Radiological emergencies require clear, credible, and empathetic communication to support public safety and decision making. This paper explores the use of sentiment analysis tools - commonly used in commercial and social media contexts - to evaluate and refine radiological risk communication messages. Twelve pre-trained sentiment analysis models, including rule-based and transformer-based approaches, were applied to sample messages from Federal radiological communication guides. Results demonstrate that transformer models, particularly those with emotion classification capabilities, offer nuanced assessments of message tone. The findings suggest that sentiment analysis tools can support message development by improving clarity, emotional resonance, and alignment with risk communication principles. Recommendations are provided for future work and model fine-tuning specific to radiation-related terminology and the domain of risk communication for radiological emergencies.

Radiological response requires personnel to act near a hazard they cannot directly sense and to rely on indirect information from labels and instruments. This study compared radiation-source-related stress responses among professional firefighters completing either an immersive virtual reality radiological simulation or a task-matched physical simulation. The study included 55 firefighters, with 29 assigned to immersive virtual reality and 26 to the physical simulation. Both conditions required participants to approach a simulated radiological scene, identify the box associated with the highest simulated radiation reading, and examine radiation-related labels. Post-simulation responses were measured with a seven-item Radiation Source Stress Questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis identified two response dimensions: Behavioral and Cognitive Response to the Radiation Source, and Perceived Risk and Emotional Concern. Behavioral and Cognitive Response to the Radiation Source was similar across conditions. Perceived Risk and Emotional Concern was higher after immersive virtual reality than after physical simulation, even though physical-simulation participants learned only during debriefing that no radioactive material was present. Regression models showed that general risk-taking propensity was a negative predictor of both response dimensions, whereas baseline perceived stress was not statistically significant. Together, the findings support the use of immersive virtual reality as a controlled method for examining selected psychological responses to simulated radiological response tasks, particularly source proximity and perceived exposure risk. The results also identify risk-taking propensity as an important individual-difference variable when evaluating responder reactions to simulated radiological hazards.

The objectives of our study are to describe irregularities of some aspects in the current system of radiobiological protection (CSoRP) and to propose actions aimed at overcoming these irregularities. In a previous study the E0 concept, which is the minimum element of the N0N vector or simple matrix, was introduced. N0N was initially called EN. N0N is composed of an increasing order of the normal tissue non-complication probability (NTCP0) values of all tissues or organs (ToOs) irradiated. The inappropriate treatment of the stochastic effects (SEs) has been the reason there are various irregularities in the CSoRP. This work shows descriptions of irregularities of some aspects in the CSoRP and our proposals aimed at improving this system. Although the current equivalent dose (H) is a total x-ray biological-equivalent absorbed dose (AD), its units are not AD ones. Contrary to H, the effective dose (E) is not based on any physical definition but was irregularly derived. The SEs must be evaluated with probabilistic metrics (PMs), not with other metrics, like the sievert (Sv), the unit of H and E. We propose some improvements, such as (1) to replace H with DX (total x-ray equivalent AD); (2) to discontinue the use of Sv or rem (roentgen equivalent man; 1 Sv = 100 rem) as H's units, and to use the DX units, like gray, AD's unit in the SI (Gy); and (3) to use the DX in Gy and/or cGy for the occupational dose limits (ODLs).

Simulation-based learning (SBL) has become an essential part of health education because it enables students to develop professional skills in a safe, controlled environment, while avoiding the risk of endangering patients. In this study, a practical, multidisciplinary radiotherapy training program was developed and implemented, using a 3D-printed anthropomorphic head and neck phantom. The program is based on a real clinical case of a parotid gland carcinoma and covers all stages of the radiotherapy workflow. These stages include medical prescription, simulation, contouring of target volumes and organs at risk (OARs), planning, preparation for treatment in the linear accelerator, and measurement of the absorbed dose. A total of 12 professionals, with limited clinical experience, attended the training, including radiation oncologists, medical physicists, dosimetrists, and radiation therapy technicians. Following the training, a significant increase in self-perceived competency was recorded across all participating professional groups and Likert scale averages decreased from 4.00 to nearly 1.30. The planned dose was 200 cGy and doses measured in the phantom were 202, 199 and 201 cGy, corresponding to variations of +1.0%, -0.5% and +0.5%, respectively, which is within the recommended acceptability limits. Participant evaluations of the training program were very positive, with an average rating of 1.22 ± 0.11. Taken together, our simulation-based training program using anthropomorphic phantoms represents an effective educational tool for developing technical and non-technical skills, as well as providing a practical, safe and collaborative approach for teaching healthcare workers in radiotherapy teams, especially in contexts with limited socioeconomic resources.

On 15 July 2026, the Health Physics Society (HPS), National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), American Academy of Health Physics (AAHP), American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), and Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) convened an open-forum webinar concerning the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) proposed rule, "Reforming and Modernizing the NRC's Radiation Protection Framework" (RIN 3150-AL47). More than 800 individuals attended. Moderators summarized the proposed rule, facilitated open discussion, and administered live polling; participation in single-response poll questions ranged from 213 to 404 respondents. Poll respondents expressed qualified support for modernization in principle, and forum participants raised substantial concerns about the absence of cross-agency and international harmonization, burdens placed on Agreement States, the lack of infrastructure for tracking occupational dose across licensees, potential effects on medical and x-ray practice, and reliance on implementing guidance that had not been released. In polling, 60% (153/253) of respondents strongly supported or supported the graded approach in concept. Eighty-eight percent (202/229) considered consistency between the US NRC and Agreement State regulations very or extremely important. Seventy-six percent (184/241) indicated that the proposed rule provided only partial or insufficient information for determining required program changes. Open-ended responses most often called for additional low-dose research, clearer implementing guidance, regulatory harmonization, and resolution of specific technical and operational questions. These findings describe the perspectives of a self-selected forum audience and should not be interpreted as representative of the entire radiation protection community. Overall, the forum reflected qualified support for modernization, coupled with an emphasis that its practical effect will depend on guidance, transition planning, harmonization, and dose-tracking infrastructure.

Automation limits operator contact during routine 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) production, but residual manual tasks and nonroutine interventions may still determine occupational exposure. This study quantified workflow-specific effective dose during in-house FDG production at a hospital-based cyclotron facility. Production records from 39 batches performed from 4 July to 23 August 2024 were reviewed. Two radiological technologists were monitored during seven routine production sessions, and five pharmacists were monitored during 10 quality-control (QC) observations. Semiconductor electronic pocket dosimeters were worn at the head, chest, and abdomen; effective dose was estimated from the three 1-cm dose equivalent readings using a nonuniform exposure formula. For technologists, average effective dose was 0.4 ± 0.1 µSv per session for cyclotron operation and synthesis, 0.2 ± 0.1 µSv for transport, 1.1 ± 0.3 µSv for cleaning, and 1.6 ± 0.3 µSv for the total routine workflow. The average pharmacist QC dose was 2.5 ± 1.2 µSv per observation. Two of 39 batches (5.1%) required a nonroutine intervention. Event-related effective doses were 32.2 µSv for manual recovery after QC vial-transfer failure and 30.7 and 31.6 µSv for two operators recovering residual FDG after incomplete transfer. These values were approximately 19-20 times the average total routine technologist dose. Routine exposure was low, whereas infrequent disruptions produced disproportionate exposure. Radiation protection should therefore combine routine monitoring with prevention, rehearsal, shielding, and time-minimized procedures for manual QC and nonroutine recovery.

The Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards (CIRMS) is an independent, non-profit council composed of experts from academia, government, and industry across all areas of ionizing radiation science and technology, providing leadership, focus, and coordinated action on emerging radiation metrology needs. This mission is achieved through the organization of an annual scientific conference and the periodic publication of a Needs Report which identifies priority areas in ionizing radiation measurements and standards. This article summarizes the outcomes from the CIRMS 2026 meeting which was held 13-15 April 2026 at The Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland, United States. Participants represented a broad cross-section of the radiation science community, including radiation metrologists, academic researchers, government scientists, and industry stakeholders. The meeting featured plenary presentations, topical breakouts, and poster sessions. The breakout sessions were organized by the three subcommittees of the CIRMS Science and Technology Committee: Medical Applications, Radiation Protection and Homeland Security, and Radiation Processing and Material Effects. Topics covered during the meeting included cobalt-60 (60Co) and cesium-137 (137Cs) production, medical device sterilization, FLASH radiotherapy dosimetry, neutron dosimetry, radiation standards for next-generation fusion power systems, Monte Carlo modeling, and other topics relevant to radiation measurements and standards. The CIRMS 2026 meeting highlighted challenges that must be addressed to advance ionizing radiation science and technology and provide important input for the next Needs Report.

The general guidance for a radiological impact using pre- and post-assessments for legacy, new, and planned uranium mining facilities are presented. Specific items to consider during the process and the rationale such as mitigation, order of model, loading functions and approaches, hydrographs, pollutographs, water quality modeling, and health physics are provided. A case study using a conventional Coles Hill proposed uranium mine in Virginia demonstrates typical pollutograph construction processes for a worst-case scenario 100-y intense rainfall pre-assessment. For the case study, an intense 3-h duration, 100-y synthetic rain event overlapping a sudden rupture of a full 5.00 × 104 m3 leachate (= 2.78 × 105 Bq m-3) storage tank over a 3-h duration was considered. Having similar characteristics, a surrogate Rio Road Watershed hydrograph was used to emulate the local watershed at White Horn Creek, Coles Hill. The uranium mine waste (leachate, slime, sand) was transported over the local land area and river embankment into the nearby Banister River as it mixed with a spatial temporal runoff rate (q-Series). A Continuous Spill/Step Loading Runkel water quality model determined the concentrations in 15-min increments the entire length of the Banister River downstream to the Kerr Dam. There was insignificant evidence that there would be an exceedance of the MCL for 226Ra/228Ra (= 1.85 × 10-2 Bq m-3), total alpha (= 5.55 × 10-2 Bq m-3), or uranium (= 3.00 × 10-6 Kg m-3) at the Town of Halifax's drinking water intakes (approximately 50 km). Therefore, it is highly unlikely that there would be an exceedance of 226Ra/228Ra, total alpha, or uranium near the drinking water intakes of the Town of Halifax, Virginia, or further downstream at Clarkesville's and Kerr Dam's drinking water intakes. Furthermore, there would be a need for post-disaster data collection and potential remedial action of radioactive contamination in water, soil, sediment, building structure, and the ecosystem.

The present study investigates uranium concentrations in 345 drinking water samples collected from the Dausa and Sawai Madhopur districts of Rajasthan, India, and assesses the associated radiological and chemical health risks. The measurement of uranium concentrations was performed using the light-emitting diode fluorimetric method (Model LF-2a). The uranium concentrations vary between 0.52 and 222 µg L-1, with an arithmetic mean of 14.8 µg L-1, and a median 7.7 µg L-1. This investigation found that 12.2% of the samples exceeded the World Health Organization guideline value of 30 µg L-1. The assessment of radiation dose considered the differing water intake patterns among various age groups, indicating that infants are the most vulnerable to uranium-induced health impacts. The average excess cancer risk obtained in the present study is lower than the value prescribed by India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (1.67 × 10-4). The results indicate that the mean daily intake of uranium varied between 0.01 and 6.33 µg kg-1 d-1, and hazard quotient analysis indicated potential chemical toxicity risks in 9.6% of the samples. Uranium was found to be positively related to total dissolved solids.

One of the main concerns of radiography procedures is to produce diagnostic image quality with dose reduction, specifically for pediatric patients. In the present study, Monte Carlo simulations using GATE (Geant Application for Tomography Emission) code, coupled with a 7-wk-old voxel female baby model from the GSF (German Research Center for Environment Health) were performed to investigate how dose in digital chest, abdomen, and both chest and abdomen (babygram) x-ray examinations vary with tube voltage (40-60 keV) at a fixed value of current-time product (4 mAs) using different collimation and a digital radiography system. Organ dose (mGy) and effective doses (mSv) of three routine digital radiography examinations, namely anterior-posterior (AP) chest, anterior-posterior (AP) abdomen, and anterior-posterior (AP) chest-abdomen, were estimated using the Monte Carlo simulation method, GATE code. Organ doses ranged from 0.01 to a maximum of 2.5 mGy, while effective doses ranged from 0.01 to 0.3 mSv. The results of the present paper show that the organ doses and effective doses for chest, abdomen, and babygram x ray with digital radiography highlight no change, while increasing voltage and values obtained are still very low compared to similar references.

To estimate the annual population dose from medical examinations, the frequency of the examinations and the effective dose (E) for each examination needs to be estimated. In the last Swiss survey covering 2023, the dose per capita due to medical irradiation was estimated to be 1.7 mSv. In the framework of the 2023 survey, the E for x-rays' modalities were calculated using different methods (bibliographic review, data from a dose management system, data from older surveys, etc.). This work aims to present the methodology followed for the estimation of E for various modalities. E was estimated for approximately 60 radiological examinations and groups of examinations. The advantages and limitations for each method are discussed.

 This survey aimed to estimate the radiation exposure of the Swiss population from medical diagnostic procedures performed in 2023. The survey was based on billing data and administratively collected data for radiology and nuclear medicine and on data collection for the frequency of dental examinations. A total of 12.9 million radiological examinations were performed, corresponding to 1,443 examinations per 1,000 inhabitants. The collective effective dose was 1.69 mSv per capita, presenting a 13% increase compared with the dose estimated in 2018. Despite accounting for only 14.4% of the total number of examinations, computed tomography accounted for 75.7% of the total dose. In 2023, 207 CT scans per 1,000 inhabitants were recorded, with an average dose of 1.28 mSv per capita. The highest contribution to the examination frequency (46.5%) was recorded in dentistry, but this accounted for only 0.6% of the total dose (0.01 mSv per capita). The survey resulted in an update of the national data on population dose exposure from medical diagnostic procedures.