Author: Yanique N. Dunn, Marissa Joyce Vaccarelli 👨🔬
Affiliation: Northwell, Hofstra University Medical Physics Program 🌍
Purpose: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) Event Notification Reports provide detailed information on nuclear-related events, including medical and non-medical incidents. This study evaluates reported incidents for 2023 to further classify medical-related incidents by event type and isotope. Common themes and patterns can be proactively utilized in the development of robust radiation safety practices in quality management program design.
Methods: A total of 1,172 USNRC Event Notification Reports for 2023 were reviewed and categorized into medical and non-medical events. Medical incidents were further examined to assess the involved isotope and were then classified into the following incident categories: dose deviation (underdose), dose deviation (overdose), contamination, and regulatory violations. Frequency of incidents were calculated, and trends were assessed. The analysis focused on understanding the root causes and its implications to enhance radiation safety protocols and operational efficiency.
Results: An analysis of the USNRC Event Notification Reports revealed that 23% of reported incidents were medical, while 77% were non-medical. Among medical events, frequently involved isotopes included I-125, Lu-177, and I-131, with Y-90 being the most common, accounting for 32% of cases, respectively. The most frequent incident types in medical events were dose deviation (underdose) and lost sources, each comprising 25%, respectively, followed by dose deviation (overdose) (14%) and regulatory violations (11%). Non-medical incidents predominantly involved industrial radiography, lost or stolen sources, gauge stuck shutters, and nuclear reactor events, highlighting diverse areas of radiological safety concerns.
Conclusion: This study highlights the critical role of analyzing radiation incidents to enhance safety, regulatory compliance, and quality. By identifying common trends, medical physicists can develop targeted strategies in building best practices to mitigate risks in addressing the themes of these reported medical events. Future work involves building a predictive model based on reported event trends for further proactive quality program management.