Please join us for CIRMS 2008 Annual Meeting:

"Radiation Measurements and Standards at the Molecular Level"

Oct. 6 - 8, 2008 in Gaithersburg, MD

check back periodically for updates

The Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards (CIRMS) is an independent, non-profit council that draws together experts involved in all aspects of ionizing radiation to discuss, review and assess developments and needs in this field. Drawing upon expertise from government and national laboratories, agencies and departments, from the academic community and from industry, CIRMS has issued its fourth triennial report on “Needs in Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards.” Such needs are delineated in Measurement Program Descriptions (MPDs) that indicate the objective, state background information, define needed action items and resource requirements in terms of personnel and facilities.

Each of the subcommittees of the CIRMS Science and Technology Committee has prepared a series of MPDs pertinent to their area of expertise. These were arrived at through dialog at CIRMS meetings and workshops.

CIRMS Medical Subcommittee, which deals with diagnostic and therapeutic uses of ionizing radiation, has found need in four specific areas:

• Radioactivity Standards and Techniques for Nuclear Medicine
• Dose Mapping Systems for 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy
• Absorbed Dose Standards for Brachytherapy Sources
• Liquid Based and Micro-Brachytherapy Sources

These reflect current developments in medicine that have come to rely more heavily on the use of radioactive species for diagnostic purposes and treatment. Brachytherapy, for example, is becoming more widely used as an option to treat prostate cancer. Prior to any such internal or to external treatment of cancer, patient dose mapping is needed so that the physician can best treat the targeted or intended area.

The CIRMS Public and Environmental Radiation Protection Subcommittee (PERP), which dealt with radioactivity found in the environment and its possible public health effects, and Occupational Radiation Protection Subcommittee (ORP), which dealt with worker protection in radioactive environments, have been merged into a joint Radiation Protection Subcommittee (RP). Many activities espoused by PERP were evolving into areas of interest for ORP as well. A new subcommittee devoted to the interests in Homeland Security has been formed. Its interests are combined with those in Radiation Protection. Nine Measurement Program Descriptions are defined in these areas:

• Traceability to NIST for Reference, Monitoring and Service Laboratories
• Sorption of Radioactive Elements in Contaminated Soils and Sediments and Urban Structural and Other Materials
• Atom-Counting Measurement Techniques for Environmental and Radiobioassay Monitoring
• Intercomparison Transfer Standards for Neutron Source Calibrations
• Improvements for In–vivo and In-vitro Radiobioassay Metrology
• Improved Radiation Measurement Infrastructure for Occupational Radiation Protection
• Extension of Calibration Accreditation Criteria to Low Dose Radiations
• Implementation of Support for Personnel Dosimetry Proficiency Testing per ANSI N13.11
• Emergency Radiological Response

These reflect continuing needs to improve upon ways to measure radioactivity, especially in soils, structures and other materials that have been contaminated by hosting activities related to nuclear weapons development. Accurate measurements that will be traceable to national reference standards must be sustained and an understanding of how such radioactivity decays over time is a continuing area of inquiry. Issues of calibration, proficiency testing and the maintenance of a network to monitor dose exposure in occupational settings are covered. The need for a national network capable of responding in the event of terrorist activities involving radiological materials is also addressed.

The CIRMS Industrial Applications and Materials Effects subcommittee (IAME) covers a diverse area generally not related directly to human radiation exposure. In this context, IAME has found need for measurement programs in five areas:

• Radiation Hardness Testing and Mixed-Field Radiation Effects
• Neutron Dosimetry for Reactor Pressure Vessel Surveillance
• Medical Device Sterilization
• Food Irradiation
• Low-Voltage Electron Beam Dosimetry

Terrestrial measurements of the effects (hardening) of types of radiation found in space on electronic materials are essential to satellite operations and communications systems. As nuclear power plants age, radiation effects on their pressure vessels must continue to be monitored. The growing use of irradiation to sterilize medical devices and the emergence of food irradiation demand heightened attention to dosimetry measurements and their traceability to national reference sources.

In an era of constrained government resources, the above point to areas warranting program attention as determined by a consensus of experts from industry, academia and government laboratories and agencies. Adequate resources should be allocated so that the objectives outlined in each area can be accomplished.