Japanese radiological technologists' perceptions and interest in disaster medicine and radiation emergency medicine.

Since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in Japan, there has been a growing demand for radiological technologists to play active roles in radiation emergency medicine. This study administered a questionnaire survey to determine radiological technologists' experience, interest, and confidence in disaster medicine and radiation emergency medicine as well as their educational needs, particularly regarding radiation emergency medicine. Findings showed that less than 10% of radiological technologists working at nuclear emergency core hospitals and nuclear emergency medical cooperative institutions for nuclear disaster medical care had studied disaster medicine, regardless of their affiliation, age, or years of service, and that they lacked educational experience.

Development of an Automatic Chronological Record Creation System Using Voice AI to Facilitate Information Aggregation and Sharing in the Event of a Disaster.

Objective: In the event of a disaster, the chain of command and communication of each relevant agency is important. In this study, a chronological record creation system using voice AI (V-CRS) was developed, and an experiment was conducted to determine whether the obtained information could be quickly and easily summarized in chronological order.

Methods: After a lecture by Japanese Disaster Medical Assistant (DMAT) Team members and 8 medical clerks on how to use the developed tool, a comparison experiment was conducted between manual input and V-CRS utilization of the time to compile disaster information.

Are Online Simulations for Radiation Emergency Medical Preparedness Less Effective in Teaching Than Face-to-Face Simulations?

Objective: The study clarified differences in understanding and satisfaction between face-to-face and online training on radiation emergency medical preparedness (REMP) training.

Methods: The training was held at Hirosaki University between 2018 and 2022, with 46 face-to-face participants and 25 online participants.

Results: Face-to-face training was significantly more understandable than online for the use of the Geiger counter ( < 0.

Training of Medical Responders to Nuclear Disaster: Hybrid Program in the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: The spread of COVID-19 has made it difficult to provide training in medical treatment in a radiation disaster. In this study, we will examine the effects and challenges of using a hybrid approach that combines online and face-to-face components.

Methods: A total of 5 face-to face and 25 online medical staff participated in the training program.

Rn and Ra Concentrations in Spring Water and Their Dose Assessment Due to Ingestion Intake.

Rn and Ra concentrations of less than a few to several thousands of Bq L have been observed in several underground bodies of water around the world. Although regulations for these concentrations in water have been implemented internationally, there are currently no regulations in place in Japan. However, concentrations that exceed these internationally recognized regulatory values have also been observed in Japan.

Estimation of Effect of Radiation Dose Reduction for Internal Exposure by Food Regulations under the Current Criteria for Radionuclides in Foodstuff in Japan Using Monitoring Results.

This study examined the effect of food regulations under the current criteria (e.g., 100 Bq/kg for general foods) established approximately a year after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident.

Simulation study on radiation exposure of emergency medical responders from radioactively contaminated patients.

Emergency medical responders (EMRs) who treat victims during a radiation emergency are at risk of radiation exposure. In this study, the exposure dose to EMRs treating hypothetically contaminated patients was estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation, and the findings may be useful for educating EMRs and reducing their anxiety. The Monte Carlo simulation estimated radiation doses for adult computational phantoms based on radioactive contamination conditions and radiation dosages from previous studies.

Discriminative Measurement of Absorbed Dose Rates in Air from Natural and Artificial Radionuclides in Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture.

Ten years have elapsed since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, and the relative contribution of natural radiation is increasing in Fukushima Prefecture due to the reduced dose of artificial radiation. In order to accurately determine the effective dose of exposure to artificial radiation, it is necessary to evaluate the effective dose of natural as well as artificial components. In this study, we measured the gamma-ray pulse-height distribution over the accessible area of Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture, and evaluated the annual effective dose of external exposure by distinguishing between natural and artificial radionuclides.

Assessment of Radiation Dose from the Consumption of Bottled Drinking Water in Japan.

Activity concentrations of U, U, U, Ra, Ra, Rn, Po, Pb, K, H, C, Cs and Cs were determined in 20 different Japanese bottled drinking water commercially available in Japan. The origins of the mineral water samples were geographically distributed across different regions of Japan. Activity concentrations above detection limits were measured for the radionuclides U, U, U, Ra, Ra and Po.

Time-related study on external exposure dose of 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose PET for workers' safety.

Time-course study of individual dose equivalents of 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography (F-FDG PET) was conducted in different hospital workers, and the daily work duties were analyzed. For the measurements, a semiconductor dosimeter was used. The values at intervals of 1 min and 1 h, the monthly cumulative and daily cumulative doses, and trend graphs were acquired with dedicated software and displayed on the reader.

THE IMPACT ON THE EYE LENS OF RADIATION EMITTED BY NATURAL RADIONUCLIDES (LEAD-210) PRESENT IN RADIATION PROTECTION GLASSES.

Most radiation protection items made from modern lead contain 210Pb. This study estimated the impact on eye lens of radiation derived from the 210Pb in three types of radiation protection glasses. The counts from the glasses were measured using a Geiger-Müeller survey meter.

DETERMINATION OF GUT BACTERIAL METABOLITES IN RADIATION EXPOSED MICE.

Gut microflora (GM) impacts human health in various ways, both beneficial and detrimental. Recently, it has attracted attention for its application in treatment, as protective agents, and as biomarkers in radiation exposure. In this study, we focused on organic acids that have not yet been reported to be related to radiation exposure; we measured the pH and organic acid content in the faeces of 0, 2, 4 and 8 Gy-irradiated mice.

Short-term follow-up of intestinal flora in radiation-exposed mice.

Some gastrointestinal bacteria, otherwise known as the 'intestinal flora', can cause severe gastrointestinal problems, including sepsis, which are strongly linked to lifestyle-related diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. Several investigations have focused on the long-term changes in the intestinal flora associated with radiation exposure; however, the short-term effects remain unknown. In this study, we tracked the short-term changes in the intestinal flora of mice exposed to different doses of X-ray irradiation (2 Gy and 4 Gy), focusing only on the lactic acid bacteria Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.

Comparative Study of Performance using Five Different Gamma-ray Spectrometers for Thyroid Monitoring under Nuclear Emergency Situations.

A performance test was carried out using five different gamma-ray spectrometers applicable to thyroid monitoring. The energy resolution and efficiency for 7.6-cm × 7.

Consideration of the usefulness of a size-specific dose estimate in pediatric CT examination.

Computed tomography (CT) has recently been utilized in various medical settings, and technological advances have resulted in its widespread use. However, medical radiation exposure associated with CT scans accounts for the largest share of examinations using radiation; thus, it is important to understand the organ dose and effective dose in detail. The CT dose index and dose-length product are used to evaluate the organ dose.

Characteristics of temporal resolution in 16- and 64-row computed tomography scanners.

This study aimed to analyze the temporal sensitivity profile (TSP) shapes and temporal resolutions of computed tomography (CT) and investigate the effect of a combination of a given rotation time and helical pitch on the TSP and image quality. The study was performed on 16- and 64-row CT scanners, and the TSP and temporal resolution were measured using the impulse method. A shorter gantry rotation time and larger helical pitch improved the temporal resolution of both CT scanners.

Educational Activity for the Radiation Emergency System in the Northern Part of Japan: Meeting Report on "The 3rd Educational Symposium on Radiation and Health (ESRAH) by Young Scientists in 2016".

In the northern part of Japan, close cooperation is essential in preparing for any possible emergency response to radiation accidents because several facilities, such as the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility, the MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant and the Vitrified Waste Storage Center, exist in Rokkasho Village (Aomori Prefecture). After the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, special attention should be given to the relationship between radiation and human health, as well as establishing a system for managing with a radiation emergency. In the area of Hokkaido and Aomori prefectures in Japan, since 2008 an exchange meeting between Hokkaido University and Hirosaki University has been held every year to have opportunities to discuss radiation effects on human health and to collect the latest news on monitoring environmental radiation.