Probabilistic safety assessment of the radiotherapy treatment with a linear accelerator for medical use

Main Article Content

Juan José Vilaragut Llanes
Manuel Rodríguez Martí
Pedro Ortiz López

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the results of the Probabilistic Safety Assessment to the radiotherapy treatment with an Electron Linear Accelerator for Medical Use, which was conducted in the framework of the Iberian-American Forum of Radiological and Nuclear Regulatory Agencies. Potential accidental exposures during the treatment of patients, workers and members of the public were assessed, although the study was mainly focused on patients. The methodology of failure modes and effects analysis was used to define accident initiating events and methods of event tree and fault tree analysis to determine the accident sequences that may occur. After quantifying the frequency of occurrence of the accident sequences, an important analysis was carried out in order to
determine the most significant events from the point of view of safety. The major contributors to risk were identified as well as the most appropriate safety recommendations to reduce it.

Article Details

How to Cite
Vilaragut Llanes, J. J., Rodríguez Martí, M., & Ortiz López, P. (1). Probabilistic safety assessment of the radiotherapy treatment with a linear accelerator for medical use. Nucleus, (48). Retrieved from http://nucleus.cubaenergia.cu/index.php/nucleus/article/view/537
Section
Ciencias Nucleares

References

[1] INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION. Prevention of Accidental Exposure to
Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy. ICRP Publication 86. Annals of the ICRP. 2002; 30(3).
[2] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY. Lessons learned from accidents in radiotherapy. Safety Reports Series No. 17. Vienna: IAEA, 2000.
[3] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY. Accidental overexposure of radiotherapy patients in San José, Costa Rica. Vienna: IAEA, 1998.
[4] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY. Investigation of an Accidental Exposure of Radiotherapy Patients in Panamá. Vienna: IAEA, 2001.
[5] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY. Investigation of an accidental exposure of radiotherapy patients in Bialystok. Vienna: IAEA, 2004.
[6] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY. Procedures for Conducting Probabilistic Safety Assessment of Nuclear Power Plants (Level 1). Safety Series No. 50-P-4. Vienna: IAEA, 1992.
[7] INTERNATIONAL ELECTRO TECHNICAL COMMISSION. Analysis techniques for system reliability – Procedure for
failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA). IEC Standard Publication 812. First edition.. Genève: Bureau Central
de la Commission Electrotechnique Internationale, 1985.
[8] US NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISION. Good practices for implementing Human Reliability Analysis (HRA). Final Report. NUREG1792. EEUU, 2005.
[9] US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Hazard and Barrier Analysis Guidance Document. EH-33 Office of Operating Experience Analysis and Feedback. Department Of Energy. USA, November 1996.
[10]INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY. Generic component reliability data for research reactor PSA.
IAEA-TECDOC-930. Vienna: IAEA, 1997.
[11]INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY. Component Reliability Data for use in Probabilistic Safety
Assessment. IAEA TECDOC 478. Vienna: IAEA, 1988.
[12] FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY
AGENCY. International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources. Safety Series No. 115. Vienna: IAEA, 1996.
[13]AAPM Report No. 56 Medical Accelerator Safety Considerations. Medical Physics. 1993; 20(4).
[14] US NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISION Human Factor Evaluation of Teletherapy. NUREG/ CR-6277. EEUU, 1995.
[15]US NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISION NUREG/CR –6323 UCRL-ID-120051 Relative Risk Analysis in
Regulating the Use of Radiation – Emitting Medical Devices. A preliminary Application. EEUU, 1995.
[16]Thomadsen Bruce. Towards Probabilistic Risk Assessment in Braquitherapy. Progress Report. IAEA
CRP J1.70.05. Vienna: IAEA, 2002.
[17] CENTRO NACIONAL DE SEGURIDAD NUCLEAR. Informe Técnico del Análisis Probabilista de Seguridad al Proceso
de Tratamiento con Cobalto-terapia. CNSN-APS Co, 2003.
[18]US NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISION NUREG/CP –0144 INEL-94/0111 A Workshop on Developing Risk Assessment Methods for Medical Use of Radioactive Material. EEUU, 1995.
[19]INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY Case studies in the application of probabilistic safety assessment techniques to radiation sources. IAEA TECDOC 1404. Vienna: IAEA, 2006.