放射線治療時の治療患部外散乱被曝線量に関する研究

現代の医療のなかで癌治療において不可欠な存在となった放射線治療｡一方,放射線被曝はたとえわずかであってもリスクが伴い,厳しく規制されている｡ただし医療被曝はこの限りになく,過去においては癌患者に放射線治療をおこなう際の患部以外の被曝についてはあまり問題視されなかった｡これには癌の治療という前提に加え,長期生存の可能性が低く,存命中に晩発障害が発生することが低いと考えられていたからである｡しかし,集学的治療が確立した今後の放射線治療においては完治する放射線治療患者が多くなり,治癒後の余命が長くなることが予測される｡放射線被曝による確率的影響は閾値がなく,影響は当然現れるであろう｡そこで,放射線治療をおこなう際の患者の散乱線被曝線量,治療室内散乱線量,さらに高エネルギー放射線発生装置を取り扱うときに問題となっている中性子を測定した｡その結果,測定線量は治療患部外被曝,室内散乱線量ともに無視できない量であることがわかった｡中性子については,人体に影響がある線量は検出されなかったが,中性子の存在は室内物品の放射化の可能性を示唆するもので定期的な測定管理が必要である｡また,Ⅹ線撮影室用の防護衣による散乱線被曝の低減効果は放射線治療室では無意味であった｡

In modern medicine, radiotherapy has proved indispensable in the treatment of cancer. However. radiation exposure is a health hazard. and is thus strictly regulated. In the past, incidental exposure was not considered to pose a considerable risk, and because radiotherapy was an effective treatment for cancer and because the possibility of the long-term survival was generally poor, the prevalence of radiation injury was thought to be low. In recent years, however, more patients are making complete recoveries, and it is believed that long-term survival is possible with future radiotherapy techniques. There is no threshold for the stochastic effects of radiation exposure, and thus such effects may be detected even at low levels. In the present study, we measured the radiation exposure due to scattered rays from the patient, incidental radiation levels in the radiotherapy room, and levels of neutron radiation. which is a problem when high-energy X-ray radiotherapy systems are used. The results showed that exposure due to scattered rays and incidental levels in the radiotherapy room cannot be dismissed. and that further investigation is warranted. As for neutron radiation, dosages were below those that are known to influence the human body, but regular measurement is necessary because it may induce radioactivity in otherwise benign equipment. In addition, a protective apron had no effect on the exposure due to scattered rays in the radiotherapy room.