1. Hopewell Designs, Inc.
Calibration of Radiation Instruments Overview, Practical Techniques, Irradiators Illustrated by Robert Rushton
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

2. OVERVIEW Calibration of Instruments Irradiators Illustrated
Chain of Traceability
NIST
International Standards
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

3. Calibration of Instruments
Steps in a Typical Calibration Procedure
What Is Important in a Calibration
Features that Help Improve Calibrations
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

4. Steps in a Typical Calibration
Receive instrument and log into system
Perform as found set of readings, typically 20% & 80% full scale, all scales
If required, repair instrument
Calibrate and adjust until it falls within specifications, typically within 10%
Record to database, prepare report
Prepare for shipment, log out of system
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

5. Elements of a Calibration Program
Equipment
Personnel
Training
Database, Records Keeping
Procedures
QA Program
Traceability and Accreditation
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

6. Why they are important …
Procedures – drive the overall program
QA – keeps the program on track
Training – people make it happen, training shows them how
Records – documents what is done
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

7. Calibration on an Irradiator
Set up irradiator for exposure rate
Track position
Source & attenuator selection
Expose source
Record data and/or adjust instrument
Go to next step in procedure
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

8. Irradiator Control Screen
System Status
Exposure Control
Time
Setup
Positioning
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

9. Exposure Rate Linked to Position
Exposure rate calculates distance, or
Enter desired distance & exposure rate calculated
Based on polynomial equation from irradiator calibration
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

10. Position Instrument on Platform
Box Calibrator
Gamma Beam Irradiator
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

11. One Button Setup STEPS Pull-down menu PROCEDURE – defined by user
Can move to any step in any order
PROCEDURE – defined by user
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

12. Control Screen with Instrument Viewing
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

13. Record Data to Database
Record As Found / As Left readings & comments
Use separate database or irradiator’s built-in function
At completion, print out calibration report
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

14. Features that Improve Calibration
Automation helps with:
Control of Irradiator
Automation of Procedures
Data Collection and Analysis
Database Links
Benefits Include
Improved Accuracy
Higher Throughput
Audit Trail for Records
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

15. Irradiators Illustrated
An Overview of Irradiators – from Sterilization to Calibration
Calibration Irradiators – Types and Isotopes
A Detailed Look at 2 Types of Irradiators – LSI and GBI at SRS
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

16. An Overview of Irradiators – from Sterilization to Calibration
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

17. NAS Radiation Source Use and Replacement Report
Radiation Sources: Uses and Origins
Radiation Source Risk
Accelerator and Detector Technology
Self-Contained Irradiators
Panoramic Irradiators
Radiotherapy
Industrial Radiography
Well Logging
Implementation Options to Encourage Replacement of Sources with Alternatives
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

18. Sterilization Irradiators
7 million Ci Co-60
Electron Beam
High Dose, High Throughput
Medical, Increasingly Food
Approx. 200 worldwide
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

19. Blood Irradiators
Prevents transfusion associated graft versus host disease
Located at most major hospitals
100’s in operation
Self-contained, simple to operate
Majority use Cs-137
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

20. X-Ray Blood and Research Irradiators
No Security Req’d
Lower Energy Beam
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

21. Research Irradiators
Cs-137 irradiation for medical research, Co-60 for higher doses
Cancer research,
Immunology,
DNA damage/repair,
Materials degradation
Space research.
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

22. Calibration Irradiators
Calibration of radiation instruments
Smallest segment of irradiator types in terms of qnty and total isotope activity
Wide variety of designs and isotopes
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

23. Calibration Irradiators
Gamma
Box
X-Ray
Neutron
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

24. Gamma Free In Air
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

25. Gamma Beam & Panoramic Irradiators
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

26. Panoramic Dosimeter Irradiator
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

27. Box Calibrator Self-contained Typical dual source with attenuator set
6 orders of magnitude of exposure rates
Built in security (but must be fed)
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

28. Well Irradiator Good for production calibration No exposure room req’d
9m travel & X100 attenuator give range of 4 orders of magnitude
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

29. Gamma Well & Control Station
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

30. Small Gamma Irradiator
Self contained
5 Ci Cs-137 source
For EPDs, PICs, Instrument Probes
3 Attenuators – 0 to1000X
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

31. Am-241 Irradiator
Low energy gamma beam
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

32. Neutron Free In Air
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33. Pneumatic Neutron/Gamma Irradiator & 4 Positioning Tracks
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

34. Pneumatic Transfer System
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

35. Neutron Well Irradiator
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

36. X-Ray Beam Irradiator
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37. Beta Beam Irradiator
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38. A Detailed Look at 2 Types of Irradiators – LSI and GBI at SRS
Mechanical & Electrical Design
Sources and Ranges
Control System
Automated Irradiator Software
Irradiator Calibration, Automated
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

39. Low Scatter Irradiator
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

40. LSI - 4 tracks, below ground source storage
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

41. LSI Basement Below ground shield for 7 sources Staircase to basement
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

42. Gamma Beam Irradiator
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

43. Source Transfer Tube for GBI - curved to prevent radiation shine
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

44. Source Holders - “Rabbits”
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

45. Major Functions of Automation
Control of Irradiator
Automation of Procedures
Data Collection and Analysis
Database Links
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

46. Computer Control 1 Button Setup Exposure Rate Calculation
Automated Irradiator Calibration
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

47. Safety Systems Fail-Safe Design Indicator Lights
Search & Evict Process
Door Interlocks
Emergency Off Switch
Error Monitoring
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

48. CALIBRATION OF IRRADIATOR
Ion chamber traceable to NIST used to measure exposure rate
Measurements made over full range of track for each source/attenuator
Data reviewed for accuracy and consistency
Actual data fit to polynomial equation for exposure rate vs. distance.
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

49. Calibration Set Up Ion Chamber in Beam Centerline
Electrometer Linked to Computer
Software for Data Collection
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

50. Irradiator Calibration
Set up parameters
Ion Chamber
Electrometer
Calibration Points
Exposure
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

51. Positioning Track Set Up
Number of Distances to Measure
Geometric/Linear
Range
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

52. Automated Irradiator Operation
Track position set
Electrometer polled
Exposure controlled
Data recorded
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

53. Data Analysis Data is fit to polynomial curve
Parameters and equation stored to database.
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

54. Chain of Traceability Instrument Calibration Labs
Secondary Level Calibration Labs
Primary Calibration Labs
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

55. Secondary Calibration Labs
High level of precision, accuracy, and error checking
Single tier traceability to national standard
In the United States
Univ. of Wisconsin
K&S Associates
International
Many countries do not maintain primary standards
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

56. National Institute of Standards and Technology
Overview of the Ionizing Radiation Division
A Detailed Look at the X-Ray Calibration Ranges
Free Air Chamber – the Primary Standard for 50 to 300 kV X-Rays
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

57. Radiation Interactions and Dosimetry Group
Develops, maintains, and disseminates the national measurement standards for the dosimetry of x rays, gamma rays, and electrons
Engages in research on radiation interactions and effects to meet requirements for new standards and to address the needs of industry, medicine, and government.
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

58. Control Station for Dual X-ray Sets
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

59. 300 kV X-Ray Range
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

60. An Instrument Calibration at NIST X-Ray Calibration Lab
100 kV Range
300 kV Range
Mammography Range
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

61. Instrument Calibration Set Up
Free Air Chamber (NIST National Standard)
Customer’s Ion Chamber
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

62. Data Collection and Analysis
10-15 Readings Taken per Ion Chamber
Mean and Standard Deviation Calculated
Correction Factors Calculated & Applied
Air Kerma, Exposure Rate Calculated for FAC
R/C Calculated for Ion Chamber
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

63. Report for Ion Chamber Shows Raw Data Beam Code Chamber Settings
Air Kerma
Calibration Factor
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

64. Overall Uncertainty Reduced by
Up to 15 correction factors calculated and applied
Measurements confirmed via multiple paths
Precision positioning
High precision, ultra stable equipment
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

65. Results in Uncertainties of:
Primary calibration labs ± 1%
Secondary labs ± 2-3%
Calibration labs > 3%
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

66. National Standards Canada’s X-Ray Free Air Chamber
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

67. IAEA Co-60 Ion Chamber
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

68. NIST Wide Angle Free Air Chamber
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

69. International Standards
A Look at Calibration Labs Around the World
Intercomparison and Other International Programs
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

70. A Bit of Background
About 20-25% of Hopewell Designs work is international
We researched international calibration and dosimetry programs
This presentation gives an overview of what we found, and
Reviews some of the laboratories where we supplied equipment.
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

71. Primary Standards Laboratories (PSL)
Russia
Spain
USA
Italy
Japan
France
Germany
Canada
Australia
Austria
Hungary
Netherlands
New Zealand
United Kingdom
(plus others)
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

72. Secondary Standards Labs (SSL)
Algeria
Argentina
Bangladesh
Belarus
Bolivia
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
Colombia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Ethiopia
Finland
Georgia
Ghana
Greece
Guatemala
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Korea
Kuwait
Latvia
Libya
Madagascar
Malaysia
Mexico
Norway
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
South Africa
Sudan
Sweden
Syria
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uruguay
Venezuela
Vietnam
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

73. The Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM)
Ensures world-wide uniformity of measurements and traceability to International System of Measurements
Via Convention of the Metre
Intercomparison Programs
Measurement Related Research
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

74. A Brief History – Dosimetry and Nuclear Medicine
1950’s – Co-60 teletherapy introduced
1960’s – Recognized need for uniform radiation measurements
1970’s – Several networks and programs established in int’l arena
1980’s – Ongoing support for calibration, training, new program development
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

75. International Traceability
PSLs and BIPM provide 1st link in chain of international measurement system
Direct comparison with PSL’s standards
BIPM and PSLs provide calibration services to SSLs & others
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

76. Services for Radioactivity Measurements
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

77. Intercomparison Results – One Example
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78. Primary Uses of Radiation - Worldwide
Nuclear Power
Industrial Processing, Primarily Sterilization
Medical Diagnostic and Treatment
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

79. Medical Treatment Largest Segment: Cancer Treatment
Most new cancer cases in developing countries
On going effort by WHO and others to support nuclear medicine programs
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

80. Major Role of SSL Help assure accurate dosimetry thru:
Instrument calibration – traceable to a primary standard
Dosimetry programs: Calibration & QA audits
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

81. Work of the SSLs Maintain Radiation Dosimetry Standards
Collaborate with hospitals and end users
Provide services to end users
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

82. A Short Tour of Recent Work
Institut Rudjer Boskovic, Croatia
Institute of Nuclear Physics, Albania
Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Committee
Ministry of Health, Kuwait
Institute of Public Health, Romania
Radiation Protection Institute of Ireland
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

83. Institut Rudjer Boskovic, Croatia
Institute – nuclear research for over 50 yrs
Provides dosimetry services
Setting up instrument calibration
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

84. Co-60 Teletherapy Calibration
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

85. X-Ray Techniques, Cs-137 Protection Level Cal.
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

86. Institute of Nuclear Physics, Albania
Nuclear research
Dosimetry program
Instrument calibration program being implemented
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

87. X-Ray and Cs-137 Calibrations
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

88. Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Committee
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

89. Ministry of Health, Kuwait
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

90. Institute of Public Health, Romania
Active dosimetry and instrument calibration for over 30 years
Upgrade Equipment
Adding to Capabilities
Hopewell Designs, Inc.

91. Radiation Institute of Ireland
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92. Thanks from Hopewell Designs
Hopewell Designs, Inc.