title: Decommissioning of a 60Co unit and estimation of personal doses.
abstract: Chang-hua Christian Hospital needs to uninstall the 60Co unit. The mode of this 60Co teletherapy unit is SHIMADZU RTGS-10. The original lead head was taken as the source container of this 60Co unit. The source head was dismantled and put into the prepared wooden box, after the source was sealed. This study describes the planning and dismantling of the retirement and transport of the 60Co unit, and personal doses measured during the procedure. This work estimates the doses of radiation received by exposed workers during the dismantling of the machine. The workers received doses of approximately 53 microSv. This study shows that the original lead head can be used as the source container of this 60Co unit. The 60Co machine was smoothly dismantled and transported by conscientious and careful workers, using planned and controlled radiation protection, following the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) rule.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Science, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2 Kuang Fu Road, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D001822:Body Burden; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D009683:Nuclear Medicine / Q000592:standards; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000592:standards; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011867:Radioisotope Teletherapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes