Dosimetry Processors: Use of Supplementary Information in Dose Estimation

[Brian_Gaulke@hc-sc.gc.ca]

These questions are directed to dosimetry service providers.  (I seem to recall
a thread on this topic appearing some months ago, but was unable to find
anything in the archives.)

Do you ever use supplementary information provided by clients/users during the
process of arriving at a dose estimate to be reported back to the client/user?

If so, under what circumstances, and what restrictions do you apply?

If not, why not?

An example:  You receive a dosimeter from a client/user along with a copy of an
accident report indicating that the dosimeter (and a PIC) was left for two weeks
in a locker in an area where radiography was being performed.  Because the PIC
was found off scale, the user was issued another dosimeter and the exposed
dosimeter returned to the processor (you) for early readout, along with the
accident report.  The accident report includes the information that the user's
PIC readings totaled XX mR for the portion of the dosimeter wearing period prior
to the accidental exposure.  The report is signed by both a supervisor and the
involved user.  Upon readout, the dosimeter indicates a dose of D.DD mSv.  Do
you report the unadjusted (except for normal background subtraction) result from
the dosimeter, or do you report a dose corrected through use of the
supplementary information included in the accident report?

Please reply to my personal e-mail address unless you think this topic would be
of general interest.

Thanks,
Brian R. Gaulke, CHP
Head, Dosimetry Section
Radiation Protection Bureau
Health Canada
(613) 941-0143
brian_gaulke@hc-sc.gc.ca


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