Secondary Dosimetry
Abstract
Secondary dosimetry includes the monitoring of doses to the hands, feet and eyes. In some medical and industrial applications, there is a high risk of such local high exposures due to the handling of sources, working close to a high radiation field, or using/cleaning high-energy beta emitters. Because of this, the need to accurately measure extremity dose is of significant importance to the Navy. The legacy system currently used for hands and feet dose measurements is RadStar. This is an active system (see the Primary Dosimetry Overall Description task for a discussion of passive and active dosimeters), but it is no longer supported by the vendor and must be replaced. To that end the ED3 system was procured in FY18 and has been tested and a report rendered on its suitability as a replacement. This is another active system, but shortfalls noted were that it currently measures only exposure to the hands, and it is too fragile for industrial-type use. Another active system being considered is the iMUX, which has the advantage of being wireless (the other two require wires that extend from the extremities to a pager-sized device clipped to the belt or worn on the wrist), and is capable of measuring dose at both the hands and feet. Measurement of dose at the eyes is currently extrapolated from the Navy's passive primary dosimeter, the DT-702/PD. Because eyes are subject to development of cataracts with prolonged or high dose exposure to radiation, a more precise and real time measuring device is being sought in the systems being evaluated. A secondary dosimeter provides an accurate, real-time readout of the radiation exposure in operational environments and is utilized in conjunction with a primary dosimeter. Employment of extremity monitoring can be utilized during operations requiring hands-on maintenance in a radiation field, research facilities and medical procedures. A replacement EPD that can function as both a secondary and extremity dosimeter will be used by NNPP, RASO, BUMED and SSP during everyday operations and will be replacing the current ThermoFisher Scientific (TFS) MK-2 and RADSTAR systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2025
- Source ID
- fc69a1a3e4d87ffbf4b5a331856f519a
Related Documents
- Root: Radiological Control