The Future of Radiological Protection

 

TG 118: Building Upon ICRP92 on RBE, Radiation Weighting Factor and Q Factor

Author(s): Gayle Woloschak 1, Christelle Adam-Guillemin 2, Kazuo Sakai 3, Tatsuhiko Sato 4, Mikhail Sokolnikov 5, Akihisa Takahashi 6, Richard Wakeford 7, Andrzej Wojcik 8, Brock Sishc 9
( 1 Northwestern University, USA; 2 IRSN, France; 3 Tokyo Healthcare University, Japan; 4 Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA); 5 Southern Ural Biophysics Institute, Russian Federation; 6 Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, Japan; 7 The University of Manchester, United Kingdom; 8 Centre for Radiation Protection Research, Stockholm University, Sweden; 9 NASA Human Research Program Johnson Space Center, USA)


 

 

TG 118 started as a WP of C1. During the past year, the WP met several times to review the literature and prepare the ToR which were accepted by the MC. From this TG 118 was appointed, and the kick-off zoom meeting was held on Sept 22, 2021 with most of the above members in attendance. The goal of TG118 is to examine questions of RBE, radiation weighting factor, and Q. At the first meeting, the group assessed membership for whether it is adequate to do the work outlined for the team and also set some plans for future meetings. A series of workshops examining specific questions will be set-up in the coming months. Among the areas considered important were the influence of dose-rate (including high dose-rate FLASH, even p+ FLASH) on RBE, examination of differences in and out of the Bragg peak, secondary cancer studies, and others. The group also decided that a review of ICRP 92 would be of value. In particular, examining the report’s comments about future studies, difficulties encountered in RBE work, and approaches for determination of RBE and RBEM will be important in shaping the coming report. This will also be done at an upcoming meeting.

Keywords: RBE; Radiation Weighting Factor; Quality Factor; Radiation Responses