contraction is associated with a greater likelihood of detection by proctography. PMID:27847787

Asian Radiology Forum 2016 for Promoting Radiology Together in the Asian-Oceanian Region: Roles of the Asian-Oceanian Society of Radiology and Its Member Societies

PubMed Central

Kim, Ho Sung; Choi, Jung-Ah

2018-01-01

According to the reports presented at the second Asian Radiology Forum (ARF) 2016, organized by the Korean Society of Radiology (KSR) during the Korean Congress of Radiology (KCR) in September 2016 in Seoul, there is an increasing need for the Asian-Oceanian Society of Radiology (AOSR) and its member societies to promote radiology together in the Asian-Oceanian region. In ARF 2016, the national delegates of the Asian-Oceanian radiological partner societies primarily discussed their societies' activities and contributions in international and regional societies including AOSR, expectations for AOSR, recommendations and suggestions for AOSR, and their societies' support of AOSR. PMID:29520175

Radiologic safety assessment for low level waste storage on TRU pads

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ryan, J.P.

1986-03-17

The reference document (TA 2-1118) proposes to store Low Level Radioactive Solid Waste in B-25 boxes on concrete pads at the 643-G burial ground site, pending resolution of policy concernig its ultimate disposal. This analysis verifies that the reference proposal is safe, as long as it is applied to a limited material quantity of low specific activity, as described in the reference document. The predominant concern in the safety analysis is the emission of airborne activity as a result of tornados and fires. However, containment provided by B-25 boxes is sufficient to mitigate the consequences of these events sufficiently. Nevertheless,more » it is strongly recommended that any above-ground storage procedures include provisions for covering the waste containment boxes to prevent exposure to rainwater and subsequent corrosion if the storage period is to extend beyond one year.« less

Radiological Protection and Nuclear Engineering Studies in Multi-MW Target Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luis, Raul Fernandes

Several innovative projects involving nuclear technology have emerged around the world in recent years, for applications such as spallation neutron sources, accelerator-driven systems for the transmutation of nuclear waste and radioactive ion beam (RIB) production. While the available neutron Wuxes from nuclear reactors did not increase substantially in intensity over the past three decades, the intensities of neutron sources produced in spallation targets have increased steadily, and should continue to do so during the 21st century. Innovative projects like ESS, MYRRHA and EURISOL lie at the forefront of the ongoing pursuit for increasingly bright neutron sources; driven by proton beams with energies up to 2 GeV and intensities up to several mA, the construction of their proposed facilities involves complex Nuclear Technology and Radiological Protection design studies executed by multidisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers from diUerent branches of Science. The intense neutron Wuxes foreseen for those facilities can be used in several scientiVc research Velds, such as Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, Medicine and Materials Science. In this work, the target systems of two facilitites for the production of RIBs using the Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) method were studied in detail: ISOLDE, operating at CERN since 1967, and EURISOL, the next-generation ISOL facility to be built in Europe. For the EURISOL multi-MW target station, a detailed study of Radiological Protection was carried out using the Monte Carlo code FLUKA. Simulations were done to assess neutron Wuences, Vssion rates, ambient dose equivalent rates during operation and after shutdown and the production of radioactive nuclei in the targets and surrounding materials. DiUerent materials were discussed for diUerent components of the target system, aiming at improving its neutronics performance while keeping the residual activities resulting from material activation as low as possible. The second

Work history and radioprotection practices in relation to cancer incidence and mortality in US radiologic technologists performing nuclear medicine procedures.

PubMed

Bernier, Marie Odile; Doody, Michele M; Van Dyke, Miriam E; Villoing, Daphné; Alexander, Bruce H; Linet, Martha S; Kitahara, Cari M

2018-05-02

Technologists working in nuclear medicine (NM) are exposed to higher radiation doses than most other occupationally exposed populations. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of cancer in NM technologists in relation to work history, procedures performed and radioprotection practices. From the US Radiologic Technologists cohort study, 72 755 radiologic technologists who completed a 2003-2005 questionnaire were followed for cancer mortality through 31 December 2012 and for cancer incidence through completion of a questionnaire in 2012-2013. Multivariable-adjusted models were used to estimate HRs for total cancer incidence and mortality by history of ever performing NM procedures and frequency of performing specific diagnostic or therapeutic NM procedures and associated radiation protection measures by decade. During follow-up (mean=7.5 years), 960 incident cancers and 425 cancer deaths were reported among the 22 360 technologists who worked with NM procedures. We observed no increased risk of cancer incidence (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.04) or death (HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.19) among workers who ever performed NM procedures. HRs for cancer incidence but not mortality were higher for technologists who began performing therapeutic procedures in 1960 and later compared with the 1950s. Frequency of performing diagnostic or therapeutic NM procedures and use of radioprotection measures were not consistently associated with cancer risk. No clear associations were observed for specific cancers, but results were based on small numbers. Cancer incidence and mortality were not associated with NM work history practices, including greater frequency of procedures performed. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Source term model evaluations for the low-level waste facility performance assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yim, M.S.; Su, S.I.

1995-12-31

The estimation of release of radionuclides from various waste forms to the bottom boundary of the waste disposal facility (source term) is one of the most important aspects of LLW facility performance assessment. In this work, several currently used source term models are comparatively evaluated for the release of carbon-14 based on a test case problem. The models compared include PRESTO-EPA-CPG, IMPACTS, DUST and NEFTRAN-II. Major differences in assumptions and approaches between the models are described and key parameters are identified through sensitivity analysis. The source term results from different models are compared and other concerns or suggestions are discussed.

Radiological evaluation of dysphagia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ott, D.J.; Gelfand, D.W.; Wu, W.C.

1986-11-21

Dysphagia is a common complaint in patients presenting for radiological or endoscopic examination of the esophagus and is usually due to functional or structural abnormalities of the esophageal body or esophagogastric region. The authors review the radiological evaluation of the esophagus and esophagogastric region in patients with esophageal dysphagia and discuss the roentgenographic techniques used, radiological efficacy for common structural disorders, and evaluation of esophageal motor function. Comparison is made with endoscopy in assessing dysphagia, with the conclusion that the radiological examination be used initially in patients with this complaint.

Improved understanding of human anatomy through self-guided radiological anatomy modules.

PubMed

Phillips, Andrew W; Smith, Sandy G; Ross, Callum F; Straus, Christopher M

2012-07-01

To quantifiably measure the impact of self-instructed radiological anatomy modules on anatomy comprehension, demonstrated by radiology, gross, and written exams. Study guides for independent use that emphasized structural relationships were created for use with two online radiology atlases. A guide was created for each module of the first year medical anatomy course and incorporated as an optional course component. A total of 93 of 96 eligible students participated. All exams were normalized to control for variances in exam difficulty and body region tested. An independent t-test was used to compare overall exam scores with respect to guide completion or incompletion. To account for aptitude differences between students, a paired t-test of each student's exam scores with and without completion of the associated guide was performed, thus allowing students to serve as their own controls. Twenty-one students completed no study guides; 22 completed all six guides; and 50 students completed between one and five guides. Aggregate comparisons of all students' exam scores showed significantly improved mean performance when guides were used (radiology, 57.8% [percentile] vs. 45.1%, P < .001; gross, 56.9% vs. 46.5%, P = .001; written, 57.8% vs. 50.2%, P = .011). Paired comparisons among students who completed between one and five guides demonstrated significantly higher mean practical exam scores when guides were used (radiology, 49.3% [percentile] vs. 36.0%, P = .001; gross, 51.5% vs. 40.4%, P = .005), but not higher written scores. Radiological anatomy study guides significantly improved anatomy comprehension on radiology, gross, and written exams. Copyright © 2012 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Use of Interventional Radiology Techniques in the Treatment of Pancreatic Fistula.

PubMed

Miłek, Tomasz; Baranowski, Krzysztof; Petryka, Robert; Ciostek, Piotr

2016-12-01

One of the complications of pancreatic disease is the formation of pancreatic fistulae. The presence of fistula leads to body wasting and cachexia. The standard treatment is intubation of the Wirsung duct and in cases where there are no improvements the next proposed form of treatment is surgery. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of pancreatic fistula closure using interventional radiology techniques. In 2009 to 2014, 46 patients diagnosed with pancreatic fistula were treated with interventional radiology techniques. Treatment consisted of vascular coil implanted at the entry of the fistula and then sealed with tissue glue adhesive during endoscopic procedure. Technical success of vascular coil implantation and the use of tissue glue adhesive were reported in all patients. Pancreatic fistula recurred in 7 patients (15.2%). The latter group of patients underwent statistical analysis to determine what the risk factors in recurring pancreatic fistulas were. The results indicate a significant relationship between etiology of the fistula and treatment effect. (1) the use of interventional radiology methods in the closure of pancreatic fistula is an effective and safe procedure; and (2) the recurrence of fistula is dependent on the etiology and often occurs after surgery or trauma.

Using a visual plate waste study to monitor menu performance.

PubMed

Connors, Priscilla L; Rozell, Sarah B

2004-01-01

Two visual plate waste studies were conducted in 1-week phases over a 1-year period in an acute care hospital. A total of 383 trays were evaluated in the first phase and 467 in the second. Food items were ranked for consumption from a low (1) to high (6) score, with a score of 4.0 set as the benchmark denoting a minimum level of acceptable consumption. In the first phase two entrees, four starches, all of the vegetables, sliced white bread, and skim milk scored below the benchmark. As a result six menu items were replaced and one was modified. In the second phase all entrees scored at or above 4.0, as did seven vegetables, and a dinner roll that replaced sliced white bread. Skim milk continued to score below the benchmark. A visual plate waste study assists in benchmarking performance, planning menu changes, and assessing effectiveness.

Department of Energy Operational Readiness Review for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has completed an Operational Readiness Review (ORR) for the restart of Contact Handled (CH) waste emplacement at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) located near Carlsbad, New Mexico. The ORR team assessed the readiness of Nuclear Waste Partnership, LLC (NWP) to manage and perform receipt through CH waste emplacement, and associated waste handling and management activities, including the ability of the National TRU Program (NTP) to evaluate the waste currently stored at the WIPP site against the revised and enhanced Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC). Field work for this review began on November 14, 2015more » and was completed on November 30, 2016. The DOE ORR was conducted in accordance with the Department of Energy Operational Readiness Review Implementation Plan for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, dated November 8, 2016, and DOE Order 425.1D, Verification of Readiness to Start Up or Restart Nuclear Facilities. The review activities included personnel interviews, record reviews, direct observation of operations and maintenance demonstrations, and observation of multiple operational and emergency drills/exercises. The DOE ORR also evaluated the adequacy of the contractor’s ORR (CORR) and the readiness of the DOE Carlsbad field Office (CBFO) to oversee the startup and execution of CH waste emplacement activities at the WIPP facility. The WIPP facility is categorized as a Hazard Category 2 DOE Nonreactor Nuclear Facility for all surface and Underground (UG) operations per DOE-STD-1027-92, Hazard Categorization and Accident Analysis Techniques for Compliance with DOE Order 5480.23, Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports. In addition, the WIPP experienced two events in February, 2014 that resulted in Accident Investigations being performed in accordance with the requirements of DOE Order 225.1B, Accident Investigations. Based upon the results of the accident investigations and hazard categorization of the facility, the team placed

Environmental analysis burial of offsite low-level waste at SRP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poe, W. L.; Moyer, R. A.

1980-12-01

The environmental effects of receipt and burial of low level naval waste are assessed. This low level waste was sent to the NRC-licensed burial ground operated by Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc., at Barnwell, South Carolina. The DOE announced that DOE-generated low level waste would no longer be buried at commercial waste burial sites. The SRP was selected to receive the Naval waste described in this analysis. Receipt and burial of these wastes will have a negligible effect on SRP's environment and increase only sightly the environmental effects of the SRP operations discussed in the EIS on SRP waste management operations. The environmental effects of burial of this waste at Chem-Nuclear Burial Ground or at the SRP Burial Ground are described in this environmental analysis to permit assessment of incremental effects caused by the decision to bury this Naval waste in the SRP Burial Ground rather than in the Barnwell Burial Ground. The radiological effects from burial of this waste in either the SRP or Chem-Nuclear Burial Ground are very small when compared to those from natural background radiation or to the annual population dose commitment from operation of SRP. The environmental effects of burial at SRP to dose commitments normally received by the population surrounding SRP are compared.

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Consolidated Edison Uranium Solidification Project Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NSTec Environmental Management

2013-01-31

The purpose of this Special Analysis (SA) is to determine if the Oak Ridge (OR) Consolidated Edison Uranium Solidification Project (CEUSP) uranium-233 (233U) waste stream (DRTK000000050, Revision 0) is acceptable for shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The CEUSP 233U waste stream requires a special analysis because the concentrations of thorium-229 (229Th), 230Th, 232U, 233U, and 234U exceeded their NNSS Waste Acceptance Criteria action levels. The acceptability of the waste stream is evaluated by determining if performance assessment (PA) modeling provides a reasonable expectation that SLBmore » disposal is protective of human health and the environment. The CEUSP 233U waste stream is a long-lived waste with unique radiological hazards. The SA evaluates the long-term acceptability of the CEUSP 233U waste stream for near-surface disposal as a two tier process. The first tier, which is the usual SA process, uses the approved probabilistic PA model to determine if there is a reasonable expectation that disposal of the CEUSP 233U waste stream can meet the performance objectives of U.S. Department of Energy Manual DOE M 435.1-1, “Radioactive Waste Management,” for a period of 1,000 years (y) after closure. The second tier addresses the acceptability of the OR CEUSP 233U waste stream for near-surface disposal by evaluating long-term site stability and security, by performing extended (i.e., 10,000 and 60,000 y) modeling analyses, and by evaluating the effect of containers and the depth of burial on performance. Tier I results indicate that there is a reasonable expectation of compliance with all performance objectives if the OR CEUSP 233U waste stream is disposed in the Area 5 RWMS SLB disposal units. The maximum mean and 95th percentile PA results are all less than the performance objective for 1,000 y. Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis indicates that there is a high

The characterization of radioactive waste: a critical review of techniques implemented or under development at CEA, France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérot, Bertrand; Jallu, Fanny; Passard, Christian; Gueton, Olivier; Allinei, Pierre-Guy; Loubet, Laurent; Estre, Nicolas; Simon, Eric; Carasco, Cédric; Roure, Christophe; Boucher, Lionel; Lamotte, Hervé; Comte, Jérôme; Bertaux, Maïté; Lyoussi, Abdallah; Fichet, Pascal; Carrel, Frédérick

2018-03-01

This review paper describes the destructive and non-destructive measurements implemented or under development at CEA, in view to perform the most complete radioactive waste characterization. First, high-energy photon imaging (radiography, tomography) brings essential information on the waste packages, such as density, position and shape of the waste inside the container and in the possible binder, quality of coating and blocking matrices, presence of internal shields or structures, presence of cracks, voids, or other defects in the container or in the matrix, liquids or other forbidden materials, etc. Radiological assessment is then performed using a series of non-destructive techniques such as gamma-ray spectroscopy, which allows characterizing a wide range of radioactive and nuclear materials, passive neutron coincidence counting and active neutron interrogation with the differential die-away technique, or active photon interrogation with high-energy photons (photofission), to measure nuclear materials. Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) can also be employed to detect toxic chemicals or elements which can greatly influence the above measurements, such as neutron moderators or absorbers. Digital auto-radiography can also be used to detect alpha and beta contaminated waste. These non-destructive assessments can be completed by gas measurements, to quantify the radioactive and radiolysis gas releases, and by destructive examinations such as coring homogeneous waste packages or cutting the heterogeneous ones, in view to perform visual examination and a series of physical, chemical, and radiochemical analyses on samples. These last allow for instance to check the mechanical and containment properties of the package envelop, or of the waste binder, to measure toxic chemicals, to assess the activity of long-lived radionuclides or pure beta emitters, to determine the isotopic composition of nuclear materials, etc.

Influence of physical parameters on radiation protection and image quality in intra-oral radiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belinato, W.; Souza, D. N.

2011-10-01

In the world of diagnostic imaging, radiography is an important supplementary method for dental diagnosis. In radiology, special attention must be paid to the radiological protection of patients and health professionals, and also to image quality for correct diagnosis. In Brazil, the national rules governing the operation of medical and dental radiology were specified in 1998 by the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency, complemented in 2005 by the guide "Medical radiology: security and performance of equipment." In this study, quality control tests were performed in public clinics with dental X-ray equipment in the State of Sergipe, Brazil, with consideration of the physical parameters that influence radiological protection and also the quality of images taken in intra-oral radiography. The accuracy of the exposure time was considered acceptable for equipment with digital timers. Exposure times and focal-spot size variations can lead to increased entrance dose. Increased dose has also been associated with visual processing of radiographic film, which often requires repeating the radiographic examination.

Development of Risk Insights for Regulatory Review of a Near-Surface Disposal Facility for Radioactive Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Esh, D.W.; Ridge, A.C.; Thaggard, M.

2006-07-01

Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA) requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to consult with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) about non-High Level Waste (HLW) determinations. In its consultative role, NRC performs technical reviews of DOE's waste determinations but does not have regulatory authority over DOE's waste disposal activities. The safety of disposal is evaluated by comparing predicted disposal facility performance to the performance objectives specified in NRC regulations for the disposal of low-level waste (10 CFR Part 61 Subpart C). The performance objectives contain criteria for protection of themore » public, protection of inadvertent intruders, protection of workers, and stability of the disposal site after closure. The potential radiological dose to receptors typically is evaluated with a performance assessment (PA) model that simulates the release of radionuclides from the disposal site, transport of radionuclides through the environment, and exposure of potential receptors to residual contamination for thousands of years. This paper describes NRC's development and use of independent performance assessment modeling to facilitate review of DOE's non-HLW determination for the Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF) at the Savannah River Site. NRC's review of the safety of near-surface disposal of radioactive waste at the SDF was facilitated and focused by risk insights developed with an independent PA model. The main components of NRC's performance assessment model are presented. The development of risk insights that allow the staff to focus review efforts on those areas that are most important to satisfying the performance objectives is discussed. Uncertainty analysis was performed of the full stochastic model using genetic variable selection algorithms. The results of the uncertainty analysis were then used to guide the development of simulations of other scenarios to understand the

Impact of Corrections to the Spallings Volume Calculation on Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Performance Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kicker, Dwayne Curtis; Herrick, Courtney G; Zeitler, Todd

2015-11-01

The numerical code DRSPALL (from direct release spallings) is written to calculate the volume of Waste Isolation Pilot Plant solid waste subject to material failure and transport to the surface (i.e., spallings) as a result of a hypothetical future inadvertent drilling intrusion into the repository. An error in the implementation of the DRSPALL finite difference equations was discovered and documented in a software problem report in accordance with the quality assurance procedure for software requirements. This paper describes the corrections to DRSPALL and documents the impact of the new spallings data from the modified DRSPALL on previous performance assessment calculations.more » Updated performance assessments result in more simulations with spallings, which generally translates to an increase in spallings releases to the accessible environment. Total normalized radionuclide releases using the modified DRSPALL data were determined by forming the summation of releases across each potential release pathway, namely borehole cuttings and cavings releases, spallings releases, direct brine releases, and transport releases. Because spallings releases are not a major contributor to the total releases, the updated performance assessment calculations of overall mean complementary cumulative distribution functions for total releases are virtually unchanged. Therefore, the corrections to the spallings volume calculation did not impact Waste Isolation Pilot Plant performance assessment calculation results.« less

Development of performance assessment methodology for nuclear waste isolation in geologic media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonano, E. J.; Chu, M. S. Y.; Cranwell, R. M.; Davis, P. A.

The burial of nuclear wastes in deep geologic formations as a means for their disposal is an issue of significant technical and social impact. The analysis of the processes involved can be performed only with reliable mathematical models and computer codes as opposed to conducting experiments because the time scales associated are on the order of tens of thousands of years. These analyses are concerned primarily with the migration of radioactive contaminants from the repository to the environment accessible to humans. Modeling of this phenomenon depends on a large number of other phenomena taking place in the geologic porous and/or fractured medium. These are ground-water flow, physicochemical interactions of the contaminants with the rock, heat transfer, and mass transport. Once the radionuclides have reached the accessible environment, the pathways to humans and health effects are estimated. A performance assessment methodology for a potential high-level waste repository emplaced in a basalt formation has been developed for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Delivering radiology supplies just-in-time.

PubMed

Clinton, M

1999-01-01

The radiology department at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) adopted a just-in-time (JIT) inventory management system in 1992, reducing the volume of its in-house inventory of radiology supplies from a value of $400,000 to $16,000, just enough for four to five days of activity. An asset manager, the only person authorized to order supplies, was given responsibility for maintaining the department's supply of fixed and consumable assets. The first step in implementing the new system was to identify the supplies needed, standardize them and determine how often deliveries would be made. The JIT implementation team developed a request for proposal (RFP) that incorporated the standardized list of supplies. Three radiology supply vendors were invited to respond to the RFP. The team later determined that only one vendor was capable of implementing the JIT program. A three-year contract was awarded to that vendor. As that three-year contract reached completion, DHMC offered the JIT program to its eight affiliate hospitals and four outpatient clinics. The team decided to re-bid the contract for the entire network, which collectively performed 700,000 radiology exams annually. The new RFP encompassed 90 percent of the network's consumable supplies and offered customized delivery for each facility. The team identified eight criteria necessary for the evaluation of each vendor response to the RFP, rather than use price as the only consideration. The company that won the three-year contract furnished 90 percent of the radiology supplies for the DHMC network, allowing even further savings by the network, particularly for the smaller facilities and clinics. The program is continually monitored, adjusted and enhanced in order to incorporate changing departmental needs.

Does performance evaluation help public managers? A Balanced Scorecard approach in urban waste services.

PubMed

Guimarães, Bernardo; Simões, Pedro; Marques, Rui Cunha

2010-12-01

The urban waste market has evolved significantly in the past decades, which among other changes, has led to the creation of new utilities and new business models. However, very few things have changed for the users. Urban waste collection remains mainly under the responsibility of local authorities and the charges paid by the users in most countries are very low compared to the provision costs. This situation forces the injection of public money into the system, encouraging the 'quiet-life' within the utilities and, therefore, inefficiency. The present study intends to analyze the potential for the application of the Balanced Scorecard (BSc) methodology into the waste utilities. After a comprehensive revision of the urban waste sector in Portugal, the methodology of BSc and its application in local public services is described and discussed. Focusing on implementation rather than on strategy, a set of performance indicators is proposed to be utilized in the different management models of waste utilities in Portugal: the municipalities, semi-autonomous utilities, municipal companies and mixed companies. This implementation is then exemplified through four case studies, one for each type of utility. This paper provides a flexible framework proposal to be applied to waste utilities operating both in Portugal and abroad. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative performance targets by using balanced scorecard system: application to waste management and public administration.

PubMed

Mendes, Paula; Nunes, Luis Miguel; Teixeira, Margarida Ribau

2014-09-01

This article demonstrates how decision-makers can be guided in the process of defining performance target values in the balanced scorecard system. We apply a method based on sensitivity analysis with Monte Carlo simulation to the municipal solid waste management system in Loulé Municipality (Portugal). The method includes two steps: sensitivity analysis of performance indicators to identify those performance indicators with the highest impact on the balanced scorecard model outcomes; and sensitivity analysis of the target values for the previously identified performance indicators. Sensitivity analysis shows that four strategic objectives (IPP1: Comply with the national waste strategy; IPP4: Reduce nonrenewable resources and greenhouse gases; IPP5: Optimize the life-cycle of waste; and FP1: Meet and optimize the budget) alone contribute 99.7% of the variability in overall balanced scorecard value. Thus, these strategic objectives had a much stronger impact on the estimated balanced scorecard outcome than did others, with the IPP1 and the IPP4 accounting for over 55% and 22% of the variance in overall balanced scorecard value, respectively. The remaining performance indicators contribute only marginally. In addition, a change in the value of a single indicator's target value made the overall balanced scorecard value change by as much as 18%. This may lead to involuntarily biased decisions by organizations regarding performance target-setting, if not prevented with the help of methods such as that proposed and applied in this study. © The Author(s) 2014.

Liquid secondary waste: Waste form formulation and qualification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cozzi, A. D.; Dixon, K. L.; Hill, K. A.

The Hanford Site Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) currently treats aqueous waste streams generated during site cleanup activities. When the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) begins operations, including Direct Feed Low Activity Waste (DFLAW) vitrification, a liquid secondary waste (LSW) stream from the WTP will need to be treated. The volume of effluent for treatment at the ETF will increase significantly. The powdered salt waste form produced by the ETF will be replaced by a stabilized solidified waste form for disposal in Hanford’s Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). Washington River Protection Solutions is implementing a Secondary Liquid Waste Immobilizationmore » Technology Development Plan to address the technology needs for a waste form and solidification process to treat the increased volume of waste planned for disposal at the IDF. Waste form testing to support this plan is composed of work in the near term to provide data as input to a performance assessment (PA) for Hanford’s IDF. In 2015, three Hanford Liquid Secondary Waste simulants were developed based on existing and projected waste streams. Using these waste simulants, fourteen mixes of Hanford Liquid Secondary Waste were prepared and tested varying the waste simulant, the water-to-dry materials ratio, and the dry materials blend composition.1 In FY16, testing was performed using a simulant of the EMF process condensate blended with the caustic scrubber—from the Low Activity Waste (LAW) melter—, processed through the ETF. The initial EMF-16 simulant will be based on modeling efforts performed to determine the mass balance of the ETF for the DFLAW.2 The compressive strength of all of the mixes exceeded the target of 3.4 MPa (500 psi) to meet the requirements identified as potential IDF Waste Acceptance Criteria in Table 1 of the Secondary Liquid Waste Immobilization Technology Development Plan.3 The hydraulic properties of the waste forms tested (hydraulic

Qualitative review of usability problems in health information systems for radiology.

PubMed

Dias, Camila Rodrigues; Pereira, Marluce Rodrigues; Freire, André Pimenta

2017-12-01

Radiology processes are commonly supported by Radiology Information System (RIS), Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and other software for radiology. However, these information technologies can present usability problems that affect the performance of radiologists and physicians, especially considering the complexity of the tasks involved. The purpose of this study was to extract, classify and analyze qualitatively the usability problems in PACS, RIS and other software for radiology. A systematic review was performed to extract usability problems reported in empirical usability studies in the literature. The usability problems were categorized as violations of Nielsen and Molich's usability heuristics. The qualitative analysis indicated the causes and the effects of the identified usability problems. From the 431 papers initially identified, 10 met the study criteria. The analysis of the papers identified 90 instances of usability problems, classified into categories corresponding to established usability heuristics. The five heuristics with the highest number of instances of usability problems were "Flexibility and efficiency of use", "Consistency and standards", "Match between system and the real world", "Recognition rather than recall" and "Help and documentation", respectively. These problems can make the interaction time consuming, causing delays in tasks, dissatisfaction, frustration, preventing users from enjoying all the benefits and functionalities of the system, as well as leading to more errors and difficulties in carrying out clinical analyses. Furthermore, the present paper showed a lack of studies performed on systems for radiology, especially usability evaluations using formal methods of evaluation involving the final users. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contrast reaction training in US radiology residencies: a COARDRI study.

PubMed

LeBedis, Christina A; Rosenkrantz, Andrew B; Otero, Hansel J; Decker, Summer J; Ward, Robert J

To perform a survey-based assessment of current contrast reaction training in US diagnostic radiology residency programs. An electronic survey was distributed to radiology residency program directors from 9/2015-11/2015. 25.7% of programs responded. 95.7% of those who responded provide contrast reaction management training. 89.4% provide didactic lectures (occurring yearly in 71.4%). 37.8% provide hands-on simulation training (occurring yearly in 82.3%; attended by both faculty and trainees in 52.9%). Wide variability in contrast reaction education in US diagnostic radiology residency programs reveals an opportunity to develop and implement a national curriculum. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Virtual management of radiology examinations in the virtual radiology environment using common object request broker architecture services.

PubMed

Martinez, R; Rozenblit, J; Cook, J F; Chacko, A K; Timboe, H L

1999-05-01

In the Department of Defense (DoD), US Army Medical Command is now embarking on an extremely exciting new project--creating a virtual radiology environment (VRE) for the management of radiology examinations. The business of radiology in the military is therefore being reengineered on several fronts by the VRE Project. In the VRE Project, a set of intelligent agent algorithms determine where examinations are to routed for reading bases on a knowledge base of the entire VRE. The set of algorithms, called the Meta-Manager, is hierarchical and uses object-based communications between medical treatment facilities (MTFs) and medical centers that have digital imaging network picture archiving and communications systems (DIN-PACS) networks. The communications is based on use of common object request broker architecture (CORBA) objects and services to send patient demographics and examination images from DIN-PACS networks in the MTFs to the DIN-PACS networks at the medical centers for diagnosis. The Meta-Manager is also responsible for updating the diagnosis at the originating MTF. CORBA services are used to perform secure message communications between DIN-PACS nodes in the VRE network. The Meta-Manager has a fail-safe architecture that allows the master Meta-Manager function to float to regional Meta-Manager sites in case of server failure. A prototype of the CORBA-based Meta-Manager is being developed by the University of Arizona's Computer Engineering Research Laboratory using the unified modeling language (UML) as a design tool. The prototype will implement the main functions described in the Meta-Manager design specification. The results of this project are expected to reengineer the process of radiology in the military and have extensions to commercial radiology environments.

NRC Monitoring of Salt Waste Disposal at the Savannah River Site - 13147

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pinkston, Karen E.; Ridge, A. Christianne; Alexander, George W.

2013-07-01

As part of monitoring required under Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA), the NRC staff reviewed an updated DOE performance assessment (PA) for salt waste disposal at the Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF). The NRC staff concluded that it has reasonable assurance that waste disposal at the SDF meets the 10 CFR 61 performance objectives for protection of individuals against intrusion (chap.61.42), protection of individuals during operations (chap.61.43), and site stability (chap.61.44). However, based on its evaluation of DOE's results and independent sensitivity analyses conducted with DOE's models, the NRC staffmore » concluded that it did not have reasonable assurance that DOE's disposal activities at the SDF meet the performance objective for protection of the general population from releases of radioactivity (chap.61.41) evaluated at a dose limit of 0.25 mSv/yr (25 mrem/yr) total effective dose equivalent (TEDE). NRC staff also concluded that the potential dose to a member of the public is expected to be limited (i.e., is expected to be similar to or less than the public dose limit in chap.20.1301 of 1 mSv/yr [100 mrem/yr] TEDE) and is expected to occur many years after site closure. The NRC staff used risk insights gained from review of the SDF PA, its experience monitoring DOE disposal actions at the SDF over the last 5 years, as well as independent analysis and modeling to identify factors that are important to assessing whether DOE's disposal actions meet the performance objectives. Many of these factors are similar to factors identified in the NRC staff's 2005 review of salt waste disposal at the SDF. Key areas of interest continue to be waste form and disposal unit degradation, the effectiveness of infiltration and erosion controls, and estimation of the radiological inventory. Based on these factors, NRC is revising its plan for monitoring salt waste disposal at the SDF in coordination with

Data Packages for the Hanford Immobilized Low Activity Tank Waste Performance Assessment 2001 Version [SEC 1 THRU 5

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MANN, F.M.

Data package supporting the 2001 Immobilized Low-Activity Waste Performance Analysis. Geology, hydrology, geochemistry, facility, waste form, and dosimetry data based on recent investigation are provided. Verification and benchmarking packages for selected software codes are provided.

Responses to Public Comments on EPA’s Standards of Performance for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills and Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills: Proposed Rules - July 2016

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Responses to Public Comments on EPA’s Standards of Performance for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills and Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills: Proposed Rules - July 2016

Limitations Influencing Interventional Radiology in Canada: Results of a National Survey by the Canadian Interventional Radiology Association (CIRA)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Brien, Jeremy; Baerlocher, Mark Otto; Asch, Murray R.

2007-09-15

Purpose. To describe the current state and limitations to interventional radiology (IR) in Canada through a large, national survey of Canadian interventional radiologists. Methods. An anonymous online survey was offered to members of the Canadian Interventional Radiology Association (CIRA). Only staff radiologists were invited to participate. Results. Seventy-five (75) responses were received from a total of 247, giving a response rate of 30%. Respondents were split approximately equally between academic centers (47%) and community practice (53%), and the majority of interventional radiologists worked in hospitals with either 200-500 (49%) or 500-1,000 (39%) beds. Procedures listed by respondents as most commonlymore » performed in their practice included PICC line insertion (83%), angiography and stenting (65%), and percutaneous biopsy (37%). Procedures listed as not currently performed but which interventional radiologists believed would benefit their patient population included radiofrequency ablation (36%), carotid stenting (34%), and aortic stenting (21%); the majority of respondents noted that a lack of support from referring services was the main reason for not performing these procedures (56%). Impediments to increasing scope and volume of practice in Canadian IR were most commonly related to room or equipment shortage (35%), radiologist shortage (33%), and a lack of funding or administrative support (28%). Conclusion. Interventional radiology in Canada is limited by a number of factors including funding, manpower, and referral support. A concerted effort should be undertaken by individual interventional radiologists and IR organizations to increase training capacity, funding, remuneration, and public exposure to IR in order to help advance the subspecialty.« less

Proceedings of the tenth annual DOE low-level waste management conference: Session 2: Site performance assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1988-12-01

This document contains twelve papers on various aspects of low-level radioactive waste management. Topics of this volume include: performance assessment methodology; remedial action alternatives; site selection and site characterization procedures; intruder scenarios; sensitivity analysis procedures; mathematical models for mixed waste environmental transport; and risk assessment methodology. Individual papers were processed separately for the database. (TEM)

Performance Assessment Program for the Savannah River Site Liquid Waste Facilities - 13610

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosenberger, Kent H.

2013-07-01

The Liquid Waste facilities at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) are operated by Liquid Waste Operations contractor Savannah River Remediation LLC (SRR). A separate Performance Assessment (PA) is prepared to support disposal operations at the Saltstone Disposal Facility and closure evaluations for the two liquid waste tank farm facilities at SRS, F-Tank Farm and H-Tank Farm. A PA provides the technical basis and results to be used in subsequent documents to demonstrate compliance with the pertinent requirements identified in operations and closure regulatory guidance. The Saltstone Disposal Facility is subject to a State of Southmore » Carolina industrial solid waste landfill permit and the tank farms are subject to a state industrial waste water permit. The three Liquid Waste facilities are also subject to a Federal Facility Agreement approved by the State, DOE and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Due to the regulatory structure, a PA is a key technical document reviewed by the DOE, the State of South Carolina and the EPA. As the waste material disposed of in the Saltstone Disposal Facility and the residual material in the closed tank farms is also subject to reclassification prior to closure via a waste determination pursuant to Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2005, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is also a reviewing agency for the PAs. Pursuant to the Act, the NRC also has a continuing role to monitor disposal actions to assess compliance with stated performance objectives. The Liquid Waste PA program at SRS represents a continual process over the life of the disposal and closure operations. When the need for a PA or PA revision is identified, the first step is to develop a conceptual model to best represent the facility conditions. The conceptual model will include physical dimensions of the closed system, both the engineered and natural system, and

Telemedicine and pediatric radiology: a new environment for training, learning, and interactive discussions.

PubMed

Monteiro, Alexandra M V; Corrêa, Diogo Goulart; Santos, Alair Augusto Sarmet M D; Cavalcanti, Silvio A; Sakuno, Telma; Filgueiras, Tereza; Just, Eduardo; Santos, Munique; Messina, Luiz Ary; Haddad, Ana Estela; Marchiori, Edson

2011-12-01

To report the experience of the Brazilian Program of Pediatric Teleradiology in combining teleconferencing and a virtual learning environment for services integration, collaborative research, and continuing education in pediatric radiology. We performed virtual meetings from March 2005 to October 2010 on pediatric radiology-related themes, using a combination of videoconferences and Web conferences, which were recorded and made available in an open-source software (Moodle) for reuse. We performed 58 virtual sessions: 29 anatomical-clinical-radiological sessions, 28 on upgrading themes, and 1 virtual symposium. The average of connected points was 12 by videoconference and 39 by Web conference, and of 450 participants per event. At the time of this writing, 318 physicians and students are registered in the virtual learning environment, with a total of 14,678 accesses. Telemedicine is being included in pediatric radiology practice, as a means for distance education, training, and continuing integration between groups.

The discrepancy rate between preliminary and official reports of emergency radiology studies: a performance indicator and quality improvement method.

PubMed

Issa, Ghada; Taslakian, Bedros; Itani, Malak; Hitti, Eveline; Batley, Nicholas; Saliba, Miriam; El-Merhi, Fadi

2015-05-01

At teaching hospitals, radiology residents give preliminary reports for imaging studies requested from the Emergency Department (ED). Discrepancy rates between preliminary and final reports represent an important performance indicator. To present a system for feedback and follow-up of discrepancies, identify the variables associated with the rate and severity of such discrepancies, target the weaknesses, and suggest the need of a standard reference value for comparison among institutions. A monitoring and communication system between the Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Emergency Department was initiated to mark and follow all studies from the ED for which the official reading was different than the preliminary interpretation. Data analysis was performed on all studies from 1 June 2011 to 31 May 2012, based on the severity of the discrepancy, imaging modality, resident training level, and organ system. The distribution of the number of discrepancies among the different resident levels and imaging modalities was determined, as well as the distribution of three severity scores in correlation with other variables. The overall discrepancy rate was 1.62%. The discrepancy rate was higher for first and second year residents (1.62% and 1.96%) than for third and fourth year residents (1.35% and 1.24%). It was higher for computed tomography (2.13%) than for radiographs (1.29%) and ultrasound (0.8%) (P value < 0.01), and higher for musculoskeletal (1.61%) than non-musculoskeletal (0.99%) radiographs (P value = 0.0003). Discrepancies with severity score one constituted 35.5% of the total discrepancies, those with severity scores two and three constituted 22.9% and 41.6%, respectively. We have demonstrated a system for follow-up of discrepancy in interpreting emergency radiology studies, and recorded the discrepancy rate, with further analysis based on different variables. In terms of quality assurance, a periodical analysis might help to reduce the number of discrepant

Improving Novice Radiology Trainees' Perception Using Fine Art.

PubMed

Goodman, Thomas Rob; Kelleher, Michael

2017-10-01

To determine if fine art perception training improved performance in novice radiology trainees. On the first day of their residency, 15 radiology residents underwent a basic radiology perception test in which they were shown 15 different radiographs that each had a significant abnormality. This was followed by a focused session of interpretation training at a local art gallery where art experts taught the trainees how to thoroughly analyze a painting. After this fine art session, the residents were once again shown 15 different radiographs and asked, in the same manner as before, to identify the location of the abnormality. The results of both radiograph assessments were then compared. The 15 residents correctly identified the areas of abnormality on 35 of 225 cases pre-art training with a mean score of 2.33 and a SD of 1.4. After art training, the figure for correctly identifying the area of abnormality rose to 94 of 225 cases with a mean score of 6.27 and a SD of 1.79 (P < .0001). The implementation of a focused teaching session on perception improved first-year residents' ability to localize imaging abnormalities. This improvement was significant (P < .0001). Most errors in radiology occur due to failures of perception rather than failures to correctly interpret a finding and, as such, it behooves the profession to ensure that perception training is adequately addressed as part of a radiology training curriculum. Using an art gallery may be a novel, effective transitional starting point for novice radiology trainees. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Low-level radioactive waste disposal. Study of a conceptual nuclear energy center at Green River, Utah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Card, D. H.; Hunter, P. H.; Barg, D.; Desouza, F.; Felthauser, K.; Winkler, V.; White, R.

1982-02-01

The ramifications of constructing a nuclear energy center in an arid western region were studied. The alternatives for disposing of the low level waste on the site are compared with the alternative of transporting the waste to the nearest commercial waste disposal site for permanent disposal. Both radiological and nonradiological impacts on the local socioeconomic infrastructure and the environment are considered. Disposal on the site was found to cost considerably less than off site disposal with only negligible impacts associated with the disposal option on either mankind or the environment.

Canadian Association of Radiologists White Paper on Artificial Intelligence in Radiology.

PubMed

Tang, An; Tam, Roger; Cadrin-Chênevert, Alexandre; Guest, Will; Chong, Jaron; Barfett, Joseph; Chepelev, Leonid; Cairns, Robyn; Mitchell, J Ross; Cicero, Mark D; Poudrette, Manuel Gaudreau; Jaremko, Jacob L; Reinhold, Caroline; Gallix, Benoit; Gray, Bruce; Geis, Raym

2018-05-01

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly moving from an experimental phase to an implementation phase in many fields, including medicine. The combination of improved availability of large datasets, increasing computing power, and advances in learning algorithms has created major performance breakthroughs in the development of AI applications. In the last 5 years, AI techniques known as deep learning have delivered rapidly improving performance in image recognition, caption generation, and speech recognition. Radiology, in particular, is a prime candidate for early adoption of these techniques. It is anticipated that the implementation of AI in radiology over the next decade will significantly improve the quality, value, and depth of radiology's contribution to patient care and population health, and will revolutionize radiologists' workflows. The Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) is the national voice of radiology committed to promoting the highest standards in patient-centered imaging, lifelong learning, and research. The CAR has created an AI working group with the mandate to discuss and deliberate on practice, policy, and patient care issues related to the introduction and implementation of AI in imaging. This white paper provides recommendations for the CAR derived from deliberations between members of the AI working group. This white paper on AI in radiology will inform CAR members and policymakers on key terminology, educational needs of members, research and development, partnerships, potential clinical applications, implementation, structure and governance, role of radiologists, and potential impact of AI on radiology in Canada. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Low-Level Waste Disposal Receipt Data for Los Alamos National Laboratory Technical Area 54, Area G Disposal Facility - Fiscal Year 2011

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

French, Sean B.; Shuman, Robert

2012-04-17

The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or the Laboratory) generates radioactive waste as a result of various activities. Operational or institutional waste is generated from a wide variety of research and development activities including nuclear weapons development, energy production, and medical research. Environmental restoration (ER), and decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) waste is generated as contaminated sites and facilities at LANL undergo cleanup or remediation. The majority of this waste is low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and is disposed of at the Technical Area 54 (TA-54), Area G disposal facility. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 435.1 (DOE, 2001) requiresmore » that radioactive waste be managed in a manner that protects public health and safety, and the environment. To comply with this order, DOE field sites must prepare and maintain site-specific radiological performance assessments for LLW disposal facilities that accept waste after September 26, 1988. Furthermore, sites are required to conduct composite analyses that account for the cumulative impacts of all waste that has been (or will be) disposed of at the facilities and other sources of radioactive material that may interact with the facilities. Revision 4 of the Area G performance assessment and composite analysis was issued in 2008 (LANL, 2008). These analyses estimate rates of radionuclide release from the waste disposed of at the facility, simulate the movement of radionuclides through the environment, and project potential radiation doses to humans for several on-site and off-site exposure scenarios. The assessments are based on existing site and disposal facility data and on assumptions about future rates and methods of waste disposal. The accuracy of the performance assessment and composite analysis depends upon the validity of the data used and assumptions made in conducting the analyses. If changes in these data and assumptions are significant, they may invalidate

Ergonomics in radiology.

PubMed

Goyal, N; Jain, N; Rachapalli, V

2009-02-01

The use of computers is increasing in every field of medicine, especially radiology. Filmless radiology departments, speech recognition software, electronic request forms and teleradiology are some of the recent developments that have substantially increased the amount of time a radiologist spends in front of a computer monitor. Computers are also needed for searching literature on the internet, communicating via e-mails, and preparing for lectures and presentations. It is well known that regular computer users can suffer musculoskeletal injuries due to repetitive stress. The role of ergonomics in radiology is to ensure that working conditions are optimized in order to avoid injury and fatigue. Adequate workplace ergonomics can go a long way in increasing productivity, efficiency, and job satisfaction. We review the current literature pertaining to the role of ergonomics in modern-day radiology especially with the development of picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) workstations.

How Secure Is Your Radiology Department? Mapping Digital Radiology Adoption and Security Worldwide.

PubMed

Stites, Mark; Pianykh, Oleg S

2016-04-01

Despite the long history of digital radiology, one of its most critical aspects--information security--still remains extremely underdeveloped and poorly standardized. To study the current state of radiology security, we explored the worldwide security of medical image archives. Using the DICOM data-transmitting standard, we implemented a highly parallel application to scan the entire World Wide Web of networked computers and devices, locating open and unprotected radiology servers. We used only legal and radiology-compliant tools. Our security-probing application initiated a standard DICOM handshake to remote computer or device addresses, and then assessed their security posture on the basis of handshake replies. The scan discovered a total of 2774 unprotected radiology or DICOM servers worldwide. Of those, 719 were fully open to patient data communications. Geolocation was used to analyze and rank our findings according to country utilization. As a result, we built maps and world ranking of clinical security, suggesting that even the most radiology-advanced countries have hospitals with serious security gaps. Despite more than two decades of active development and implementation, our radiology data still remains insecure. The results provided should be applied to raise awareness and begin an earnest dialogue toward elimination of the problem. The application we designed and the novel scanning approach we developed can be used to identify security breaches and to eliminate them before they are compromised.

COMPARE/Radiology, an interactive Web-based radiology teaching program evaluation of user response.

PubMed

Wagner, Matthias; Heckemann, Rolf A; Nömayr, Anton; Greess, Holger; Bautz, Werner A; Grunewald, Markus

2005-06-01

The aim of this study is to assess user benefits of COMPARE/Radiology, a highly interactive World Wide Web-based training program for radiology, as perceived by its users. COMPARE/Radiology (http://www.idr.med.uni-erlangen.de/compare.htm), an interactive training program based on 244 teaching cases, was created by the authors and made publicly available on the Internet. An anonymous survey was conducted among users to investigate the composition of the program's user base and assess the acceptance of the training program. In parallel, Web access data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The group of responding users (n = 1370) consisted of 201 preclinical medical students (14.7%), 314 clinical medical students (22.9%), 359 residents in radiology (26.2%), and 205 users of other professions (14.9%). A majority of respondents (1230; 89%) rated the interactivity of COMPARE/Radiology as good or excellent. Many respondents use COMPARE/Radiology for self-study (971; 70%) and for teaching others (600; 43%). Web access statistics show an increase in number of site visits from 1248 in December 2002 to 4651 in April 2004. Users appreciate the benefits of COMPARE/Radiology. The interactive instructional design was rated positively by responding users. The popularity of the site is growing, evidenced by the number of network accesses during the observation period.

Role of conventional radiology and MRi defecography of pelvic floor hernias

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Purpose of the study is to define the role of conventional radiology and MRI in the evaluation of pelvic floor hernias in female pelvic floor disorders. Methods A MEDLINE and PubMed search was performed for journals before March 2013 with MeSH major terms 'MR Defecography' and 'pelvic floor hernias'. Results The prevalence of pelvic floor hernias at conventional radiology was higher if compared with that at MRI. Concerning the hernia content, there were significantly more enteroceles and sigmoidoceles on conventional radiology than on MRI, whereas, in relation to the hernia development modalities, the prevalence of elytroceles, edroceles, and Douglas' hernias at conventional radiology was significantly higher than that at MRI. Conclusions MRI shows lower sensitivity than conventional radiology in the detection of pelvic floor hernias development. The less-invasive MRI may have a role in a better evaluation of the entire pelvic anatomy and pelvic organ interaction especially in patients with multicompartmental defects, planned for surgery. PMID:24267789

Analysis of operation UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE nuclear test BADGER radiological and meteorological data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Quinn, V.E.

1986-04-01

This report describes the Weather Service Nuclear Support Office (WSNSO) analyses of the radiological and meteorological data collected for the BADGER nuclear test of Operation UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE. Inconsistencies in the radiological data and their resolution are discussed. The methods of normalizing the radiological data to a standard time, of converting the aerial data to equivalent ground-level values, and of estimating fallout-arrival times are presented. The meteorological situations on event day and the following day are described. A comparison of the WSNSO fallout analysis with an analysis performed during the 1950's is presented. The radiological data used to derive the WSNSO falloutmore » pattern are tabulated in an appendix.« less

Effect of feeding mode and dilution on the performance and microbial community population in anaerobic digestion of food waste.

PubMed

Park, Jong-Hun; Kumar, Gopalakrishnan; Yun, Yeo-Myeong; Kwon, Joong-Chun; Kim, Sang-Hyoun

2018-01-01

The effect of feeding mode and dilution was studied in anaerobic digestion of food waste. An upflow anaerobic digester with a settler was fed at six different organic loading rates (OLRs) from 4.6 to 8.6kgCOD/m 3 /d for 200days. The highest methane productivity of 2.78LCH 4 /L/d was achieved at 8.6kgCOD/m 3 /d during continuous feeding of diluted FW. Continuous feeding of diluted food waste showed more stable and efficient performance than stepwise feeding of undiluted food waste. Sharp increase in propionate concentration attributed towards deterioration of the digester performances in stepwise feeding of undiluted food waste. Microbial communities at various OLRs divulged that the microbial distribution in the continuous feeding of diluted food waste was not significantly perturbed despite the increase of OLR up to 8.6kgCOD/m 3 /d, which was contrast to the unstable distribution in stepwise feeding of undiluted food waste at 6.1kgCOD/m 3 /d. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance evaluation of restaurant food waste and biowaste to biogas pilot projects in China and implications for national policy.

PubMed

De Clercq, Djavan; Wen, Zongguo; Fan, Fei

2017-03-15

The objective of this research was to conduct a performance evaluation of three food waste/biowaste-to-biogas pilot projects across 7 scenarios in China based on multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methodology. The projects ranked included a food waste-biogas project in Beijing, a food waste-biogas project in Suzhou and a co-digestion project producing biomethane in Hainan. The projects were ranked from best to worst based on technical, economic and environmental criteria under the MCDA framework. The results demonstrated that some projects are encountering operational problems. Based on these findings, six national policy recommendations were provided: (1) shift away from capital investment subsidies to performance-based subsidies; (2) re-design feed in tariffs; (3) promote bio-methane and project clustering; (4) improve collection efficiency by incentivizing FW producers to direct waste to biogas projects; (5) incentivize biogas projects to produce multiple outputs; (6) incentivize food waste-based projects to co-digest food waste with other substrates for higher gas output. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Special Analysis of Transuranic Waste in Trench T04C at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada, Revision 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greg Shott, Vefa Yucel, Lloyd Desotell

2008-05-01

, consisting of a performance assessment (PA), composite analysis (CA), closure plan, monitoring plan, waste acceptance criteria, and a PA/CA maintenance plan. The DOE issued a DAS for the Area 5 RWMS in 2000. The Area 5 RWMS DAS was, in part, based on review of a CA as required under DOE M 435.1-1, Chapter IV, Section P.(3). A CA is a radiological assessment required for DOE waste disposed before 26 September 1988 and includes the radiological dose from all sources of radioactive material interacting with all radioactive waste disposed at the Area 5 RWMS. The approved Area 5 RWMS CA, which includes the inventory of TRU waste in T04C, indicates that the Area 5 RWMS waste inventory and all interacting sources of radioactive material can meet the 0.3 mSv dose constraint. The composite analysis maximum annual dose for a future resident at the Area 5 RWMS was estimated to be 0.01 mSv at 1,000 years. Therefore, the inadvertent disposal of TRU in T04C is protective of the public and the environment, and compliant with all the applicable requirements in DOE M 435.1-1 and the DAS. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency promulgated 40 CFR 191 to establish standards for the planned disposal of spent nuclear fuel, high level, and transuranic wastes in geologic repositories. Although not required, the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office requested a supplemental analysis to evaluate the likelihood that the inadvertent disposal of TRU waste in T04C meets the requirements of 40 CFR 191. The SA evaluates the likelihood of meeting the 40 CFR 191 containment requirements (CRs), assurance requirements, individual protection requirements (IPRs), and groundwater protection standards. The results of the SA indicate that there is a reasonable expectation of meeting all the requirements of 40 CFR 191. The conclusion of the SA is that the Area 5 RWMS with the TRU waste buried in T04C is in compliance with all requirements in DOE M 435.1-1 and the DAS. Compliance with the DAS

Informatics in radiology: radiology gamuts ontology: differential diagnosis for the Semantic Web.

PubMed

Budovec, Joseph J; Lam, Cesar A; Kahn, Charles E

2014-01-01

The Semantic Web is an effort to add semantics, or "meaning," to empower automated searching and processing of Web-based information. The overarching goal of the Semantic Web is to enable users to more easily find, share, and combine information. Critical to this vision are knowledge models called ontologies, which define a set of concepts and formalize the relations between them. Ontologies have been developed to manage and exploit the large and rapidly growing volume of information in biomedical domains. In diagnostic radiology, lists of differential diagnoses of imaging observations, called gamuts, provide an important source of knowledge. The Radiology Gamuts Ontology (RGO) is a formal knowledge model of differential diagnoses in radiology that includes 1674 differential diagnoses, 19,017 terms, and 52,976 links between terms. Its knowledge is used to provide an interactive, freely available online reference of radiology gamuts ( www.gamuts.net ). A Web service allows its content to be discovered and consumed by other information systems. The RGO integrates radiologic knowledge with other biomedical ontologies as part of the Semantic Web. © RSNA, 2014.

Radiological Monitoring of Waste Treatment Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amin, Y. M.; Nik, H. W.

2011-03-30

Scheduled waste in West Malaysia is handled by Concession Company and is stored and then is incinerated. It is known that incineration process may result in naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) to be concentrated. In this study we have measured three samples consist of by-product from the operation process such as slag, filter cake and fly ash. Other various environmental media such as air, surface water, groundwater and soil within and around the plant have also been analysed for their radioactivity levels. The concentration of Ra-226, Ac-228 and K-40 in slag are 0.062 Bq/g, 0.016 Bq/g and 0.19 Bq/g respectively.more » The total activity (Ra{sub eq}) in slag is 99.5 Bq/kg. The concentration in fly ash is 0.032 Bq/g, 0.16 Bq/g and 0.34 Bq/g for Ra-226, Ac-228 and K-40 respectively resulting in Raeq of 287.0 Bq/kg. For filter cake, the concentration is 0.13 Bq/g, 0.031 Bq/g and 0.33 Bq/g for Ra-226, Ac-228 and K-40 respectively resulting in Raeq of 199.7 Bq/kg. The external radiation level ranges from 0.08 {mu}Sv/h (Administrative building) to 0.35 {mu}Sv/h (TENORM storage area). The concentration level of radon and thoron progeny varies from 0.0001 to 0.0016 WL and 0.0006 WL to 0.002 WL respectively. For soil samples, the activity ranges from 0.11 Bq/g to 0.29 Bq/g, 0.06 Bq/g to 0.18 Bq/g and 0.065 Bq/g to 0.38 Bq/g for Ra-226, Ac-228 and K-40 respectively. While activity in water, except for a trace of K-40, it is non-detectable.« less

Annual Status Report (FY2017): Performance Assessment for the Disposal of Low-Level Waste in the 200 East Area Burial Grounds.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nichols, Will E.; Mehta, S.; Nell, R. M.

This annual review provides the projected dose estimates of radionuclide inventories disposed in the active 200 East Area Low-Level Waste Burial Grounds (LLBGs) since September 26, 1988. The estimates are calculated using the original dose methodology developed in the performance assessment (PA) analysis (WHC-SD-WM-TI-7301). The estimates are compared with performance objectives defined in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requirements (DOE O 435.1 Chg 1,2 and companion documents DOE M 435.1-1 Chg 13 and DOE G 435.1-14). All performance objectives are currently satisfied, and operational waste acceptance criteria (HNF-EP-00635) and waste acceptance practices continue to be sufficient to maintain compliance withmore » performance objectives. Inventory estimates and associated dose estimates from future waste disposal actions are unchanged from previous years’ evaluations, which indicate potential impacts well below performance objectives. Therefore, future compliance with DOE O 435.1 Chg 1 is expected.« less

Annual Status Report (FY2017): Performance Assessment for the Disposal of Low-Level Waste in the 200 West Area Burial Grounds.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nichols, Will E; Nell, R. M.; Mehta, S.

This annual review provides the projected dose estimates of radionuclide inventories disposed in the active 200 West Area Low-Level Waste Burial Grounds (LLBGs) since September 26, 1988. These estimates are calculated using the original dose methodology developed in the performance assessment (PA) analysis (WHC-EP-06451). These estimates are compared with performance objectives defined in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requirements (DOE O 435.1 Chg 12 and its companion documents DOE M 435.1-1 Chg 13 and DOE G 435.1-14). All performance objectives are currently satisfied, and operational waste acceptance criteria (HNF-EP-00635) and waste acceptance practices continue to be sufficient to maintain compliancemore » with performance objectives. Inventory estimates and associated dose estimates from future waste disposal actions are unchanged from previous years’ evaluations, which indicate potential impacts well below performance objectives. Therefore, future compliance with DOE O 435.1 Chg 1 is expected.« less

Performance of temperature-phased anaerobic digestion (TPAD) system treating dairy cattle wastes.

PubMed

Sung, Shihwu; Santha, Harikishan

2003-04-01

The performance of temperature-phased anaerobic digestion (TPAD) system in the stabilization of dairy cattle wastes at high solids concentrations has never been evaluated, though the process has been established as a feasible alternative to conventional mesophilic processes for the treatment of municipal wastewater sludges. In this study, the TPAD system operating at a retention time of 14 days was subjected to varying total solids (TS) concentrations (3.46-14.54%) of dairy cattle wastes. At TS concentrations lower than 12.20%, corresponding to system volatile solids (VS) loadings in the range of 1.87-5.82 g VS/L/day, the system achieved an average VS removal of 40.2%. The maximum VS destruction of 42.6% was achieved at a TS concentration of 10.35%. Methane recovery from the wastes was consistently within 0.21-0.22 L/g VS fed. There was a drop in the system performance with respect to VS removal and methane recovery at TS concentrations higher than 10.35%. volatile fatty acid/alkalinity ratios less than 0.35 in the thermophilic reactor and 0.10 in the mesophilic reactor were found favorable for stable operation of the system. For the entire range of TS concentrations, the indicator organism counts in the biosolids were within the limits specified by USEPA in 40 CFR Part 503 regulations for Class A designation. After digestion, nearly 80-85% of total phosphorus was associated with the biosolids. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Mobile technology in radiology resident education.

PubMed

Korbage, Aiham C; Bedi, Harprit S

2012-06-01

The authors hypothesized that ownership of a mobile electronic device would result in more time spent learning radiology. Current trends in radiology residents' studying habits, their use of electronic and printed radiology learning resources, and how much of the funds allotted to them are being used toward printed vs electronic education tools were assessed in this study. A survey study was conducted among radiology residents across the United States from June 13 to July 5, 2011. Program directors listed in the Association of Program Directors in Radiology e-mail list server received an e-mail asking for residents to participate in an online survey. The questionnaire consisted of 12 questions and assessed the type of institution, the levels of training of the respondents, and book funds allocated to residents. It also assessed the residents' study habits, access to portable devices, and use of printed and electronic radiology resources. Radiology residents are adopters of new technologies, with 74% owning smart phones and 37% owning tablet devices. Respondents spend nearly an equal amount of time learning radiology from printed textbooks as they do from electronic resources. Eighty-one percent of respondents believe that they would spend more time learning radiology if provided with tablet devices. There is considerable use of online and electronic resources and mobile devices among the current generation of radiology residents. Benefits, such as more study time, may be obtained by radiology programs that incorporate tablet devices into the education of their residents. Copyright © 2012 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High Level Waste System Impacts from Small Column Ion Exchange Implementation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCabe, D. J.; Hamm, L. L.; Aleman, S. E.

2005-08-18

The objective of this task is to identify potential waste streams that could be treated with the Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) and perform an initial assessment of the impact of doing so on the High-Level Waste (HLW) system. Design of the SCIX system has been performed as a backup technology for decontamination of High-Level Waste (HLW) at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The SCIX consists of three modules which can be placed in risers inside underground HLW storage tanks. The pump and filter module and the ion exchange module are used to filter and decontaminate the aqueous tank wastesmore » for disposition in Saltstone. The ion exchange module contains Crystalline Silicotitanate (CST in its engineered granular form is referred to as IONSIV{reg_sign} IE-911), and is selective for removal of cesium ions. After the IE-911 is loaded with Cs-137, it is removed and the column is refilled with a fresh batch. The grinder module is used to size-reduce the cesium-loaded IE-911 to make it compatible with the sludge vitrification system in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). If installed at the SRS, this SCIX would need to operate within the current constraints of the larger HLW storage, retrieval, treatment, and disposal system. Although the equipment has been physically designed to comply with system requirements, there is also a need to identify which waste streams could be treated, how it could be implemented in the tank farms, and when this system could be incorporated into the HLW flowsheet and planning. This document summarizes a preliminary examination of the tentative HLW retrieval plans, facility schedules, decontamination factor targets, and vitrified waste form compatibility, with recommendations for a more detailed study later. The examination was based upon four batches of salt solution from the currently planned disposition pathway to treatment in the SCIX. Because of differences in capabilities between the SRS baseline and SCIX, these four

A performance goal-based seismic design philosophy for waste repository facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hossain, Q.A.

1994-12-31

A performance goal-based seismic design philosophy, compatible with DOE`s present natural phenomena hazards mitigation and {open_quotes}graded approach{close_quotes} philosophy, has been proposed for high level nuclear waste repository facilities. The rationale, evolution, and the desirable features of this method have been described. Why and how the method should and can be applied to the design of a repository facility are also discussed.

Performance evaluation of a full-scale innovative swine waste-to-energy system.

PubMed

Xu, Jiele; Adair, Charles W; Deshusses, Marc A

2016-09-01

Intensive monitoring was carried out to evaluate the performance of a full-scale innovative swine waste-to-energy system at a commercial swine farm with 8640 heads of swine. Detailed mass balances over each unit of the system showed that the system, which includes a 7600m(3) anaerobic digester, a 65-kW microturbine, and a 4200m(3) aeration basin, was able to remove up to 92% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD), 99% of the biological oxygen demand (BOD), 77% of the total nitrogen (TN), and 82% of the total phosphorous (TP) discharged into the system as fresh pig waste. The overall biogas yield based on the COD input was 64% of the maximum theoretical, a value that indicates that even greater environmental benefits could be obtained with process optimization. Overall, the characterization of the materials fluxes in the system provides a greater understanding of the fate of organics and nutrients in large scale animal waste management systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation dose reduction: comparative assessment of publication volume between interventional and diagnostic radiology.

PubMed

Hansmann, Jan; Henzler, Thomas; Gaba, Ron C; Morelli, John N

2017-01-01

We aimed to quantify and compare awareness regarding radiation dose reduction within the interventional radiology and diagnostic radiology communities. Abstracts accepted to the annual meetings of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE), the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), and the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) between 2005 and 2015 were analyzed using the search terms "interventional/computed tomography" and "radiation dose/radiation dose reduction." A PubMed query using the above-mentioned search terms for the years of 2005-2015 was performed. Between 2005 and 2015, a total of 14 520 abstracts (mean, 660±297 abstracts) and 80 614 abstracts (mean, 3664±1025 abstracts) were presented at interventional and diagnostic radiology meetings, respectively. Significantly fewer abstracts related to radiation dose were presented at the interventional radiology meetings compared with the diagnostic radiology meetings (162 abstracts [1% of total] vs. 2706 [3% of total]; P < 0.001). On average 15±7 interventional radiology abstracts (range, 6-27) and 246±105 diagnostic radiology abstracts (range, 112-389) pertaining to radiation dose were presented at each meeting. The PubMed query revealed an average of 124±39 publications (range, 79-187) and 1205±307 publications (range, 829-1672) related to interventional and diagnostic radiology dose reduction per year, respectively (P < 0.001). The observed increase in the number of abstracts regarding radiation dose reduction in the interventional radiology community over the past 10 years has not mirrored the increased volume seen within diagnostic radiology, suggesting that increased education and discussion about this topic may be warranted.

Automatically inserted technical details improve radiology report accuracy.

PubMed

Abujudeh, Hani H; Govindan, Siddharth; Narin, Ozden; Johnson, Jamlik Omari; Thrall, James H; Rosenthal, Daniel I

2011-09-01

To assess the effect of automatically inserted technical details on the concordance of a radiology report header with the actual procedure performed. The study was IRB approved and informed consent was waived. We obtained radiology report audit data from the hospital's compliance office from the period of January 2005 through December 2009 spanning a total of 20 financial quarters. A "discordance percentage" was defined as the percentage of total studies in which a procedure code change was made during auditing. Using Chi-square analysis we compared discordance percentages between reports with manually inserted technical details (MITD) and automatically inserted technical details (AITD). The second quarter data of 2007 was not included in the analysis as the switch from MITD to AITD occurred during this quarter. The hospital's compliance office audited 9,110 studies from 2005-2009. Excluding the 564 studies in the second quarter of 2007, we analyzed a total of 8,546 studies, 3,948 with MITD and 4,598 with AITD. The discordance percentage in the MITD group was 3.95% (156/3,948, range per quarter, 1.5- 6.1%). The AITD discordance percentage was 1.37% (63/4,598, range per quarter, 0.0-2.6%). A Chi-square analysis determined a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant improvement in the concordance of a radiology report header with the performed procedure using automatically inserted technical details compared to manually inserted details. Copyright © 2011 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

2015 RAD-AID Conference on International Radiology for Developing Countries: The Evolving Global Radiology Landscape.

PubMed

Kesselman, Andrew; Soroosh, Garshasb; Mollura, Daniel J

2016-09-01

Radiology in low- and middle-income (developing) countries continues to make progress. Research and international outreach projects presented at the 2015 annual RAD-AID conference emphasize important global themes, including (1) recent slowing of emerging market growth that threatens to constrain the advance of radiology, (2) increasing global noncommunicable diseases (such as cancer and cardiovascular disease) needing radiology for detection and management, (3) strategic prioritization for pediatric radiology in global public health initiatives, (4) continuous expansion of global health curricula at radiology residencies and the RAD-AID Chapter Network's participating institutions, and (5) technologic innovation for recently accelerated implementation of PACS in low-resource countries. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The American Board of Radiology Holman Research Pathway: 10-year retrospective review of the program and participant performance.

PubMed

Wallner, Paul E; Ang, K Kian; Zietman, Anthony L; Harris, Jay R; Ibbott, Geoffrey S; Mahoney, Mary C; Mezwa, Duane G; Wilson, Lynn D; Becker, Gary J

2013-01-01

In 1999, the American Board of Radiology (ABR) implemented an innovative training program track in diagnostic radiology (DR) and radiation oncology (RO) designed to stimulate development of a cadre of future academic researchers and educators in the 2 disciplines. The program was designated the Holman Research Pathway (HRP). An in-depth retrospective review of initial certification examination performance, post-training career choices, and academic productivity has not been written. This report represents a 10-year retrospective review of post-training performance of a cohort of trainees who have had sufficient time to complete their training and initial certification process and to enter practice. All pertinent proceedings of the ABR and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Residency Review Committees for DR and RO between 1997 and May 2011 were reviewed. Thirty-four HRP candidates who fulfilled the established evaluation criteria were identified, and their ABR data files were analyzed regarding performance on the qualifying and certifying examinations. All candidates were contacted directly to obtain a current curriculum vitae. Twenty candidates in RO and 14 candidates in DR were identifiable for review. All candidates attained initial certification. At the time of analysis, 23 of 33 (66.6%) candidates were employed in full-time academic practice (1 DR candidate remained in a fellowship and was not evaluated regarding employment status). Fifteen of 20 (75%) RO candidates were in faculty positions compared with 7 of 13 (53.8%) DR trainees. Additional academic productivity metrics are reported. A high percentage of HRP trainees remained in academic practice and demonstrated significant academic productivity as measured by manuscript authorship and research support. Additional time and observation will be needed to determine whether these findings will be sustained by past, current, and future HRP trainees. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All

The American Board of Radiology Holman Research Pathway: 10-Year Retrospective Review of the Program and Participant Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wallner, Paul E., E-mail: pwallner@theabr.org; Ang, K. Kian; Zietman, Anthony L.

2013-01-01

Introduction: In 1999, the American Board of Radiology (ABR) implemented an innovative training program track in diagnostic radiology (DR) and radiation oncology (RO) designed to stimulate development of a cadre of future academic researchers and educators in the 2 disciplines. The program was designated the Holman Research Pathway (HRP). An in-depth retrospective review of initial certification examination performance, post-training career choices, and academic productivity has not been written. This report represents a 10-year retrospective review of post-training performance of a cohort of trainees who have had sufficient time to complete their training and initial certification process and to enter practice.more » Methods and Materials: All pertinent proceedings of the ABR and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Residency Review Committees for DR and RO between 1997 and May 2011 were reviewed. Thirty-four HRP candidates who fulfilled the established evaluation criteria were identified, and their ABR data files were analyzed regarding performance on the qualifying and certifying examinations. All candidates were contacted directly to obtain a current curriculum vitae. Results: Twenty candidates in RO and 14 candidates in DR were identifiable for review. All candidates attained initial certification. At the time of analysis, 23 of 33 (66.6%) candidates were employed in full-time academic practice (1 DR candidate remained in a fellowship and was not evaluated regarding employment status). Fifteen of 20 (75%) RO candidates were in faculty positions compared with 7 of 13 (53.8%) DR trainees. Additional academic productivity metrics are reported. Conclusions: A high percentage of HRP trainees remained in academic practice and demonstrated significant academic productivity as measured by manuscript authorship and research support. Additional time and observation will be needed to determine whether these findings will be sustained by past

Improvement of fruit and vegetable waste anaerobic digestion performance and stability with co-substrates addition.

PubMed

Bouallagui, H; Lahdheb, H; Ben Romdan, E; Rachdi, B; Hamdi, M

2009-04-01

The effect of fish waste (FW), abattoir wastewater (AW) and waste activated sludge (WAS) addition as co-substrates on the fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) anaerobic digestion performance was investigated under mesophilic conditions using four anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (ASBR) with the aim of finding the better co-substrate for the enhanced performance of co-digestion. The reactors were operated at an organic loading rate of 2.46-2.51 g volatile solids (VS)l(-1)d(-1), of which approximately 90% were from FVW, and a hydraulic retention time of 10 days. It was observed that AW and WAS additions with a ratio of 10% VS enhanced biogas yield by 51.5% and 43.8% and total volatile solids removal by 10% and 11.7%, respectively. However FW addition led to improvement of the process stability, as indicated by the low VFAs/Alkalinity ratio of 0.28, and permitted anaerobic digestion of FVW without chemical alkali addition. Despite a considerable decrease in the C/N ratio from 34.2 to 27.6, the addition of FW slightly improved the gas production yield (8.1%) compared to anaerobic digestion of FVW alone. A C/N ratio between 22 and 25 seemed to be better for anaerobic co-digestion of FVW with its co-substrates. The most significant factor for enhanced FVW digestion performance was the improved organic nitrogen content provided by the additional wastes. Consequently, the occurrence of an imbalance between the different groups of anaerobic bacteria which may take place in unstable anaerobic digestion of FVW could be prevented.

Energy performance of an integrated bio-and-thermal hybrid system for lignocellulosic biomass waste treatment.

PubMed

Kan, Xiang; Yao, Zhiyi; Zhang, Jingxin; Tong, Yen Wah; Yang, Wenming; Dai, Yanjun; Wang, Chi-Hwa

2017-03-01

Lignocellulosic biomass waste, a heterogeneous complex of biodegradables and non-biodegradables, accounts for large proportion of municipal solid waste. Due to limitation of single-stage treatment, a two-stage hybrid AD-gasification system was proposed in this work, in which AD acted as pre-treatment to convert biodegradables into biogas followed by gasification converting solid residue into syngas. Energy performance of single and two-stage systems treating 3 typical lignocellulosic wastes was studied using both experimental and numerical methods. In comparison with conventional single-stage gasification treatment, this hybrid system could significantly improve the quality of produced gas for all selected biomass wastes and show its potential in enhancing total gas energy production by a maximum value of 27% for brewer's spent grain treatment at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 3gVS/L/day. The maximum overall efficiency of the hybrid system for horticultural waste treatment was 75.2% at OLR of 11.3gVS/L/day, 5.5% higher than conventional single-stage system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is Radiologic Evaluation Necessary to Find out Foreign Bodies in Nasal Cavity?

PubMed

Oh, Hoon; Min, Hyun Jin; Yang, Hoon Shik; Kim, Kyung Soo

2016-01-01

Although there were previous studies on the clinical aspects such as etiology, treatment modalities, studies regarding the necessity of radiologic evaluation for nasal foreign body were limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate the necessity and indication of radiologic evaluation for nasal foreign bodies. There are consecutive patients aged less than 10 years who presented with suspected foreign bodies in nasal cavity. We reviewed the patient's age and sex, including the methods of evaluation, management tools, and types of foreign bodies. There were 35 cases (11.4%) on whom radiographs were performed in the 24 uncooperative patients and 11 cooperative patients who were not identified with any foreign bodies via nasal endoscopy. Among them, only 4 cases had positive reports of foreign body and the others were normal radiologic findings. We suggest that the radiologic evaluation is always not necessary to find the location of nasal foreign bodies. It, however, should be performed in cases of negative findings of physical examination with anterior rhinoscopy or sinus endoscopy and unwitnessed foreign bodies to rule out metallic contents, especially button type battery.

40 CFR 270.230 - May I perform remediation waste management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... assumed to be in compliance with this requirement. (e) These alternative locations are remediation waste... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false May I perform remediation waste management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the area where the remediation wastes originated...

40 CFR 270.230 - May I perform remediation waste management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... assumed to be in compliance with this requirement. (e) These alternative locations are remediation waste... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false May I perform remediation waste management activities under a RAP at a location removed from the area where the remediation wastes originated...

Adequacy of a Small Quantity Site RH-TRU Waste Program in Meeting Proposed WIPP Characterization Objectives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biedscheid, J.; Stahl, S.; Devarakonda, M.

2002-02-26

The first remote-handled transuranic (RH-TRU) waste is expected to be permanently disposed of at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) during Fiscal Year (FY) 2003. The first RH-TRU waste shipments are scheduled from the Battelle Columbus Laboratories (BCL) to WIPP in order to facilitate compliance with BCL Decommissioning Project (BCLDP) milestones. Milestones requiring RH-TRU waste containerization and removal from the site by 2004 in order to meet a 2006 site closure goal, established by Congress in the Defense Facilities Closure Projects account, necessitated the establishment and implementation of a site-specific program to direct the packaging of BCLDP RH-TRU waste priormore » to the finalization of WIPP RH-TRU waste characterization requirements. The program was designed to collect waste data, including audio and videotape records of waste packaging, such that upon completion of waste packaging, comprehensive data records exist from which compliance with final WIPP RH-TRU waste characterization requirements can be demonstrated. With the BCLDP data records generated to date and the development by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) of preliminary documents proposing the WIPP RH-TRU waste characterization program, it is possible to evaluate the adequacy of the BCLDP program with respect to meeting proposed characterization objectives. The BCLDP characterization program uses primarily acceptable knowledge (AK) and visual examination (VE) during waste packaging to characterize RH-TRU waste. These methods are used to estimate physical waste parameters, including weight percentages of metals, cellulosics, plastics, and rubber in the waste, and to determine the absence of prohibited items, including free liquids. AK combined with computer modeling is used to estimate radiological waste parameters, including total activity on a waste container basis, for the majority of BCLDP RH-TRU waste. AK combined with direct analysis is used to

Model for the separate collection of packaging waste in Portuguese low-performing recycling regions.

PubMed

Oliveira, V; Sousa, V; Vaz, J M; Dias-Ferreira, C

2018-06-15

Separate collection of packaging waste (glass; plastic/metals; paper/cardboard), is currently a widespread practice throughout Europe. It enables the recovery of good quality recyclable materials. However, separate collection performance are quite heterogeneous, with some countries reaching higher levels than others. In the present work, separate collection of packaging waste has been evaluated in a low-performance recycling region in Portugal in order to investigate which factors are most affecting the performance in bring-bank collection system. The variability of separate collection yields (kg per inhabitant per year) among 42 municipalities was scrutinized for the year 2015 against possible explanatory factors. A total of 14 possible explanatory factors were analysed, falling into two groups: socio-economic/demographic and waste collection service related. Regression models were built in an attempt to evaluate the individual effect of each factor on separate collection yields and predict changes on the collection yields by acting on those factors. The best model obtained is capable to explain 73% of the variation found in the separate collection yields. The model includes the following statistically significant indicators affecting the success of separate collection yields: i) inhabitants per bring-bank; ii) relative accessibility to bring-banks; iii) degree of urbanization; iv) number of school years attended; and v) area. The model presented in this work was developed specifically for the bring-bank system, has an explanatory power and quantifies the impact of each factor on separate collection yields. It can therefore be used as a support tool by local and regional waste management authorities in the definition of future strategies to increase collection of recyclables of good quality and to achieve national and regional targets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hanford Radiological Protection Support Services Annual Report for 1998

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DE Bihl; JA MacLellan; ML Johnson

1999-05-14

During calendar year (CY) 1998, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) performed its customary radiological protection support services in support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Richland Operations OffIce (RL) and the Hanford contractors. These services included: 1) external dosimetry, 2) internal dosimetry, 3) in vivo measurements, 4) radiological records, 5) instrument calibra- tion and evaluation, and 6) calibration of radiation sources traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (MST). The services were provided under a number of projects as summarized here.

21 CFR 892.1980 - Radiologic table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Radiologic table. 892.1980 Section 892.1980 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1980 Radiologic table. (a) Identification. A radiologic...

Mixed waste focus area alternative technologies workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borduin, L.C.; Palmer, B.A.; Pendergrass, J.A.

1995-05-24

This report documents the Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA)-sponsored Alternative Technology Workshop held in Salt Lake City, Utah, from January 24--27, 1995. The primary workshop goal was identifying potential applications for emerging technologies within the Options Analysis Team (OAT) ``wise`` configuration. Consistent with the scope of the OAT analysis, the review was limited to the Mixed Low-Level Waste (MLLW) fraction of DOE`s mixed waste inventory. The Los Alamos team prepared workshop materials (databases and compilations) to be used as bases for participant review and recommendations. These materials derived from the Mixed Waste Inventory Report (MWIR) data base (May 1994), themore » Draft Site Treatment Plan (DSTP) data base, and the OAT treatment facility configuration of December 7, 1994. In reviewing workshop results, the reader should note several caveats regarding data limitations. Link-up of the MWIR and DSTP data bases, while representing the most comprehensive array of mixed waste information available at the time of the workshop, requires additional data to completely characterize all waste streams. A number of changes in waste identification (new and redefined streams) occurred during the interval from compilation of the data base to compilation of the DSTP data base with the end result that precise identification of radiological and contaminant characteristics was not possible for these streams. To a degree, these shortcomings compromise the workshop results; however, the preponderance of waste data was linked adequately, and therefore, these analyses should provide useful insight into potential applications of alternative technologies to DOE MLLW treatment facilities.« less

Radiology applications of financial accounting.

PubMed

Leibenhaut, Mark H

2005-03-01

A basic knowledge of financial accounting can help radiologists analyze business opportunities and examine the potential impacts of new technology or predict the adverse consequences of new competitors entering their service area. The income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement are the three basic financial statements that document the current financial position of the radiology practice and allow managers to monitor the ongoing financial operations of the enterprise. Pro forma, or hypothetical, financial statements can be generated to predict the financial impact of specific business decisions or investments on the profitability of the practice. Sensitivity analysis, or what-if scenarios, can be performed to determine the potential impact of changing key revenue, investment, operating cost or financial assumptions. By viewing radiology as both a profession and a business, radiologists can optimize their use of scarce economic resources and maximize the return on their financial investments.

Radiological Defense. Textbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (DOD), Washington, DC.

This textbook has been prepared under the direction of the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (DCPA) Staff College for use as a student reference manual in radiological defense (RADEF) courses. It provides much of the basic technical information necessary for a proper understanding of radiological defense and summarizes RADEF planning and expected…

Survey of UK radiology trainees in the aftermath of ‘Modernising Medical Careers’

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Following implementation of Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) in the UK, potential radiology trainees must decide on their career and apply sooner than ever before. We aimed to determine whether current trainees were sufficiently informed to make an earlier career decision by comparing the early radiology experiences of Traditional and Foundation Trainees. Methods 344 radiology trainees were appointed through MMC in 2007/08. This cohort was surveyed online. Results Response rate was 174/344 (51%). Traditional Trainees made their career decision 2.6 years after graduation compared with 1.2 years for Foundation Trainees (57/167, 34%). Nearly half of responders (79/169, 47%) experienced no formal radiology teaching as undergraduates. Most trainees regularly attended radiology meetings, spent time in a radiology department and/or performed radiology research. Many trainees received no career advice specific to radiology (69/163, 42%) at any point prior to entering the specialty; this includes both formal and informal advice. Junior doctor experiences were more frequently cited as influencing career choice (98/164, 60%). An earlier career decision was associated with; undergraduate radiology projects (-0.72 years, p = 0.018), career advice (-0.63 years, p = 0.009) and regular attendance at radiology meetings (-0.65 years, p = 0.014). Conclusion Early experience of radiology enables trainees to make an earlier career decision, however current radiology trainees were not always afforded relevant experiences prior to entering training. Radiologists need to be more proactive in encouraging the next generation of trainees. PMID:23031228

A review of technologies and performances of thermal treatment systems for energy recovery from waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lombardi, Lidia, E-mail: lidia.lombardi@unicusano.it; Carnevale, Ennio; Corti, Andrea

2015-03-15

Highlights: • The topic of energy recovery from waste by thermal treatment is reviewed. • Combustion, gasification and pyrolysis were considered. • Data about energy recovery performances were collected and compared. • Main limitations to high values of energy performances were illustrated. • Diffusion of energy recovery from waste in EU, USA and other countries was discussed. - Abstract: The aim of this work is to identify the current level of energy recovery through waste thermal treatment. The state of the art in energy recovery from waste was investigated, highlighting the differences for different types of thermal treatment, considering combustion/incineration,more » gasification and pyrolysis. Also different types of wastes – Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) or Solid Refuse Fuels (SRF) and some typologies of Industrial Waste (IW) (sludge, plastic scraps, etc.) – were included in the analysis. The investigation was carried out mainly reviewing papers, published in scientific journals and conferences, but also considering technical reports, to gather more information. In particular the goal of this review work was to synthesize studies in order to compare the values of energy conversion efficiencies measured or calculated for different types of thermal processes and different types of waste. It emerged that the dominant type of thermal treatment is incineration associated to energy recovery in a steam cycle. When waste gasification is applied, the produced syngas is generally combusted in a boiler to generate steam for energy recovery in a steam cycle. For both the possibilities – incineration or gasification – cogeneration is the mean to improve energy recovery, especially for small scale plants. In the case of only electricity production, the achievable values are strongly dependent on the plant size: for large plant size, where advanced technical solutions can be applied and sustained from an economic point of

WASTE HANDLING BUILDING VENTILATION SYSTEM DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

P.A. Kumar

2000-06-21

The Waste Handling Building Ventilation System provides heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) for the contaminated, potentially contaminated, and uncontaminated areas of the Monitored Geologic Repository's (MGR) Waste Handling Building (WHB). In the uncontaminated areas, the non-confinement area ventilation system maintains the proper environmental conditions for equipment operation and personnel comfort. In the contaminated and potentially contaminated areas, in addition to maintaining the proper environmental conditions for equipment operation and personnel comfort, the contamination confinement area ventilation system directs potentially contaminated air away from personnel in the WHB and confines the contamination within high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration units. Themore » contamination confinement areas ventilation system creates airflow paths and pressure zones to minimize the potential for spreading contamination within the building. The contamination confinement ventilation system also protects the environment and the public by limiting airborne releases of radioactive or other hazardous contaminants from the WHB. The Waste Handling Building Ventilation System is designed to perform its safety functions under accident conditions and other Design Basis Events (DBEs) (such as earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, and loss of the primary electric power). Additional system design features (such as compartmentalization with independent subsystems) limit the potential for cross-contamination within the WHB. The system provides status of important system parameters and equipment operation, and provides audible and/or visual indication of off-normal conditions and equipment failures. The Waste Handling Building Ventilation System confines the radioactive and hazardous material within the building such that the release rates comply with regulatory limits. The system design, operations, and maintenance activities incorporate ALARA (as low as is

Historical Radiological Event Monitoring

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

During and after radiological events EPA's RadNet monitors the environment for radiation. EPA monitored environmental radiation levels during and after Chernobyl, Fukushima and other international and domestic radiological incidents.

Efficient radiologic reading environment by using an open-source macro program as connection software.

PubMed

Lee, Young Han

2012-01-01

The objectives are (1) to introduce an easy open-source macro program as connection software and (2) to illustrate the practical usages in radiologic reading environment by simulating the radiologic reading process. The simulation is a set of radiologic reading process to do a practical task in the radiologic reading room. The principal processes are: (1) to view radiologic images on the Picture Archiving and Communicating System (PACS), (2) to connect the HIS/EMR (Hospital Information System/Electronic Medical Record) system, (3) to make an automatic radiologic reporting system, and (4) to record and recall information of interesting cases. This simulation environment was designed by using open-source macro program as connection software. The simulation performed well on the Window-based PACS workstation. Radiologists practiced the steps of the simulation comfortably by utilizing the macro-powered radiologic environment. This macro program could automate several manual cumbersome steps in the radiologic reading process. This program successfully acts as connection software for the PACS software, EMR/HIS, spreadsheet, and other various input devices in the radiologic reading environment. A user-friendly efficient radiologic reading environment could be established by utilizing open-source macro program as connection software. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation dose reduction: comparative assessment of publication volume between interventional and diagnostic radiology

PubMed Central

Hansmann, Jan; Henzler, Thomas; Gaba, Ron C.; Morelli, John N.

2017-01-01

PURPOSE We aimed to quantify and compare awareness regarding radiation dose reduction within the interventional radiology and diagnostic radiology communities. METHODS Abstracts accepted to the annual meetings of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE), the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), and the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) between 2005 and 2015 were analyzed using the search terms “interventional/computed tomography” and “radiation dose/radiation dose reduction.” A PubMed query using the above-mentioned search terms for the years of 2005–2015 was performed. RESULTS Between 2005 and 2015, a total of 14 520 abstracts (mean, 660±297 abstracts) and 80 614 abstracts (mean, 3664±1025 abstracts) were presented at interventional and diagnostic radiology meetings, respectively. Significantly fewer abstracts related to radiation dose were presented at the interventional radiology meetings compared with the diagnostic radiology meetings (162 abstracts [1% of total] vs. 2706 [3% of total]; P < 0.001). On average 15±7 interventional radiology abstracts (range, 6–27) and 246±105 diagnostic radiology abstracts (range, 112–389) pertaining to radiation dose were presented at each meeting. The PubMed query revealed an average of 124±39 publications (range, 79–187) and 1205±307 publications (range, 829–1672) related to interventional and diagnostic radiology dose reduction per year, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The observed increase in the number of abstracts regarding radiation dose reduction in the interventional radiology community over the past 10 years has not mirrored the increased volume seen within diagnostic radiology, suggesting that increased education and discussion about this topic may be warranted. PMID:28287072

Strategic planning in radiology.

PubMed

Gill, Ileana E; Ondategui-Parra, Silvia; Nathanson, Eric; Seiferth, Jeremy; Ros, Pablo R

2005-04-01

As radiology continues to evolve and grow, radiologists must be concerned with preparing radiology for the future. Decisions in capital investments, mergers, outpatient diagnostic clinics, and payment and liability issues will require practicing radiologists to develop and follow up managerial, interpersonal, and learning skills that were not as necessary in the past. To become adept in the new radiology environment and be able to manage change and deal with difficult decisions, radiologists need to acquire a background in strategy.

Induction for Radiology Patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yıldırım, Pınar; Tolun, Mehmet R.

This paper represents the implementation of an inductive learning algorithm for patients of Radiology Department in Hacettepe University hospitals to discover the relationship between patient demographics information and time that patients spend during a specific radiology exam. ILA has been used for the implementation which generates rules and the results are evaluated by evaluation metrics. According to generated rules, some patients in different age groups or birthplaces may spend more time for the same radiology exam than the others.

RH-TRU Waste Inventory Characterization by AK and Proposed WIPP RH-TRU Waste Characterization Objectives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Most, W. A.; Kehrman, R.; Gist, C.

2002-02-26

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) has developed draft documentation to present the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) remote-handled (RH-) transuranic (TRU) waste characterization program to its regulators, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New Mexico Environment Department. Compliance with Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 191 and 194; the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act (PL 102-579); and the WIPP Hazardous Waste Facility Permit, as well as the Certificates of Compliance for the 72-B and 10-160B Casks, requires that specific waste parameter limits be imposed on DOE sites disposing of TRU waste at WIPP. Themore » DOE-CBFO must control the sites' compliance with the limits by specifying allowable characterization methods. As with the established WIPP contact handled TRU waste characterization program, the DOE-CBFO has proposed a Remote-Handled TRU Waste Acceptance Criteria (RH-WAC) document consolidating the requirements from various regulatory drivers and proposed allowable characterization methods. These criteria are consistent with the recommendation of a recent National Academy Sciences/National Research Council to develop an RH-TRU waste characterization approach that removes current self imposed requirements that lack a legal or safety basis. As proposed in the draft RH-WAC and other preliminary documents, the DOE-CBFO RH-TRU waste characterization program proposes the use of acceptable knowledge (AK) as the primary method for obtaining required characterization information. The use of AK involves applying knowledge of the waste in light of the materials or processes used to generate the waste. Documentation, records, or processes providing information about various attributes of a waste stream, such as chemical, physical, and radiological properties, may be used as AK and may be applied to individual waste containers either independently or in conjunction with radiography, visual examination, assay

Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center Monitoring Manual Volume 1, Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NSTec Aerial Measurement Systems

2012-07-31

The Monitoring division is primarily responsible for the coordination and direction of: Aerial measurements to delineate the footprint of radioactive contaminants that have been released into the environment. Monitoring of radiation levels in the environment; Sampling to determine the extent of contaminant deposition in soil, water, air and on vegetation; Preliminary field analyses to quantify soil concentrations or depositions; and Environmental and personal dosimetry for FRMAC field personnel, during a Consequence Management Response Team (CMRT) and Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (FRMAC) response. Monitoring and sampling techniques used during CM/FRMAC operations are specifically selected for use during radiological emergenciesmore » where large numbers of measurements and samples must be acquired, analyzed, and interpreted in the shortest amount of time possible. In addition, techniques and procedures are flexible so that they can be used during a variety of different scenarios; e.g., accidents involving releases from nuclear reactors, contamination by nuclear waste, nuclear weapon accidents, space vehicle reentries, or contamination from a radiological dispersal device. The Monitoring division also provides technicians to support specific Health and Safety Division activities including: The operation of the Hotline; FRMAC facility surveys; Assistance with Health and Safety at Check Points; and Assistance at population assembly areas which require support from the FRMAC. This volume covers deployment activities, initial FRMAC activities, development and implementation of the monitoring and assessment plan, the briefing of field teams, and the transfer of FRMAC to the EPA.« less

[Survey and analysis of radiation safety education at radiological technology schools].

PubMed

Ohba, Hisateru; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko; Aburano, Tamio

2004-10-01

We carried out a questionnaire survey of all radiological technology schools, to investigate the status of radiation safety education. The questionnaire consisted of questions concerning full-time teachers, measures being taken for the Radiation Protection Supervisor Qualifying Examination, equipment available for radiation safety education, radiation safety education for other departments, curriculum of radiation safety education, and related problems. The returned questionnaires were analyzed according to different groups categorized by form of education and type of establishment. The overall response rate was 55%, and there were statistically significant differences in the response rates among the different forms of education. No statistically significant differences were found in the items relating to full-time teachers, measures for Radiation Protection Supervisor Qualifying Examination, and radiation safety education for other departments, either for the form of education or type of establishment. Queries on the equipment used for radiation safety education revealed a statistically significant difference in unsealed radioisotope institutes among the forms of education. In terms of curriculum, the percentage of radiological technology schools which dealt with neither the shielding calculation method for radiation facilities nor with the control of medical waste was found to be approximately 10%. Other educational problems that were indicated included shortages of full-time teachers and equipment for radiation safety education. In the future, in order to improve radiation safety education at radiological technology schools, we consider it necessary to develop unsealed radioisotope institutes, to appoint more full-time teachers, and to educate students about risk communication.

Approaches to consider covers and liners in a low-level waste disposal facility performance assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seitz, Roger; Phifer, Mark; Suttora, Linda

2015-03-17

On-site disposal cells are in use and being considered at several USDOE sites as the final disposition for large amounts of waste associated with cleanup of contaminated areas and facilities. These disposal cells are typically regulated by States and/or the USEPA in addition to having to comply with requirements in DOE Order 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management. The USDOE-EM Office of Site Restoration formed a working group to foster improved communication and sharing of information for personnel associated with these Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) disposal cells and work towards more consistent assumptions, as appropriate, for technical andmore » policy considerations related to performance and risk assessments in support of a Record of Decision and Disposal Authorization Statement. One task completed by the working group addressed approaches for considering the performance of covers and liners/leachate collection systems in the context of a performance assessment (PA). A document has been prepared which provides recommendations for a general approach to address covers and liners/leachate collection systems in a PA and how to integrate assessments with defense-in-depth considerations such as design, operations and waste acceptance criteria to address uncertainties. Specific information and references are provided for details needed to address the evolution of individual components of cover and liner/leachate collection systems. This information is then synthesized into recommendations for best practices for cover and liner system design and examples of approaches to address the performance of covers and liners as part of a performance assessment of the disposal system.« less

Engineering assessment of low-level liquid waste disposal caisson locations at the 618-11 Burial Grounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Phillips, S.J.; Fischer, D.D.; Crawford, R.C.

1982-06-01

Rockwell Hanford Operations is currently involved in an extensive effort to perform interim ground surface stabilization activities at retired low-level waste burial grounds located at the Hanford Site, Richland, Washington. The principal objective of these activities is to promote increased occupational and radiological safety at burial grounds. Interim stabilization activities include: (1) load testing (traversing burial ground surfaces with heavy equipment to promote incipient collapse of void spaces within the disposal structure and overburden), (2) barrier placement (placement of a {ge} 0.6 m soil barrier over existing overburden), and (3) revegetation (establishment of shallow rooted vegetation on the barrier tomore » mitigate deep rooted plant growth and to reduce erosion). Low-level waste disposal caissons were used in 300 Area Burial Grounds as internment structures for containerized liquid wastes. These caissons, by virtue of their contents, design and methods of closure, require long-term performance evaluation. As an initial activity to evaluate long-term performance, the accurate location of these structures is required. This topical report summarizes engineering activities used to locate caissons in the subsurface environment at the Burial Ground. Activities were conducted to locate caissons during surface stabilization activities. The surface locations were marked, photographed, and recorded on an as built engineering drawing. The recorded location of these caissons will augment long-term observations of confinement structure and engineered surface barrier performance. In addition, accurate caisson location will minimize occupational risk during monitoring and observation activities periodically conducted at the burial ground.« less

Radiological Environmental Protection for LCLS-II High Power Operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, James; Blaha, Jan; Cimeno, Maranda; Mao, Stan; Nicolas, Ludovic; Rokni, Sayed; Santana, Mario; Tran, Henry

2017-09-01

The LCLS-II superconducting electron accelerator at SLAC plans to operate at up to 4 GeV and 240 kW average power, which would create higher radiological impacts particularly near the beam loss points such as beam dumps and halo collimators. The main hazards to the public and environment include direct or skyshine radiation, effluent of radioactive air such as 13N, 15O and 41Ar, and activation of groundwater creating tritium. These hazards were evaluated using analytic methods and FLUKA Monte Carlo code. The controls (mainly extensive bulk shielding and local shielding around high loss points) and monitoring (neutron/photon detectors with detection capabilities below natural background at site boundary, site-wide radioactive air monitors, and groundwater wells) were designed to meet the U.S. DOE and EPA, as well as SLAC requirements. The radiological design and controls for the LCW systems [including concrete housing shielding for 15O and 11C circulating in LCW, 7Be and erosion/corrosion products (22Na, 54Mn, 60Co, 65Zn, etc.) captured in resin and filters, leak detection and containment of LCW with 3H and its waste water discharge; explosion from H2 build-up in surge tank and release of radionuclides] associated with the high power beam dumps are also presented.

Assessment of the radiological impact of oil refining industry.

PubMed

Bakr, W F

2010-03-01

The field of radiation protection and corresponding national and international regulations has evolved to ensure safety in the use of radioactive materials. Oil and gas production processing operations have been known to cause naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) to accumulate at elevated concentrations as by-product waste streams. A comprehensive radiological study on the oil refining industry in Egypt was carried out to assess the radiological impact of this industry on the workers. Scales, sludge, water and crude oil samples were collected at each stage of the refining process. The activity concentration of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K were determined using high-resolution gamma spectrometry. The average activity concentrations of the determined isotopes are lower than the IAEA exempt activity levels for NORM isotopes. Different exposure scenarios were studied. The average annual effective dose for workers due to direct exposure to gamma radiation and dust inhalation found to be 0.6 microSv and 3.2 mSv, respectively. Based on the ALARA principle, the results indicate that special care must be taken during cleaning operations in order to reduce the personnel's exposure due to maintenance as well as to avoid contamination of the environment. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiology's value chain.

PubMed

Enzmann, Dieter R

2012-04-01

A diagnostic radiology value chain is constructed to define its main components, all of which are vulnerable to change, because digitization has caused disaggregation of the chain. Some components afford opportunities to improve productivity, some add value, while some face outsourcing to lower labor cost and to information technology substitutes, raising commoditization risks. Digital image information, because it can be competitive at smaller economies of scale, allows faster, differential rates of technological innovation of components, initiating a centralization-to-decentralization technology trend. Digitization, having triggered disaggregation of radiology's professional service model, may soon usher in an information business model. This means moving from a mind-set of "reading images" to an orientation of creating and organizing information for greater accuracy, faster speed, and lower cost in medical decision making. Information businesses view value chain investments differently than do small professional services. In the former model, producing a better business product will extend image interpretation beyond a radiologist's personal fund of knowledge to encompass expanding external imaging databases. A follow-on expansion with integration of image and molecular information into a report will offer new value in medical decision making. Improved interpretation plus new integration will enrich and diversify radiology's key service products, the report and consultation. A more robust, information-rich report derived from a "systems" and "computational" radiology approach will be facilitated by a transition from a professional service to an information business. Under health care reform, radiology will transition its emphasis from volume to greater value. Radiology's future brightens with the adoption of a philosophy of offering information rather than "reads" for decision making. Staunchly defending the status quo via turf wars is unlikely to constitute a

RELEASE OF DRIED RADIOACTIVE WASTE MATERIALS TECHNICAL BASIS DOCUMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

KOZLOWSKI, S.D.

2007-05-30

This technical basis document was developed to support RPP-23429, Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis for the Demonstration Bulk Vitrification System (PDSA) and RPP-23479, Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis for the Contact-Handled Transuranic Mixed (CH-TRUM) Waste Facility. The main document describes the risk binning process and the technical basis for assigning risk bins to the representative accidents involving the release of dried radioactive waste materials from the Demonstration Bulk Vitrification System (DBVS) and to the associated represented hazardous conditions. Appendices D through F provide the technical basis for assigning risk bins to the representative dried waste release accident and associated represented hazardous conditionsmore » for the Contact-Handled Transuranic Mixed (CH-TRUM) Waste Packaging Unit (WPU). The risk binning process uses an evaluation of the frequency and consequence of a given representative accident or represented hazardous condition to determine the need for safety structures, systems, and components (SSC) and technical safety requirement (TSR)-level controls. A representative accident or a represented hazardous condition is assigned to a risk bin based on the potential radiological and toxicological consequences to the public and the collocated worker. Note that the risk binning process is not applied to facility workers because credible hazardous conditions with the potential for significant facility worker consequences are considered for safety-significant SSCs and/or TSR-level controls regardless of their estimated frequency. The controls for protection of the facility workers are described in RPP-23429 and RPP-23479. Determination of the need for safety-class SSCs was performed in accordance with DOE-STD-3009-94, Preparation Guide for US. Department of Energy Nonreactor Nuclear Facility Documented Safety Analyses, as described below.« less

Recharge Data Package for the Immobilized Low-Activity Waste 2001 Performance Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MJ Fayer; EM Murphy; JL Downs

2000-01-18

Lockheed Martin Hanford Company (LMHC) is designing and assessing the performance of disposal facilities to receive radioactive wastes that are currently stored in single- and double-shell tanks at the Hanford Site. The preferred method of disposing of the portion that is classified as immobilized low-activity waste (ILAW) is to vitrify the waste and place the product in near-surface, shallow-land burial facilities. The LMHC project to assess the performance of these disposal facilities is known as the Hanford ILAW Performance Assessment (PA) Activity, hereafter called the ILAW PA project. The goal of this project is to provide a reasonable expectation thatmore » the disposal of the waste is protective of the general public, groundwater resources, air resources, surface-water resources, and inadvertent intruders. Achieving this goal will require predictions of contaminant migration from the facility. To make such predictions will require estimates of the fluxes of water moving through the sediments within the vadose zone around and beneath the disposal facility. These fluxes, loosely called recharge rates, are the primary mechanism for transporting contaminants to the groundwater. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) assists LMHC in their performance assessment activities. One of the PNNL tasks is to provide estimates of recharge rates for current conditions and long-term scenarios involving the shallow-land disposal of ILAW. Specifically, recharge estimates are needed for a filly functional surface cover; the cover sideslope, and the immediately surrounding terrain. In addition, recharge estimates are needed for degraded cover conditions. The temporal scope of the analysis is 10,000 years, but could be longer if some contaminant peaks occur after 10,000 years. The elements of this report compose the Recharge Data Package, which provides estimates of recharge rates for the scenarios being considered in the 2001 PA. Table S.1 identifies the surface

Updated Liquid Secondary Waste Grout Formulation and Preliminary Waste Form Qualification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saslow, Sarah A.; Um, Wooyong; Russell, Renee L.

This report describes the results from liquid secondary waste grout (LSWG) formulation and cementitious waste form qualification tests performed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS). New formulations for preparing a cementitious waste form from a high-sulfate liquid secondary waste stream simulant, developed for Effluent Management Facility (EMF) process condensates merged with low activity waste (LAW) caustic scrubber, and the release of key constituents (e.g. 99Tc and 129I) from these monoliths were evaluated. This work supports a technology development program to address the technology needs for Hanford Site Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) liquid secondarymore » waste (LSW) solidification and supports future Direct Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) operations. High-priority activities included simulant development, LSWG formulation, and waste form qualification. The work contained within this report relates to waste form development and testing and does not directly support the 2017 integrated disposal facility (IDF) performance assessment (PA). However, this work contains valuable information for use in PA maintenance past FY17, and for future waste form development efforts. The provided data should be used by (i) cementitious waste form scientists to further understanding of cementitious dissolution behavior, (ii) IDF PA modelers who use quantified constituent leachability, effective diffusivity, and partitioning coefficients to advance PA modeling efforts, and (iii) the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contractors and decision makers as they assess the IDF PA program. The results obtained help fill existing data gaps, support final selection of a LSWG waste form, and improve the technical defensibility of long-term waste form performance estimates.« less

Computational Approach for Securing Radiology-Diagnostic Data in Connected Health Network using High-Performance GPU-Accelerated AES.

PubMed

Adeshina, A M; Hashim, R

2017-03-01

Diagnostic radiology is a core and integral part of modern medicine, paving ways for the primary care physicians in the disease diagnoses, treatments and therapy managements. Obviously, all recent standard healthcare procedures have immensely benefitted from the contemporary information technology revolutions, apparently revolutionizing those approaches to acquiring, storing and sharing of diagnostic data for efficient and timely diagnosis of diseases. Connected health network was introduced as an alternative to the ageing traditional concept in healthcare system, improving hospital-physician connectivity and clinical collaborations. Undoubtedly, the modern medicinal approach has drastically improved healthcare but at the expense of high computational cost and possible breach of diagnosis privacy. Consequently, a number of cryptographical techniques are recently being applied to clinical applications, but the challenges of not being able to successfully encrypt both the image and the textual data persist. Furthermore, processing time of encryption-decryption of medical datasets, within a considerable lower computational cost without jeopardizing the required security strength of the encryption algorithm, still remains as an outstanding issue. This study proposes a secured radiology-diagnostic data framework for connected health network using high-performance GPU-accelerated Advanced Encryption Standard. The study was evaluated with radiology image datasets consisting of brain MR and CT datasets obtained from the department of Surgery, University of North Carolina, USA, and the Swedish National Infrastructure for Computing. Sample patients' notes from the University of North Carolina, School of medicine at Chapel Hill were also used to evaluate the framework for its strength in encrypting-decrypting textual data in the form of medical report. Significantly, the framework is not only able to accurately encrypt and decrypt medical image datasets, but it also

UWGSP6: a diagnostic radiology workstation of the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milton, Stuart W.; Han, Sang; Choi, Hyung-Sik; Kim, Yongmin

1993-06-01

The Univ. of Washington's Image Computing Systems Lab. (ICSL) has been involved in research into the development of a series of PACS workstations since the middle 1980's. The most recent research, a joint UW-IBM project, attempted to create a diagnostic radiology workstation using an IBM RISC System 6000 (RS6000) computer workstation and the X-Window system. While the results are encouraging, there are inherent limitations in the workstation hardware which prevent it from providing an acceptable level of functionality for diagnostic radiology. Realizing the RS6000 workstation's limitations, a parallel effort was initiated to design a workstation, UWGSP6 (Univ. of Washington Graphics System Processor #6), that provides the required functionality. This paper documents the design of UWGSP6, which not only addresses the requirements for a diagnostic radiology workstation in terms of display resolution, response time, etc., but also includes the processing performance necessary to support key functions needed in the implementation of algorithms for computer-aided diagnosis. The paper includes a description of the workstation architecture, and specifically its image processing subsystem. Verification of the design through hardware simulation is then discussed, and finally, performance of selected algorithms based on detailed simulation is provided.

Emerging Technologies and Techniques for Wide Area Radiological Survey and Remediation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutton, M.; Zhao, P.

2016-03-24

Technologies to survey and decontaminate wide-area contamination and process the subsequent radioactive waste have been developed and implemented following the Chernobyl nuclear power plant release and the breach of a radiological source resulting in contamination in Goiania, Brazil. These civilian examples of radioactive material releases provided some of the first examples of urban radiological remediation. Many emerging technologies have recently been developed and demonstrated in Japan following the release of radioactive cesium isotopes (Cs-134 and Cs-137) from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in 2011. Information on technologies reported by several Japanese government agencies, such as the Japan Atomic Energymore » Agency (JAEA), the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the National Institute for Environmental Science (NIES), together with academic institutions and industry are summarized and compared to recently developed, deployed and available technologies in the United States. The technologies and techniques presented in this report may be deployed in response to a wide area contamination event in the United States. In some cases, additional research and testing is needed to adequately validate the technology effectiveness over wide areas. Survey techniques can be deployed on the ground or from the air, allowing a range of coverage rates and sensitivities. Survey technologies also include those useful in measuring decontamination progress and mapping contamination. Decontamination technologies and techniques range from non-destructive (e.g., high pressure washing) and minimally destructive (plowing), to fully destructive (surface removal or demolition). Waste minimization techniques can greatly impact the long-term environmental consequences and cost following remediation efforts. Recommendations on technical improvements to address technology gaps are presented together with observations on remediation in Japan.« less

Waste management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sauer, R. L.; Jorgensen, G. K.

1975-01-01

The function of the waste management system was to control the disposition of solid and liquid wastes and waste stowage gases. The waste management system consisting of a urine subsystem and a fecal subsystem is described in detail and its overall performance is evaluated. Recommendations for improvement are given.

The Importance of Curriculum-Based Training and Assessment in Interventional Radiology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belli, Anna-Maria, E-mail: anna.belli@stgeorges.nhs.uk; Reekers, Jim A., E-mail: j.a.reekers@amc.uva.nl; Lee, Michael, E-mail: mlee@rcsi.ie

Physician performance and outcomes are being scrutinised by health care providers to improve patient safety and cost efficiency. Patients are best served by physicians who have undergone appropriate specialist training and assessment and perform large numbers of cases to maintain their skills. The Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe has put into place a curriculum for training in interventional radiology (IR) and a syllabus with an examination, the European Board of Interventional Radiology, providing evidence of attainment of an appropriate and satisfactory skill set for the safe practice of IR. This curriculum is appropriate for IR where there ismore » a high volume of image-guided procedures in vascular and nonvascular organ systems with cross-use of minimally invasive techniques in patients with a variety of disease processes. Other specialties may require different, longer, and more focused training if their experience is “diluted” by the need to master a different skill set.« less

[Comparison of time-oriented cost accounting catalogs to control a department of radiology].

PubMed

Hackländer, T; Mertens, H; Cramer, B M

2005-03-01

Within a hospital, the radiology department has taken over the role of a cost center. Cost accounting can be applied to analyze the costs for the performance of services. By assigning the expenditures of resources to the service, the cash value can directly be distributed to the costs of equipment, material and rooms. Time-oriented catalogs of services are predefined to calculate the number of the employees for a radiology department. Using our own survey of time data, we examined whether such catalogs correctly represent the time consumed in a radiology department. Only services relevant for the turnover were compared. For 96 primary radiological services defined by the score-oriented German fee catalog for physicians (Gebuhrenordnung fur Arzte), a ranking list was made for the annual procedures in descending frequency order. According to the Pareto principle, the 11 services with the highest frequency were chosen and the time consumed for the technical and medical services was collected over a period of 2 months. This survey was compared with the time-oriented catalogs TARMED and EBM 2000plus. The included 11 relevant radiological services represented 80.3 % of the annual procedures of our radiology department. When comparing the technical services between the time-oriented catalogs and our own survey, TARMED gives a better description of the time consumed in 7 of the 11 services and EMB 2000plus in 3 services. When comparing the medical services, TARMED gives a better description of the time consumed in 6 of the 11 services and EBM 2000plus in 4 services. When averaging all the radiological services, TARMED overestimates the current number of physicians necessary for primary reading by a factor of 10.0 % and EBM 2000plus by a factor of 2.6 %. As to the time spent on performing the relevant radiological services, TARMED is slightly superior to describe the radiology department of a hospital than EBM 2000plus. For calculating the number of physicians necessary for

A Preliminary Performance Assessment for Salt Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste - 12173

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Joon H.; Clayton, Daniel; Jove-Colon, Carlos

2012-07-01

A salt repository is one of the four geologic media currently under study by the U.S. DOE Office of Nuclear Energy to support the development of a long-term strategy for geologic disposal of commercial used nuclear fuel (UNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW). The immediate goal of the generic salt repository study is to develop the necessary modeling tools to evaluate and improve the understanding of the repository system response and processes relevant to long-term disposal of UNF and HLW in a salt formation. The current phase of this study considers representative geologic settings and features adopted from previous studiesmore » for salt repository sites. For the reference scenario, the brine flow rates in the repository and underlying interbeds are very low, and transport of radionuclides in the transport pathways is dominated by diffusion and greatly retarded by sorption on the interbed filling materials. I-129 is the dominant annual dose contributor at the hypothetical accessible environment, but the calculated mean annual dose is negligibly small. For the human intrusion (or disturbed) scenario, the mean mass release rate and mean annual dose histories are very different from those for the reference scenario. Actinides including Pu-239, Pu-242 and Np-237 are major annual dose contributors, and the calculated peak mean annual dose is acceptably low. A performance assessment model for a generic salt repository has been developed incorporating, where applicable, representative geologic settings and features adopted from literature data for salt repository sites. The conceptual model and scenario for radionuclide release and transport from a salt repository were developed utilizing literature data. The salt GDS model was developed in a probabilistic analysis framework. The preliminary performance analysis for demonstration of model capability is for an isothermal condition at the ambient temperature for the near field. The capability demonstration

[New international networks in radiology graduate and continuing education: www.eurorad.org--a EAR Project for online publication of radiological data].

PubMed

Vorwerk, D

2002-02-01

Eurorad (www.eurorad.org) is a joint project of EAR and has support of 27 national and 8 subspeciality radiology societies. Eurorad is the first noncommercial radiological publication that is exclusively based on the internet as a communication line with all steps of submission, reviewing and publication being performed online. Eurorad wants to build up a huge and exhaustive case file of diagnostic and interventional radiology. Like all scientific publications, Eurorad bases on an editor in chief and 13 section editors who are responsible for organizing each section of Eurorad. Each section has a number of peer reviewer with an overall total of more than 100. For submission and publication, all cases are structured in the same manner with case report, method and discussion. For the time being, Eurorad hosts 779 cases, of whom 346 are free available on the net. The actual rejection rate is 4.5%, other cases are under review.

Software tools for interactive instruction in radiologic anatomy.

PubMed

Alvarez, Antonio; Gold, Garry E; Tobin, Brian; Desser, Terry S

2006-04-01

To promote active learning in an introductory Radiologic Anatomy course through the use of computer-based exercises. DICOM datasets from our hospital PACS system were transferred to a networked cluster of desktop computers in a medical school classroom. Medical students in the Radiologic Anatomy course were divided into four small groups and assigned to work on a clinical case for 45 minutes. The groups used iPACS viewer software, a free DICOM viewer, to view images and annotate anatomic structures. The classroom instructor monitored and displayed each group's work sequentially on the master screen by running SynchronEyes, a software tool for controlling PC desktops remotely. Students were able to execute the assigned tasks using the iPACS software with minimal oversight or instruction. Course instructors displayed each group's work on the main display screen of the classroom as the students presented the rationale for their decisions. The interactive component of the course received high ratings from the students and overall course ratings were higher than in prior years when the course was given solely in lecture format. DICOM viewing software is an excellent tool for enabling students to learn radiologic anatomy from real-life clinical datasets. Interactive exercises performed in groups can be powerful tools for stimulating students to learn radiologic anatomy.

Curriculum Development and Alignment in Radiologic Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dowd, Steven B.

Before developing a curriculum for radiologic technology, one must first attempt to define the term "curriculum." The term is not easy to define precisely, although it does imply the necessity of a master plan that outlines institutional philosophy and goals, course descriptions, description of competency-based evaluation, performance objectives,…

Development of RAD-Score: A Tool to Assess the Procedural Competence of Diagnostic Radiology Residents.

PubMed

Isupov, Inga; McInnes, Matthew D F; Hamstra, Stan J; Doherty, Geoffrey; Gupta, Ashish; Peddle, Susan; Jibri, Zaid; Rakhra, Kawan; Hibbert, Rebecca M

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a tool to assess the procedural competence of radiology trainees, with sources of evidence gathered from five categories to support the construct validity of tool: content, response process, internal structure, relations to other variables, and consequences. A pilot form for assessing procedural competence among radiology residents, known as the RAD-Score tool, was developed by evaluating published literature and using a modified Delphi procedure involving a group of local content experts. The pilot version of the tool was tested by seven radiology department faculty members who evaluated procedures performed by 25 residents at one institution between October 2014 and June 2015. Residents were evaluated while performing multiple procedures in both clinical and simulation settings. The main outcome measure was the percentage of residents who were considered ready to perform procedures independently, with testing conducted to determine differences between levels of training. A total of 105 forms (for 52 procedures performed in a clinical setting and 53 procedures performed in a simulation setting) were collected for a variety of procedures (eight vascular or interventional, 42 body, 12 musculoskeletal, 23 chest, and 20 breast procedures). A statistically significant difference was noted in the percentage of trainees who were rated as being ready to perform a procedure independently (in postgraduate year [PGY] 2, 12% of residents; in PGY3, 61%; in PGY4, 85%; and in PGY5, 88%; p < 0.05); this difference persisted in the clinical and simulation settings. User feedback and psychometric analysis were used to create a final version of the form. This prospective study describes the successful development of a tool for assessing the procedural competence of radiology trainees with high levels of construct validity in multiple domains. Implementation of the tool in the radiology residency curriculum is planned and can play an

Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ulm, Franz-Josef

2000-03-31

OAK-B135 Monitoring the Durability Performance of Concrete in Nuclear Waste Containment. Technical Progress Report No. 3(NOTE: Part II A item 1 indicates ''PAPER'', but a report is attached electronically)

Creating a comprehensive customer service program to help convey critical and acute results of radiology studies.

PubMed

Towbin, Alexander J; Hall, Seth; Moskovitz, Jay; Johnson, Neil D; Donnelly, Lane F

2011-01-01

Communication of acute or critical results between the radiology department and referring clinicians has been a deficiency of many radiology departments. The failure to perform or document these communications can lead to poor patient care, patient safety issues, medical-legal issues, and complaints from referring clinicians. To mitigate these factors, a communication and documentation tool was created and incorporated into our departmental customer service program. This article will describe the implementation of a comprehensive customer service program in a hospital-based radiology department. A comprehensive customer service program was created in the radiology department. Customer service representatives were hired to answer the telephone calls to the radiology reading rooms and to help convey radiology results. The radiologists, referring clinicians, and customer service representatives were then linked via a novel workflow management system. This workflow management system provided tools to help facilitate the communication needs of each group. The number of studies with results conveyed was recorded from the implementation of the workflow management system. Between the implementation of the workflow management system on August 1, 2005, and June 1, 2009, 116,844 radiology results were conveyed to the referring clinicians and documented in the system. This accounts for more than 14% of the 828,516 radiology cases performed in this time frame. We have been successful in creating a comprehensive customer service program to convey and document communication of radiology results. This program has been widely used by the ordering clinicians as well as radiologists since its inception.

Radiology operations: what you don't know could be costing you millions.

PubMed

Joffe, Sam; Drew, Donna; Bansal, Manju; Hase, Michael

2007-01-01

Rapid growth in advanced imaging procedures has left hospital radiology departments struggling to keep up with demand, resulting in loss of patients to facilities that can offer service more quickly. While the departments appear to be working at full capacity, an operational analysis of over 400 hospital radiology departments in the US by GE Healthcare has determined that, paradoxically, many departments are in fact underutilized and operating for below their potential capacity. While CT cycle time in hospitals that were studied averaged 35 minutes, top performing hospitals operated the same equipment at a cycle time of 15 minutes, yielding approximately double the throughput volume. Factors leading to suboptimal performance include accounting metrics that mask true performance, leadership focus on capital investment rather than operations, under staffing, under scheduling, poorly aligned incentives, a fragmented view of operations, lack of awareness of latent opportunities, and lack of sufficient skills and processes to implement improvements. The study showed how modest investments in radiology operations can dramatically improve access to services and profitability.

Liquid secondary waste. Waste form formulation and qualification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cozzi, A. D.; Dixon, K. L.; Hill, K. A.

The Hanford Site Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) currently treats aqueous waste streams generated during Site cleanup activities. When the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) begins operations, a liquid secondary waste (LSW) stream from the WTP will need to be treated. The volume of effluent for treatment at the ETF will increase significantly. Washington River Protection Solutions is implementing a Secondary Liquid Waste Immobilization Technology Development Plan to address the technology needs for a waste form and solidification process to treat the increased volume of waste planned for disposal at the Integrated Disposal Facility IDF). Waste form testingmore » to support this plan is composed of work in the near term to demonstrate the waste form will provide data as input to a performance assessment (PA) for Hanford’s IDF.« less

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site environmental report, for calendar year 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1 General Environmental Protection Program, requires DOE facilities, that conduct environmental protection programs, to annually prepare a Site Environmental Report (SER). The purpose of the SER is to provide an abstract of environmental assessments conducted in order to characterize site environmental management performance, to confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and to highlight significant programs and efforts of environmental merit. The content of this SER is not restricted to a synopsis of the required data, in addition, information pertaining to new and continued monitoring and compliance activities during the 1995 calendar yearmore » are also included. Data contained in this report are derived from those monitoring programs directed by the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMP). The EMP provides inclusive guidelines implemented to detect potential impacts to the environment and to establish baseline measurements for future environmental evaluations. Surface water, groundwater. air, soil, and biotic matrices are monitored for an array of radiological and nonradiological factors. The baseline radiological surveillance program encompasses a broader geographic area that includes nearby ranches, villages, and cities. Most elements of nonradiological assessments are conducted within the geographic vicinity of the WIPP site.« less

Radiologic technology educators and andragogy.

PubMed

Galbraith, M W; Simon-Galbraith, J A

1984-01-01

Radiologic technology educators are in constant contact with adult learners. However, the theoretical framework that radiologic educators use to guide their instruction may not be appropriate for adults. This article examines the assumptions of the standard instructional theory and the most modern approach to adult education-- andragogy . It also shows how these assumptions affect the adult learner in a radiologic education setting.

Resource management performance in Bahrain: a systematic analysis of municipal waste management, secondary material flows and organizational aspects.

PubMed

Al Sabbagh, Maram K; Velis, Costas A; Wilson, David C; Cheeseman, Christopher R

2012-08-01

This paper presents a detailed review of municipal solid waste (MSW) and resource management in Bahrain, using the recently developed UN-Habitat city profile methodology. Performance indicators involve quantitative assessment of waste collection and sweeping, controlled disposal, materials recovery and financial sustainability together with qualitative assessment of user and provider inclusivity and institutional coherence. MSW management performance in Bahrain is compared with data for 20 other cities. The system in Bahrain is at an intermediate stage of development. A waste/material flow diagram allows visualization of the MSW system and quantifies all inputs and outputs, with the vast majority of MSW deposited in a controlled, but not engineered landfill. International comparative analysis shows that recycling and material recovery rates in Bahrain (8% wt. for domestic waste, of which 3% wt. due to informal sector) are generally lower than other cities, whereas waste quantities and generation rates at 1.1 kg capita(-1) day(-1)) are relatively high. The organic fraction (60% wt.) is comparable to that in middle- and low-income cities (50-80% wt.), although on the basis of gross domestic product Bahrain is classified as a high-income city, for which the average is generally less than 30% wt. Inclusivity in waste governance is at a medium stage as not all waste system stakeholders are considered in decision-making. While the system now appears to be financially stable, key pending issues are cost-effectiveness, improving the standards of disposal and deployment of extensive materials recovery/recycling services.

Challenges in disposing of anthrax waste.

PubMed

Lesperance, Ann M; Stein, Steve; Upton, Jaki F; Toomey, Chris

2011-09-01

Disasters often create large amounts of waste that must be managed as part of both immediate response and long-term recovery. While many federal, state, and local agencies have debris management plans, these plans often do not address chemical, biological, and radiological contamination. The Interagency Biological Restoration Demonstration's (IBRD) purpose was to holistically assess all aspects of an anthrax incident and assist in the development of a plan for long-term recovery. In the case of wide-area anthrax contamination and the follow-on response and recovery activities, a significant amount of material would require decontamination and disposal. Accordingly, IBRD facilitated the development of debris management plans to address contaminated waste through a series of interviews and workshops with local, state, and federal representatives. The outcome of these discussions was the identification of 3 primary topical areas that must be addressed: planning, unresolved research questions, and resolving regulatory issues.

Aerospace vehicle water-waste management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pecoraro, J. N.

1973-01-01

The collection and disposal of human wastes, such as urine and feces, in a spacecraft environment are performed in an aesthetic and reliable manner to prevent degradation of crew performance. The waste management system controls, transfers, and processes materials such as feces, emesis, food residues, used expendables, and other wastes. The requirements, collection, transport, and waste processing are described.

New trends in radiology workstation design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moise, Adrian; Atkins, M. Stella

2002-05-01

In the radiology workstation design, the race for adding more features is now morphing into an iterative user centric design with the focus on ergonomics and usability. The extent of the list of features for the radiology workstation used to be one of the most significant factors for a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) vendor's ability to sell the radiology workstation. Not anymore is now very much the same between the major players in the PACS market. How these features work together distinguishes different radiology workstations. Integration (with the PACS/Radiology Information System (RIS) systems, with the 3D tool, Reporting Tool etc.), usability (user specific preferences, advanced display protocols, smart activation of tools etc.) and efficiency (what is the output a radiologist can generate with the workstation) are now core factors for selecting a workstation. This paper discusses these new trends in radiology workstation design. We demonstrate the importance of the interaction between the PACS vendor (software engineers) and the customer (radiologists) during the radiology workstation design. We focus on iterative aspects of the workstation development, such as the presentation of early prototypes to as many representative users as possible during the software development cycle and present the results of a survey of 8 radiologists on designing a radiology workstation.

Enhancing anaerobic digestion performance of crude lipid in food waste by enzymatic pretreatment.

PubMed

Meng, Ying; Luan, Fubo; Yuan, Hairong; Chen, Xue; Li, Xiujin

2017-01-01

Three lipases were applied to hydrolyze the floatable grease (FG) in the food waste for eliminating FG inhibition and enhancing digestion performance in anaerobic process. Lipase-I, Lipase-II, and Lipase-III obtained from different sources were used. Animal fat (AF) and vegetable oil (VO) are major crude lipids in Chinese food waste, therefore, applied as substrates for anaerobic digestion tests. The results showed that Lipase-I and Lipase-II were capable of obviously releasing long chain fatty acid in AF, VO, and FG when hydrolyzed in the conditions of 24h, 1000-1500μL and 40-50°C. Compared to the untreated controls, the biomethane production rate were increased by 80.8-157.7%, 26.9-53.8%, and 37.0-40.7% for AF, VO, and FG, respectively, and the digestion time was shortened by 10-40d. The finding suggests that pretreating lipids with appropriate lipase could be one of effective methods for enhancing anaerobic digestion of food waste rich in crude lipid. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Performance of NDA techniques on a vitrified waste form

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hurd, J.R.; Veazey, G.W.; Prettyman, T.H.

1997-11-01

Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS) is currently considering the use of vitrified transuranic (TRU)-waste forms for the final disposition of several waste materials. To date, however, little nondestructive assay (NDA) data have been acquired in the general NDA community to assist in this endeavor. This paper describes the efforts to determine constraints and operating parameters for using NDA instrumentation on vitrified waste. The present study was conducted on a sample composed of a plutonium-contaminated ash, similar to that found in the RFETS inventory, and a borosilicate-based glass. The vitrified waste item was fabricated at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)more » using methods and equipment similar to those being proposed by RFETS to treat their ash material. The focus of this study centered on the segmented gamma scanner (SGS) with 1/2-inch collimation, a technique that is presently available at RFETS. The accuracy and precision of SGS technology was evaluated, with particular attention to bias issues involving matrix geometry, homogeneity, and attenuation. Tomographic gamma scanning was utilized in the determination of the waste form homogeneity. A thermal neutron technique was also investigated and comparisons made with the gamma results.« less

Performance Assessment of a Generic Repository in Bedded Salt for DOE-Managed Nuclear Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, E. R.; Sevougian, S. D.; Hammond, G. E.; Frederick, J. M.; Mariner, P. E.

2016-12-01

A mined repository in salt is one of the concepts under consideration for disposal of DOE-managed defense-related spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high level waste (HLW). Bedded salt is a favorable medium for disposal of nuclear waste due to its low permeability, high thermal conductivity, and ability to self-heal. Sandia's Generic Disposal System Analysis framework is used to assess the ability of a generic repository in bedded salt to isolate radionuclides from the biosphere. The performance assessment considers multiple waste types of varying thermal load and radionuclide inventory, the engineered barrier system comprising the waste packages, backfill, and emplacement drifts, and the natural barrier system formed by a bedded salt deposit and the overlying sedimentary sequence (including an aquifer). The model simulates disposal of nearly the entire inventory of DOE-managed, defense-related SNF (excluding Naval SNF) and HLW in a half-symmetry domain containing approximately 6 million grid cells. Grid refinement captures the detail of 25,200 individual waste packages in 180 disposal panels, associated access halls, and 4 shafts connecting the land surface to the repository. Equations describing coupled heat and fluid flow and reactive transport are solved numerically with PFLOTRAN, a massively parallel flow and transport code. Simulated processes include heat conduction and convection, waste package failure, waste form dissolution, radioactive decay and ingrowth, sorption, solubility limits, advection, dispersion, and diffusion. Simulations are run to 1 million years, and radionuclide concentrations are observed within an aquifer at a point approximately 4 kilometers downgradient of the repository. The software package DAKOTA is used to sample likely ranges of input parameters including waste form dissolution rates and properties of engineered and natural materials in order to quantify uncertainty in predicted concentrations and sensitivity to input parameters. Sandia

Systematic Viewing in Radiology: Seeing More, Missing Less?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kok, Ellen M.; Jarodzka, Halszka; de Bruin, Anique B. H.; BinAmir, Hussain A. N.; Robben, Simon G. F.; van Merriënboer, Jeroen J. G.

2016-01-01

To prevent radiologists from overlooking lesions, radiology textbooks recommend "systematic viewing," a technique whereby anatomical areas are inspected in a fixed order. This would ensure complete inspection (full coverage) of the image and, in turn, improve diagnostic performance. To test this assumption, two experiments were…

Improving financial performance by modeling and analysis of radiology procedure scheduling at a large community hospital.

PubMed

Lu, Lingbo; Li, Jingshan; Gisler, Paula

2011-06-01

Radiology tests, such as MRI, CT-scan, X-ray and ultrasound, are cost intensive and insurance pre-approvals are necessary to get reimbursement. In some cases, tests may be denied for payments by insurance companies due to lack of pre-approvals, inaccurate or missing necessary information. This can lead to substantial revenue losses for the hospital. In this paper, we present a simulation study of a centralized scheduling process for outpatient radiology tests at a large community hospital (Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky). Based on analysis of the central scheduling process, a simulation model of information flow in the process has been developed. Using such a model, the root causes of financial losses associated with errors and omissions in this process were identified and analyzed, and their impacts were quantified. In addition, "what-if" analysis was conducted to identify potential process improvement strategies in the form of recommendations to the hospital leadership. Such a model provides a quantitative tool for continuous improvement and process control in radiology outpatient test scheduling process to reduce financial losses associated with process error. This method of analysis is also applicable to other departments in the hospital.

Final Project Report CFA-14-6357: A New Paradigm for Understanding Multiphase Ceramic Waste Form Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brinkman, Kyle; Bordia, Rajendra; Reifsnider, Kenneth

This project fabricated model multiphase ceramic waste forms with processing-controlled microstructures followed by advanced characterization with synchrotron and electron microscopy-based 3D tomography to provide elemental and chemical state-specific information resulting in compositional phase maps of ceramic composites. Details of 3D microstructural features were incorporated into computer-based simulations using durability data for individual constituent phases as inputs in order to predict the performance of multiphase waste forms with varying microstructure and phase connectivity.

Design requirements for radiology workstations.

PubMed

Moise, Adrian; Atkins, M Stella

2004-06-01

This article stresses the importance of capturing feedback from representative users in the early stages of product development. We present our solution to producing quality requirement specifications for radiology workstations, specifications that remain valid over time because we successfully anticipated the industry trends and the user's needs. We present the results from a user study performed in December 1999 in a radiology clinic equipped with state-of-the-art Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS) and imaging scanners. The study involved eight radiologists who answered questions and provided comments on three complementary research topics. First, we asked our subjects to enumerate the advantages and the disadvantages for both softcopy and hardcopy reading. We identified the two major factors for productivity improvement through the use of PACS workstations: workflow re-engineering and process automation. Second, we collected radiologist feedback on the use of hanging protocols (HPs). The results indicated the high importance of automatic image organization through HPs, with the potential effect of reducing the interpretation time by 10-20%. Our subjects estimated that 10-15 HPs would cover about 85%-95% of the regular radiological examinations. Third, we investigated the impact of the display devices on the radiologist's workflow. Our results indicated that the number and the properties of the monitors is a modality-specific requirement. The main results from this study on key functional requirements for softcopy interpretation only recently were incorporated in most of the current, successful PACS workstations.

Anesthesia Practice and Clinical Trends in Interventional Radiology: A European Survey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haslam, Philip J.; Yap, Bernard; Mueller, Peter R.

Purpose: To determine current European practice in interventional radiology regarding nursing care, anesthesia, and clinical care trends.Methods: A survey was sent to 977 European interventional radiologists to assess the use of sedoanalgesia, nursing care, monitoring equipment, pre- and postprocedural care, and clinical trends in interventional radiology. Patterns of sedoanalgesia were recorded for both vascular and visceral interventional procedures. Responders rated their preferred level of sedoanalgesia for each procedure as follows: (a) awake/alert, (b) drowsy/arousable, (c) asleep/arousable, (d) deep sedation, and (e) general anesthesia. Sedoanalgesic drugs and patient care trends were also recorded. A comparison was performed with data derived frommore » a similar survey of interventional practice in the United States.Results: Two hundred and forty-three of 977 radiologists responded (25%). The total number of procedures analyzed was 210,194. The majority (56%) of diagnostic and therapeutic vascular procedures were performed at the awake/alert level of sedation, 32% were performed at the drowsy/arousable level, and 12% at deeper levels of sedation. The majority of visceral interventional procedures were performed at the drowsy/arousable level of sedation (41%), 29% were performed at deeper levels of sedation, and 30% at the awake/alert level. In general, more sedoanalgesia is used in the United States. Eighty-three percent of respondents reported the use of a full-time radiology nurse, 67% used routine blood pressure/pulse oximetry monitoring, and 46% reported the presence of a dedicated recovery area. Forty-nine percent reported daily patient rounds, 30% had inpatient hospital beds, and 51% had day case beds.Conclusion: This survey shows clear differences in the use of sedation for vascular and visceral interventional procedures. Many, often complex, procedures are performed at the awake/alert level of sedation in Europe, whereas deeper levels of sedation

Testing and Performance Validation of a Shielded Waste Segregation and Clearance Monitor Designed for the Measurement of Low Level Waste-13043

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mason, John A.; Burke, Kevin J.; Towner, Antony C.N.

-137 source placed in the centre of the measurement chamber. Small sources have also been used to determine the spatial variation of the detection efficiency for various positions within the measurement chamber. The data have been used to establish sentencing limits and different 'fingerprints' for specific waste streams including waste streams containing fission products and others based on other radionuclides including Am-241. Some of the test data that are presented have been used to validate the instrument performance. The monitor is currently in routine use at a nuclear facility for the measurement and sentencing of low-density low activity radioactive waste. (authors)« less

Marketing a Radiology Practice.

PubMed

Levin, David C; Rao, Vijay M; Flanders, Adam E; Sundaram, Baskaran; Colarossi, Margaret

2016-10-01

In addition to being a profession, the practice of radiology is a business, and marketing is an important part of that business. There are many facets to marketing a radiology practice. The authors present a number of ideas on how to go about doing this. Some marketing methods can be directed to both patients and referring physicians. Others should be directed just to patients, while still others should be directed just to referring physicians. Aside from marketing, many of them provide value to both target audiences. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiology education: a glimpse into the future.

PubMed

Scarsbrook, A F; Graham, R N J; Perriss, R W

2006-08-01

The digital revolution in radiology continues to advance rapidly. There are a number of interesting developments within radiology informatics which may have a significant impact on education and training of radiologists in the near future. These include extended functionality of handheld computers, web-based skill and knowledge assessment, standardization of radiological procedural training using simulated or virtual patients, worldwide videoconferencing via high-quality health networks such as Internet2 and global collaboration of radiological educational resources via comprehensive, multi-national databases such as the medical imaging resource centre initiative of the Radiological Society of North America. This article will explore the role of e-learning in radiology, highlight a number of useful web-based applications in this area, and explain how the current and future technological advances might best be incorporated into radiological training.

Regulatory Supervision of Radiological Protection in the Russian Federation as Applied to Facility Decommissioning and Site Remediation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sneve, M.K.; Shandala, N.K.

2007-07-01

The Russian Federation is carrying out major work to manage the legacy of exploitation of nuclear power and use of radioactive materials. This paper describes work on-going to provide enhanced regulatory supervision of these activities as regards radiological protection. The scope includes worker and public protection in routine operation; emergency preparedness and response; radioactive waste management, including treatment, interim storage and transport as well as final disposal; and long term site restoration. Examples examined include waste from facilities in NW Russia, including remediation of previous shore technical bases (STBs) for submarines, spent fuel and radioactive waste management from ice-breakers, andmore » decommissioning of Radio-Thermal-Generators (RTGs) used in navigational devices. Consideration is given to the identification of regulatory responsibilities among different regulators; development of necessary regulatory instruments; and development of regulatory procedures for safety case reviews and compliance monitoring and international cooperation between different regulators. (authors)« less

Data fusion for a vision-aided radiological detection system: Calibration algorithm performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stadnikia, Kelsey; Henderson, Kristofer; Martin, Allan; Riley, Phillip; Koppal, Sanjeev; Enqvist, Andreas

2018-05-01

In order to improve the ability to detect, locate, track and identify nuclear/radiological threats, the University of Florida nuclear detection community has teamed up with the 3D vision community to collaborate on a low cost data fusion system. The key is to develop an algorithm to fuse the data from multiple radiological and 3D vision sensors as one system. The system under development at the University of Florida is being assessed with various types of radiological detectors and widely available visual sensors. A series of experiments were devised utilizing two EJ-309 liquid organic scintillation detectors (one primary and one secondary), a Microsoft Kinect for Windows v2 sensor and a Velodyne HDL-32E High Definition LiDAR Sensor which is a highly sensitive vision sensor primarily used to generate data for self-driving cars. Each experiment consisted of 27 static measurements of a source arranged in a cube with three different distances in each dimension. The source used was Cf-252. The calibration algorithm developed is utilized to calibrate the relative 3D-location of the two different types of sensors without need to measure it by hand; thus, preventing operator manipulation and human errors. The algorithm can also account for the facility dependent deviation from ideal data fusion correlation. Use of the vision sensor to determine the location of a sensor would also limit the possible locations and it does not allow for room dependence (facility dependent deviation) to generate a detector pseudo-location to be used for data analysis later. Using manually measured source location data, our algorithm-predicted the offset detector location within an average of 20 cm calibration-difference to its actual location. Calibration-difference is the Euclidean distance from the algorithm predicted detector location to the measured detector location. The Kinect vision sensor data produced an average calibration-difference of 35 cm and the HDL-32E produced an average

The Radiology Resident iPad Toolbox: an educational and clinical tool for radiology residents.

PubMed

Sharpe, Emerson E; Kendrick, Michael; Strickland, Colin; Dodd, Gerald D

2013-07-01

Tablet computing and mobile resources are the hot topics in technology today, with that interest spilling into the medical field. To improve resident education, a fully configured iPad, referred to as the "Radiology Resident iPad Toolbox," was created and implemented at the University of Colorado. The goal was to create a portable device with comprehensive educational, clinical, and communication tools that would contain all necessary resources for an entire 4-year radiology residency. The device was distributed to a total of 34 radiology residents (8 first-year residents, 8 second-year residents, 9 third-year residents, and 9 fourth-year residents). This article describes the process used to develop and deploy the device, provides a distillation of useful applications and resources decided upon after extensive evaluation, and assesses the impact this device had on resident education. The Radiology Resident iPad Toolbox is a cost-effective, portable, educational instrument that has increased studying efficiency; improved access to study materials such as books, radiology cases, lectures, and web-based resources; and increased interactivity in educational conferences and lectures through the use of audience-response software, with questions geared toward the new ABR board format. This preconfigured tablet fully embraces the technology shift into mobile computing and represents a paradigm shift in educational strategy. Copyright © 2013 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

American Society of Radiologic Technologists

MedlinePlus

... Radiologist Assistant Legislation Career Center Careers in Radiologic Technology Job Bank® Job Search Resources Radiologist ... American Society of Radiologic Technologists ASRT is the premier professional ...

The American Board of Radiology Perspective on Maintenance of Certification: Part IV: Practice quality improvement in radiologic physics.

PubMed

Frey, G Donald; Ibbott, Geoffrey S; Morin, Richard L; Paliwal, Bhudatt R; Thomas, Stephen R; Bosma, Jennifer

2007-11-01

Recent initiatives of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in the area of maintenance of certification (MOC) have been reflective of the response of the medical community to address public concerns regarding quality of care, medical error reduction, and patient safety. In March 2000, the 24 member boards of the ABMS representing all medical subspecialties in the USA agreed to initiate specialty-specific maintenance of certification (MOC) programs. The American Board of Radiology (ABR) MOC program for diagnostic radiology, radiation oncology, and radiologic physics has been developed, approved by the ABMS, and initiated with full implementation for all three disciplines beginning in 2007. The overriding objective of MOC is to improve the quality of health care through diplomate-initiated learning and quality improvement. The four component parts to the MOC process are: Part I: Professional standing, Part II: Evidence of life long learning and periodic self-assessment, Part III: Cognitive expertise, and Part IV: Evaluation of performance in practice (with the latter being the focus of this paper). The key components of Part IV require a physicist-based response to demonstrate commitment to practice quality improvement (PQI) and progress in continuing individual competence in practice. Diplomates of radiologic physics must select a project to be completed over the ten-year cycle that potentially can improve the quality of the diplomate's individual or systems practice and enhance the quality of care. Five categories have been created from which an individual radiologic physics diplomate can select one required PQI project: (1) Safety for patients, employees, and the public, (2) accuracy of analyses and calculations, (3) report turnaround time and communication issues, (4) practice guidelines and technical standards, and (5) surveys (including peer review of self-assessment reports). Each diplomate may select a project appropriate for an individual

Gender Trends in Radiology Authorship: A 35-Year Analysis.

PubMed

Piper, Crystal L; Scheel, John R; Lee, Christoph I; Forman, Howard P

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe trends over time in female authorship in the radiology literature and to investigate the tendency of female first authors to publish with female senior authors. Data on the gender of academic physician authors based in the United States for all major articles published in three general radiology journals--Radiology, AJR, and Academic Radiology--were collected and analyzed for the years 1978, 1988, 1998, 2008, and 2013. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify significant trends over time, and a chi-square test of independence was performed to determine significant relations between the genders of first and senior authors. The gender of 4182 of 4217 (99.17%) authors with MD degrees was determined. The proportion of original research articles published by women as first authors increased from 8.33% in 1978 to 32.35% in 2013 (p < 0.001). The proportion of original research articles with women as senior authors increased from 6.75% in 1978 to 21.90% in 2013 (p < 0.001). Female first and senior authorship increased significantly over time (first author, p < 0.001; senior author, p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant relation between the genders of first and senior authors of original research articles and guest editorials (p < 0.001). Over 35 years, there was a statistically significant upward linear trend of female physician participation in authorship of academic radiology literature. Female first authors were more likely to publish with female senior authors.

The visual and radiological inspection of a pipeline using a teleoperated pipe crawler

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fogle, R.F.; Kuelske, K.; Kellner, R.A.

1996-07-01

In the 1950s the Savannah River Site built an open, unlined retention basin for temporary storage of potentially radionuclide-contaminated cooling water form a chemical separations process and storm water drainage from a nearby waste management facility which stored large quantities of nuclear fission by-products in carbon steel tanks. An underground process pipeline lead to the basin. Once the closure of the basin in 1972, further assessment has been required. A visual and radiological inspection of the pipeline was necessary to aid in the decision about further remediation. This article describes the inspection using a teleoperated pipe crawler. 5 figs.

[Intranet applications in radiology].

PubMed

Knopp, M V; von Hippel, G M; Koch, T; Knopp, M A

2000-01-01

The aim of the paper is to present the conceptual basis and capabilities of intranet applications in radiology. The intranet, which is the local brother of the internet can be readily realized using existing computer components and a network. All current computer operating systems support intranet applications which allow hard and software independent communication of text, images, video and sound with the use of browser software without dedicated programs on the individual personal computers. Radiological applications for text communication e.g. department specific bulletin boards and access to examination protocols; use of image communication for viewing and limited processing and documentation of radiological images can be achieved on decentralized PCs as well as speech communication for dictation, distribution of dictation and speech recognition. The intranet helps to optimize the organizational efficiency and cost effectiveness in the daily work of radiological departments in outpatients and hospital settings. The general interest in internet and intranet technology will guarantee its continuous development.

Radiology Architecture Project Primer.

PubMed

Sze, Raymond W; Hogan, Laurie; Teshima, Satoshi; Davidson, Scott

2017-12-19

The rapid pace of technologic advancement and increasing expectations for patient- and family-friendly environments make it common for radiology leaders to be involved in imaging remodel and construction projects. Most radiologists and business directors lack formal training in architectural and construction processes but are expected to play significant and often leading roles in all phases of an imaging construction project. Avoidable mistakes can result in significant increased costs and scheduling delays; knowledgeable participation and communication can result in a final product that enhances staff workflow and morale and improves patient care and experience. This article presents practical guidelines for preparing for and leading a new imaging architectural and construction project. We share principles derived from the radiology and nonradiology literature and our own experience over the past decade completely remodeling a large pediatric radiology department and building a full-service outpatient imaging center. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of online instruction in the radiologic sciences.

PubMed

Johnston, James

2008-01-01

Online courses are becoming increasingly common in all academic disciplines and many studies have indicated that there is no significant difference in student outcomes between the 2 instructional methods or, more recently, that online instruction is superior. However, because course content and expectations about mastery of material vary, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of online courses in different academic disciplines and settings, including radiologic technology. To examine the instructional effectiveness of 2 online radiologic science courses that were converted from a face-to-face instruction format. Archival data were gathered from a sample of convenience (N = 317) to compare 2 years of performance indicators for each course and format. This study also compared course formats in terms of national certification exam results. The results regarding which delivery type performed better were mixed. However, the national certification exam scores for the patient care section were higher for students who completed face-to-face instruction than for those who had online instruction.