In this study was carried out a review according to experimental and Monte Carlo studies in the literature on the neutron production from 18 MV, Varian 2100C/D linac. The effects of these neutrons were investigated on the total fluence, the energy spectra, and the dose equivalent. These factors were calculated as a function of depth and the radiation field size by simulation of linac head using of MCNPX2.6.0 code. The neutron strength was found equal to 1.23 × 1012 nGy−1.The results showed that with increasing the field size from 5 × 5 to 40 × 40 cm2, the neutron fluence and dose equivalent in the water phantom rose to the maximum value for 25 × 25 cm2field (3.05 × 107 ncm−2Gy−1and 3.14 mSvGy−1respectively) and then decreased with increasing the field size. According to the results, the magnetite-steel, ordinary, and limonite-steel concrete walls significantly increased the neutron dose equivalent for about 27.4%, 17.2%, and 13.5%, respectively.

La radiothérapie en conditions stéréotaxiques, ou radiothérapie stéréotaxique, résulte des améliorations techniques de délivrance de dose, par l’optimisation de l’imagerie, de la précision du positionnement des patients et dans la modulation de la balistique des faisceaux. La précision balistique assure une conformation précise au volume tumoral et réduit les marges, minimisant ainsi le volume de tissus sains exposés et le risque de toxicité. Cette réduction de volume irradié autorise l’utilisation de fortes doses par fraction et assure un excellent contrôle tumoral en particulier sur les cancers bronchiques non à petites cellules inopérables de stade précoce. La possibilité d’utiliser de fortes doses par fraction a considérablement modifié les schémas de fractionnement, changeant ainsi les réponses des tissus sains et tumoraux aux rayonnements ionisants et probablement globalement la radiobiologie tissulaire. Ces nouvelles modalités thérapeutiques nécessitent la mise en place de modèles précliniques de plus en plus complexes. Grâce à l’évolution technique une fois encore, il est aujourd’hui possible de modéliser l’irradiation en conditions stéréotaxiques chez le rongeur. Ces nouveaux modèles permettront d’appréhender la réponse des tumeurs et des tissus sains à ces nouveaux protocoles de radiothérapie.

Following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station (FDNPS) accident, numerous initiatives emerged to address the needs of evacuees, including those eligible to return home. These came from multiple channels, timely in many cases, but in retrospect, needing better coordination. By embracing eHealth, we are attempting to coordinate efforts in Fukushima intended to link returnees with health information and care providers, not only for radiological protection in particular, but also for health promotion in general. We aim to establish a comprehensive support system for residents in municipalities around the FDNPS by developing a digital application for interactive communication regarding radiation and health promotion and to link the tool to other resources provided by local health care providers and radiation specialists. This paper explains the progress of our innovative trial to introducing eHealth in areas affected by the FDNPS accident. Based on international recommendations for developing a digital tool in response to a nuclear accident, we designed a comprehensive support package including development and implementation of the application, data management, and health counselling and ethical considerations arising from such outreach. Our trial of connecting disaster-affected citizens to health services using informatics could serve as a model eHealth program for long-term restoration after a nuclear accident.

There is a growing emphasis on the code of conduct in disaster research. It has recently been suggested that the involvement of local researchers is essential to achieving ethical behaviors when external researchers conduct fieldwork and study disaster-affected areas so that they can reflect local voices in their process and outputs. However, it is not always possible to fulfill these conditions due to the nature and preexisting resources of the affected area. Following Japan’s 2011 triple disaster, a team of healthcare providers came in for support activities in the northern coastal area of Fukushima Prefecture. They primarily worked as clinicians before going beyond their original roles and eventually functioning as local researchers by drawing on the commitment of local stakeholders both inside and outside of medical institutions. This case study conducted an in-depth analysis on the initiatives and networks of originally external healthcare providers and discussed essential elements to working as local researchers following an unprecedented disaster with complex and persistent health, social, and political impacts. In conclusion, this has contributed to the development of evidence related to radiation protection and other health issues and supports the need for ethical behavior in disaster research.

L’objectif de cette étude était de mesurer le niveau de connaissances en radioprotection des travailleurs exposés aux rayonnements ionisants en milieu médical en Afrique francophone sub-saharienne. Une étude transversale sous forme de questionnaire a été réalisée à Cotonou en mai 2019 durant les Journées de radiologie d’Afrique noire francophone (JRANF). Les connaissances ont été évaluées sur les sources des rayonnements ionisants (RI), les principes élémentaires de la radioprotection, les effets biologiques des RI, les effets pathologiques des RI, les grandeurs et unités en radioprotection, la radioprotection des patients, la grossesse et l’exposition médicale aux RI. Le score global des connaissances (SGC) a été calculé à partir du nombre de bonnes réponses aux questions (n = 20) et classé en « Bon », « Moyen » ou « Mauvais ». La relation entre la qualification professionnelle des travailleurs et leurs connaissances en radioprotection a été analysée. La population d’étude était composée de 91 travailleurs. La moyenne du SGC était de 7,9 avec des valeurs extrêmes de 2 et 12. Le SGC était classé « Mauvais » chez 93,41 % de la population d’étude et aucun des enquêtés n’avait un SCG classé « Bon ». Le SGC des manipulateurs était deux fois plus petit que celui des DES-RIM (p < 0,0001) et trois fois plus petit que celui des médecins radiologues (p < 0,0001).

This paper describes the involvement of the residents of the Yamakiya district of the Kawamata town, a former evacuation area after the accident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), in the on-going research activities of the authors on the behaviour of radioactive caesium in the environment. By relying on dialogue, measuring radiation, and other collaborative practices, this involvement enabled a series of actions to be taken to resolve the challenges related to the recovery after the lifting of the evacuation order that were appreciated by the residents. The paper also discusses the effects of the interactive program led by the Yamakiya School organized by the authors in cooperation with the residents including among others lectures, voluntary works and radiological surveys on local issues. Based on the above, the authors make recommendations on the desirable form of relationship between residents and experts after an event of large-scale environmental pollution including radiological contamination. Through these activities the authors have also gradually changed their research approach.

This paper highlights some ethical considerations relevant to formal types of stakeholder engagement in radiological risk governance. These reflections presented are based on previous research related to ethical aspects of radiological risk governance and on the outcomes of the ENGAGE research project in particular. The paper aims to serve as inspiration for research and dialogue on what responsible stakeholder engagement could and should be, and does so by presenting two key ideas about the ethics of stakeholder engagement: the primary ethical motivation for stakeholder engagement and the overall ethical framework for stakeholder engagement.

Emergency preparedness and response systems for nuclear and radiological emergencies have to deal with decision-making in situations with relevant uncertainties. Consistent and appropriate protective measures must be decided before, during and after emergency situations. CONFIDENCE WP2 research helps to improve this decision-making process in the urgent response and the early response phase of emergency situations with potential major releases to atmosphere. This paper describes methods to reduce uncertainties in dose assessment for the population using data from stationary and mobile environmental monitoring programs. A special focus is given to identification of the measurement uncertainties of stationary and mobile monitoring systems. Methods to reduce these uncertainties and procedures to optimise mobile monitoring strategies are discussed. A first contribution towards assessing the quality of dose-rate measurements performed by the general population is made. In addition, the paper introduces approaches for advanced dose assessment tools using monitoring data and concepts for identifying critically exposed groups.

The CONFIDENCE dissemination workshop “Coping with uncertainties for improved modelling and decision making in nuclear emergencies” was held in December 2–5, 2019 (Bratislava, Slovak Republic). About 90 scientists and decision makers attended the workshop. The dissemination workshop allowed the presentation of the CONFIDENCE project results, demonstration of the applicability of the developed methods and tools in interactive discussion sessions and the collection of feedback from the participants. The results were disseminated not only in the form of presentations and posters but also through interactive workshops where all participants were involved in round table working groups. A fictive accidental release scenario taking place at a nuclear power plant was developed and used by each work package in the workshop to provide the basis for interactive sessions and discussions.

This paper reports on the research of mental models of uncertainties management in an emergency situation which was carried out in the framework of the European CONFIDENCE (COping with uNcertainties For Improved modelling and DEcision making in Nuclear emergenCiEs) Project. The methodology included the mapping of mental models among several emergency preparedness and response experts and then performing interviews based on structured protocol with lay people in five countries: Germany, Greece, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Spain. The aim of these investigations was to trace the concepts and understandings of emergency preparedness and response and to identify possible gaps between experts and lay people. The article presents the main results of this research and suggestions for the improvement of EP & R planning.