CIRMS Report on National Needs on Radiation Measurements

[George Xu <xug2@rpi.edu>]

Press Release

SECOND REPORT ON NATIONAL NEEDS IN 
IONIZING RADIATION MEASUREMENTS

The Science and Technology Committee of the Council on Ionizing Radiation
Measurements and Standards (CIRMS) has issued its second report on national
needs for ionizing radiation measurements. There is a steady growth in the
need for ionizing radiation measurements and physical standards due to the
continued increase in the applications of radionuclides and ionizing
radiation.  The effort to meet the needs of the user communities for new
measurements and standards requires strong collaborative efforts on the
part of medical, industrial, academic and government researchers. The
present study identified 25 measurement and standards needs in four general
areas, which correspond to the four subcommittees of the Science and
Technology Committee: Medical Applications, Public and Environmental
Radiation Protection, Occupational Radiation Protection, and Industrial
Applications and Materials Effects.  

The 25 needs are characterized by formal Measurement Program Descriptions
(MPDs). In general these are programs that require concerted and
coordinated efforts between industry, government and the academic
community. Each MPD describes a measurement-related need, a possible
solution, and the impact of that solution. Details are provided regarding
the technical nature of the solution, relationship to existing programs,
technical opportunities, challenges and goals.  Resources available and
those needed to accomplish these programs are also indicated.  A progress
report is given for those programs that were identified in the first CIRMS
Report on National Needs in Ionizing Radiation and Standards, published in
1995. 

Each subcommittee has identified one MPD for which a roadmap is considered
essential to meet a national goal.  In the medical area, one of the most
pressing needs is for national standards for air kerma strength for
radioactive seeds used in prostate therapy. The environmental scientists
see a need for reference methods development for characterizing chemical
speciation of radionuclides in soils. The industrial and materials effects
group spells out a need for dosimetry standards for medical device
sterilization. And the occupational and radiation protection community
requires new standards and methods for electronic personnel dosimetry.  


This 106 page report is available from CIRMS  P.O. Box 1238, Duluth, GA
30136; phone/fax: (770) 622-0026; e-mail: cirms@aol.com.  For additional
information on the Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards
see www.cirms.org.

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