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The rapid increase in the number of CT acquisitions during the COVID-19 pandemic raised concerns about increased radiation exposure to patients and the resultant radiation-induced health risks. It prompted researchers to explore newer CT techniques like ultra-low dose CT (ULDCT), which could improve patient safety. Our aim was to study the utility of ultra-low dose CT (ULDCT) chest in the evaluation of acute COVID-19 pneumonia with standard-dose CT (SDCT) chest as a reference standard. This was a prospective study approved by the institutional review board. 60 RT-PCR positive COVID-19 patients with valid indication for CT chest underwent SDCT and ULDCT. ULDCT and SDCT were compared in terms of objective (noise and signal-to-noise ratio) and subjective (noise, sharpness, artifacts and diagnostic confidence) image quality, various imaging patterns of COVID-19, CT severity score and effective radiation dose. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy of ULDCT for detecting lung lesions were calculated by taking SDCT as a reference standard. The mean age of subjects was 47.2 ± 10.7 years, with 66.67% being men. 90% of ULDCT scans showed no/minimal noise and sharp images, while 93.33% had image quality of high diagnostic confidence. The major imaging findings detected by SDCT were GGOs (90%), consolidation (76.67%), septal thickening (60%), linear opacities (33.33%), crazy-paving pattern (33.33%), nodules (30%), pleural thickening (30%), lymphadenopathy (30%) and pleural effusion (23.33%). Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of ULDCT for detecting most of the imaging patterns were 100% (p < 0.001); except for GGOs (sensitivity: 92.59%, specificity: 100%, diagnostic accuracy: 93.33%), consolidation (sensitivity: 100%, specificity: 71.43%, diagnostic accuracy: 93.33%) and linear opacity (sensitivity: 90.00%, specificity: 100%, diagnostic accuracy: 96.67%). CT severity score (range: 15–25) showed 100% concordance on SDCT and ULDCT, while effective radiation dose was 4.93 ± 1.11 mSv and 0.26 ± 0.024 mSv, respectively. A dose reduction of 94.38 ± 1.7% was achieved with ULDCT. Compared to SDCT, ULDCT chest yielded images of reasonable and comparable diagnostic quality with the advantage of significantly reduced radiation dose; thus, it can be a good alternative to SDCT in the evaluation of COVID-19 pneumonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human survival hinges on access to water, which provides vital necessities. It is crucial to secure reliable, affordable, and uncontaminated water to maintain health and sustain life. For the potential impact of radioactive water pollution on human well-being, a scintillation-based smart RnDuo detector was employed in the Pattan region of North Kashmir Baramulla to quantify radon levels in diverse underground water. The dose contribution to various organs through inhalation and ingestion pathways has been analyzed. The study assesses the levels of radon in water, which varied from 19.88 to 74.37 Bq/L with an average of 37.65 Bq/L. All of the values were higher than the United States Environmental Protection Agency(USEPA) suggested guideline of 11 Bq/L but lower than the 100 Bq/L prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The age group-wise inhalation and ingestion doses are higher than the 100 μSv/y recommended by WHO but within the prescribed range of 3-10 mSv/y as suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). Doses to various organs (lungs and stomach) are also calculated in the present study. The results of the present investigation will help to enhance the quality of the water and guide future epidemiological studies., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval: All procedures performed in studies were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

In this work, radioactivity investigations of soil samples from neutral and agricultural sites in Punjab (India) have been carried out to study the impact of land use patterns. Analyzing soil samples radiological, mineralogical, and physicochemical attributes has employed state-of-the-art techniques. The mean activity concentration of 238 U/ 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K, 235 U, and 137 Cs, measured using a carbon fiber endcap p-type HPGe detector, in neutral land was observed as 58.03, 83.95, 445.18, 2.83, and 1.16 Bq kg -1 , respectively. However, in vegetation land, it was found to be 40.07, 64.68, 596.74, 2.26, and 1.90 Bq kg -1 , respectively. In the detailed activity analysis, radium equivalent (Ra eq ) radioactivity is in the safe prescribed limit of 370 Bq kg -1 for all investigated soil samples. However, the dosimetric investigations revealed that the outdoor absorbed gamma dose rate (96.08 nGy h -1 ) and consequent annual effective dose rate (0.12 mSv y -1 ) for neutral land and the gamma dose rate (82.46 nGy h -1 ) and subsequent annual effective dose rate (0.10 mSv y -1 ) for vegetation land marginally exceeded the global average. The soil's physicochemical parameters (pH, EC, and porosity) from both sites were measured, and their correlations with radionuclides were analyzed. Various heavy metals of health concern, namely, chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn), were also evaluated in soil samples using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Pollution Load Index (PLI) and Ecological Risk Index (RI) revealed that vegetation land was more anthropogenically contaminated than neutral land, with maximum contamination from Hg and As., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Background: The most common malignancy among Indian women is carcinoma of the breast. In the management of breast cancer (BC), radiation therapy (RT) is given to breast or chest wall and supraclavicular lymph nodal (SCLN) area, with at least part of the thyroid receiving RT dose.There is an increased incidence of hypothyroidism (HT) among BC patients after RT involving the SCLN area. Moreover, the incidence of HT in India is higher than in the West. The aim of our study is to dosimetrically evaluate the thyroid doses during RT for BC.Methods: This is a single institute prospective study (n = 131). Radiation was planned by three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) technique and dose-volume parameters for thyroid gland were noted.Results: The median thyroid gland volume was 7.4 cc. The median of the mean dose to thyroid gland was 2068 cGy, V10 was 42%, and V40 was 33%. In other studies, BC patients with smaller thyroid gland were more prone to HT (volume <8 cc). In our study, we have seen that the median thyroid volume was 7.4 cc.Conclusion: Our study showed a lower mean dose to the thyroid gland and smaller volume thyroid glands than in the literature. As the incidence of HT is higher in India, compared to the west and our patients had small volume thyroid glands, they could be at higher risk of developing HT RT. So BC patients should be monitored for HT and should be given a dose constraint while planning RT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to assess uranium levels in drinking water along with carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks associated with its ingestion covering southwest and northeast regions of Punjab state, India. The uranium concentration in drinking water of southwest and northeast Punjab varied from 0.13 to 676 mg m−3 and 0.11 to 28.2 mg m−3 with mean values of 76.27 and 5.75 mg m−3, respectively. Thirty-five per cent (35%) of the analysed samples particularly from the southwest Punjab exceeded 60 mg m−3 Indian maximum acceptable concentration recommended by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India. The measured annual effective doses ranged from 0.22 to 1136 µSv y−1 and 0.18 to 47.4 µSv y−1 for southwest and northeast Punjab, respectively. The mean hazard quotient for southwest Punjab was found to be greater than 1, indicating significant risk due to chemical toxicity of uranium which suggests the regular detailed monitoring of uranium content in groundwater samples is required from different depths following grid pattern. However, the uranium concentration with its both radiological and chemical risks in all the water samples from northeast Punjab was well below the recommended limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an environment with the presence of elevated levels of primordial radionuclides, food is an important route by which radionuclides enter the body. The primary aim of the study was to estimate the dose characteristics received by typical members of the society with average food habits and living in the high background radiation area. The concentrations of 226Ra, 238U, 228Ra, 232Th and 40K were determined in food crops, fish, drinking water and soil. Analyses of food samples were done using gamma ray spectrometry. The estimated total annual average effective dose due to the ingestion of 238U, 232Th and 40K in fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses and fish was 0.57 ± 0.1 mSv/y based on the dietary habits of the population in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity concentration of 210Po was determined in edible tissues of commercial bivalves on the southwest coast of India. The 210Po activity ranged from 38.3 ± 6.9 Bq kg−1 to 91.2 ± 18.6 Bq kg−1. The annual committed effective dose (ACED) and lifetime carcinogenic risk (LCR) were calculated for different age groups to determine the potential health risk associated with bivalve consumption. The average ACED ranged from 81.5 to 194.1 μSv y−1, with the 10th and 95th percentiles being 68 and 261 μSv y−1, respectively. Lifelong mortality risk (LMTR) values ranged from 1.2 × 10−3 to 2.9 × 10−3, while lifetime morbidity risk (LMBR) values ranged from 1.9 × 10−6 to 4.9 × 10−6. The effective dose was found to be within the UNSCEAR limits. • 210Po activities were determined in bivalves. • Study carried out in southwest coast of India • Committed effective dose was established. • Lifetime carcinogenic risk level estimated • Bivalves considered safe for consumption [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity concentration of 210 Po was determined in edible tissues of commercial bivalves on the southwest coast of India. The 210 Po activity ranged from 38.3 ± 6.9 Bq kg -1 to 91.2 ± 18.6 Bq kg -1 . The annual committed effective dose (ACED) and lifetime carcinogenic risk (LCR) were calculated for different age groups to determine the potential health risk associated with bivalve consumption. The average ACED ranged from 81.5 to 194.1 μSv y -1 , with the 10th and 95th percentiles being 68 and 261 μSv y -1 , respectively. Lifelong mortality risk (LMTR) values ranged from 1.2 × 10 -3 to 2.9 × 10 -3 , while lifetime morbidity risk (LMBR) values ranged from 1.9 × 10 -6 to 4.9 × 10 -6 . The effective dose was found to be within the UNSCEAR limits., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Positron emission tomography (PET) has been in use for a few decades but with its fusion with computed tomography (CT) in 2001, the new PET/CT integrated system has become very popular and is now a key influential modality for patient management in oncology. However, along with its growing popularity, a growing concern of radiation safety among the radiation professionals has become evident. We have judiciously developed a PET/CT facility with optimal shielding, along with an efficient workflow to perform high volume procedures and minimize the radiation exposure to the staff and the general public by reducing unnecessary patient proximity to the staff and general public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring of radiological parameters in underground uranium mines is essential to maintain the radiation levels within safe limits. In this study, the radiological parameters such as external gamma emitted from ore body, long-lived alpha activity associated with ore dust and radon concentration in an operating underground uranium mine located at Jaduguda, India were measured using different equipments such as micro-R radiation survey meter, personal air sampler and scintillation cell. The geometric mean values of external gamma radiation level, long-lived alpha activity, radon activity concentration and equilibrium equivalent radon (EER) concentration were found to be 2.39 μGy h −1 , 16.84 mBq m −3 , 872.89 Bq m −3 and 436.44 Bq m −3 respectively with their geometric standard deviations of 1.56, 3.21, 1.58 and 1.58. The total radiation dose received by the miners estimated from the radiological parameters was found to be well below the prescribed limit of 20 mSv y −1 recommended by International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP), and hence, it may not pose significant health hazards to the Jaduguda miners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Polonium-210 was quantified in the periwinkle Littorina undulata. [•] Smaller-sized periwinkles displayed higher Polonium-210. [•] Marked variation in 210Po activity between season and sampling site. [•] The internal dose rate estimated using ERICA Assessment Tool. [•] The daily intake and committed effective dose estimated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nuclear energy professionals need to understand and address the catastrophe syndrome that of late seems to be increasingly at work in public mind in the context of nuclear energy. Classically the nuclear power reactor design and system evolution has been based on the logic of minimization of risk to an acceptable level and its quantification based on a deterministic approach and backed up by a further assessment based on the probabilistic methodology. However, in spite of minimization of risk, the reasons for anxiety and trauma in public mind that still prevails in the context of severe accidents needs to be understood and addressed. Margins between maximum credible accidents factored in the design and the ultimate load withstanding capacities of relevant systems need to be enhanced and guaranteed with a view to minimize release of radioactivity and avoid serious impact in public domain. A more realistic basis for management of an accident in public domain also needs to be quantified for this purpose. Assurance to public on limiting the consequences to a level that does not lead to a trauma is something that we need to be able to credibly demonstrate and confirm. The findings from Chernobyl reports point to significant psychological effects and related health disorders due to large scale emergency relocation of people that could have been possibly reduced by an order of magnitude without significant additional safety detriment. A combination of probabilistic and deterministic approaches should be evolved further to minimize consequences in public domain through enhancing safety margins and adding greater precision to quantitatively predicting accident progression and its management. The paper presents the case studies of the extreme external event such as tsunami and its impact on the coastal nuclear plants in India, the containment integrity assessment under the extreme internal event of over-pressurization and aircraft impact along with hydrogen deflagration/detonation-induced loadings. These are at the moment extremely burning issues due to the severe accidents of Fukushima, Chernobyl and Three Mile Island reactors. In the present day context identifying the extreme loadings in a separate category and the corresponding margin assessment is necessary in addition to the implementation of the mitigation and upgraded safety measures. Further, the paper attempts to address the question of public trauma in the event of a serious nuclear reactor accident, a need that has been felt in view of the recent Fukushima and earlier Chernobyl accidents and the resulting large scale relocation due to the present deficient policies and the inherent limitations of Linear No Threshold (LNT) principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the environs of uranium mining, milling and processing facilities and in the uranium mineralized terrain, a little higher ambient radon concentration and gamma radiation level may be expected in comparison with natural background. The present study gives a brief account of atmospheric radon concentration, gamma absorbed dose rate and radiation dose received by the members of public in the vicinity of Narwapahar uranium mine. The ambient radon concentration in the air in the study area was found to vary from 5 to 107 Bq m with geometric mean of 24 Bq m and geometric standard deviation of 1.74 Bq m. The measured gamma absorbed dose rate in air at 1 m above the ground ranged from 87 to 220 nGy h with an overall arithmetic mean of 128 ± 18.5 nGy h. The mean annual effective dose received by the members of public from inhalation of radon and its progeny and external gamma exposure was estimated to be 0.32 mSv year, which is comparable to other reported values elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrations of radon in soil, rate of its exhalation from the ground surface and its concentration in the atmospheric air have been studied in and around Mysore city (12°N and 76°E). Variation of radon concentration in the soil-gas under dry and wet conditions at different depths was also studied. Radon in soil-gas was found to increase with depth and decrease with increase in moisture content of the soil. Radon in soil varies from 0.11 to 11.85 kBq m-3 with a median of 1.92 kBq m-3. The annual average values of radon and its progeny concentrations in the atmosphere vary from 15.33 to 47.81 Bq m-3 with a median value of 24.36 Bq m-3 and 0.08 to 3.54 mWL with a median value of 0.33 mWL respectively. Good correlations were observed between radon in soil, radon exhalation rate from the ground surface and radon concentration in the atmosphere in these locations. 226Ra in soil at these locations was also estimated using the HPGe detector. The activity of 226Ra varies from 11.3 to 74.2 Bq kg-1. Radon concentration in soil-gas shows good correlation with the activity of 226Ra in soil. The correlation coefficient was 0.76. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhalation of radon/thoron and their decay products is the major contribution to the total dose to the population from the natural radiation. Long duration measurements of these gases and their progeny concentrations were made in about 200 dwellings of the Mysore city using the SSNTD techniques for 1 year. The detector used at each house was fixed 2 m above the ground-floor. After the exposure time of 3 months films were etched in 2.5 N, NaOH solution at 60°C for 60 min. From the track density determined using spark counter, concentrations of radon/thoron levels were evaluated. The working level concentrations of radon/thoron was calculated from the equilibrium factor, leading to the estimation of the inhalation dose. Radon in bore-well water at different locations of Mysore city was examined using the emanometry and exposure dose from ingestion of drinking water was estimated. The ambient gamma radiation of equivalent effective dose both in indoor and outdoor at different parts of Mysore city was determined using scintillometer. The activity of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in soil were measured using spectrometer. The concentrations of radon/thoron and their progeny, ambient gamma, the activity of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K presented and analyzed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The measurements of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K using gamma spectrometry and measurements of radon concentration and exhalation rates using solid-state nuclear track (LR-115, Type-II plastic) detectors were used to assess a first-order exposure risk for people residing in the Fatehbad and Hissar districts in Western Haryana, India. The concentrations of radium, thorium and potassium in the soil samples varied from 19.24 Bq m-3 to 32.21 Bq m-3, 30.21 Bq m-3 to 64.25 Bq m-3 and 346.25 Bq m-3 to 607.32 Bq m-3, respectively, with average values of 26.46, 50.78 and 462.70 Bq m-3, respectively. The values of absorbed dose and annual effective dose (indoors and outdoors) were found to vary from 44.75 nGy h-1 to 75.44 nGy h-1, 0.22 mSv y-1 to 0.37 mSv y-1 and 0.05 mSv y-1 to 0.09 mSv y-1 respectively. The radon concentration and exhalation rates were also reported. The radium equivalent activities in all the soil samples were found to be lower than the limit (370 Bq kg-1) and the value of Hex in all the samples is less than unity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polonium-210 activity concentration was analysed in the whole body tissue of periwinkle Littorina undulata collected from intertidal rocky shore along Kudankulam coast. We carried out the study for a period of 12 months (2011-2012) focusing on three seasons. (210)Po was found non-uniformly distributed among the periwinkles depending on the allometry. The (210)Po accumulation showed a significant difference between seasons (p<0.05). Smaller sized winkles registered higher activity of (210)Po compared to larger ones (p<0.05). The overall activity range of (210)Po varied from 13.5 to 58.9 Bq/kg (wet). The activity of (210)Po was also quantified in seawater and intertidal sediments to calculate the biological concentration factor (BCF) and radiation dose rate. The dose rate to the winkles was performed using ERICA Assessment Tool and it was within the prescribed limit. The intake of (210)Po through periwinkles delivered an effective dose in the range of 2.2-9.6 μSv/y to human beings., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)