Papers by Pedro Ortiz Lopez
Radioprotection, 2001
The International Atomic Energy Agency has, under its Sîatute, specifically defined functions rel... more The International Atomic Energy Agency has, under its Sîatute, specifically defined functions relating to radiation safety, in particular, responsibilities for the development of standards of safety and provision for their application. These functions are fulflled through the development of a wide range of standards, including those on preparedness and response to nuclear accidents or radiological emergencies. It also devotes considerable effort to assisting countries in applying those standards. In addition, the Agency has responsibilities placed on it by virtue of a number of Conventions, two of which are relevant to nuclear accidents or radiological emergencies: the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident (Early Notification Convention) and the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency (Assistance Convention). Under the Assistance Convention, assistance may include medical response. This paper provides an overview of the Agency's work regardmg emergency preparedness and response, with specific reference to a number of recent events. It also discnsses new initiatives regarding the safety and security of radiation sources, which have, as a principal objective, the reduction of the risk of such events. ABSTRACT RÉSUMÉ La réponse aux accidents radiologiques : le rôle de l'Agence internationale de l'énergie atomique. Dans ses statuts, l'Agence internationale de l'énergie atomique a défini avec précision ses fonctions dans la sûreté radiologique, en particulier ses responsabilités dans l'évolution des normes de sûreté, et la prise des dispositions nécessaires à leur application. Elle réalise ces fonctions en faisant évoluer une large gamme de nonnes, y compris celles portant sur la préparation à la gestion des accidents nucléaires ou à des urgences radiologiques. Elle consacre aussi un effort considérable à l'assistance aux pays, dans l'application de ces normes. De plus, l'Agence a des responsabilités dans ce dernier domaine, en vertu d'un certain nombre de conventions. Deux d'entre elles relèvent des accidents nucléaires ou des urgences radiologiques : la convention de notification rapide d'un accident nucléaire (< Early Notification Convention N), et la convention sur l'assistance en cas d'accident nucléaire ou d'urgence radiologique (<Assistance Convention *). Dans ce dernier cas, l'assistance peut inclure une réponse médicale. Cet article présente une vue d'ensemble du travail de l'Agence concernant l'état d'urgence et la réponse à une urgence ; il fait spécifiquement référence à un certain nombre d'évènements récents. II évoque aussi de nouvelles initiatives concernant la sûreté et la sécurité des sources de rayonnement ; elles ont pour objectif principal de réduire le risque de tels évènements.
This paper presents the design and some preliminary results of a pilot programme on patient dosim... more This paper presents the design and some preliminary results of a pilot programme on patient dosimetry in paediatric interventional cardiology (PIC) in Chile. The collected parameters during the survey have been: procedure identification, patient age, gender, weight, height, kerma area product (Pka), cumulative dose at the interventional reference point, number of cine series, total number of frames and fluoroscopy time. These data will also permit the estimation of typical radiological risks of the procedures for different age groups. Preliminary results are being calculated for the following age groups: <1; 1<5; 5<10 and 10<16 years. Kerma area product values and parameters related to imaging protocols of the procedures have been initially obtained from one of the most representative paediatrics centres of Chile. The x-ray system used in this centre was a biplane Siemens Axiom Artis with image intensifiers. The sample contains patients aged between 6 days and < 16 ye...
Annals of the ICRP, 2017
The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) first introduced the term ‘diagnos... more The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) first introduced the term ‘diagnostic reference level’ (DRL) in 1996 in Publication 73. The concept was subsequently developed further, and practical guidance was provided in 2001. The DRL has been proven to be an effective tool that aids in optimisation of protection in the medical exposure of patients for diagnostic and interventional procedures. However, with time, it has become evident that additional advice is needed. There are issues related to definitions of the terms used in previous guidance, determination of the values for DRLs, the appropriate interval for re-evaluating and updating these values, appropriate use of DRLs in clinical practice, methods for practical application of DRLs, and application of the DRL concept to newer imaging technologies. This publication is intended as a further source of information and guidance on these issues. Some terminology has been clarified. In addition, this publication rec...
Medical Management of Radiation Accidents, Second Edition, 2001
Radiotherapy and Oncology, 2001
... 2001 Sep;60(3):237-8. The radiation overexposure of radiotherapy patients in Panama 15 June 2... more ... 2001 Sep;60(3):237-8. The radiation overexposure of radiotherapy patients in Panama 15 June 2001. Vatnitsky S, Ortiz Lopez P, Izewska J, Meghzifene A, Levin V. International Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramer Strasse 5, PO Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria. ...
Medical Physics, 2008
Articles you may be interested in Experimental demonstration of direct L-shell x-ray fluorescence... more Articles you may be interested in Experimental demonstration of direct L-shell x-ray fluorescence imaging of gold nanoparticles using a benchtop x-ray source Med. Phys. 40, 080702 (2013); 10.1118/1.4816297 Ray-based approach to skeletal muscle perfusion measurement on interventional x-ray systems Med.
Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 2006
Patient dosimetry is performed in radiology and interventional radiology to assess whether determ... more Patient dosimetry is performed in radiology and interventional radiology to assess whether deterministic injuries may occur and to establish the risk of stochastic effects. A fundamental problem for patient dosimetry is that no single quantity can be used to accurately assess both the risk of stochastic effects and whether deterministic injuries will occur following a specific examination or procedure. In cardiology and interventional radiology, two different approaches to patient dosimetry are commonly used. Effective dose is a quantity which correlates reasonably well with the risk of stochastic effects. Effective dose may be deduced from the dose area product for the procedure if sufficient information about the procedure is known. Dose area product does not correlate with maximum skin dose, which may be used to predict whether deterministic injuries may occur. DAP meter readings may be used to act as a trigger level for the investigation of maximum skin entrance dose. Trigger levels for different procedures are proposed.
espanolDiagnostic, interventional and therapeutic uses of ionizing radiation are beneficial for h... more espanolDiagnostic, interventional and therapeutic uses of ionizing radiation are beneficial for hundreds of millions of people each year by improving health care and saving lives. In March 2001, the first International Conference on the Radiological Protection of Patients was held in Malaga, Spain, which led to an international action plan for the radiation protection of patients. Ten years after establishing the international action plan, the “International Conference on Radiation Protection in Medicine: Setting the Scene for the Next Decade” was held in Bonn, Germany, in December 2012. The main outcome of this conference was the so called “Bonn Call for Action” that identifies ten priority actions to enhance radiation protection in medicine for the next decade. The IAEA and WHO are currently working in close cooperation to foster and support the implementation of these ten priority actions in Member States, but their implementation requires collaboration of national governments, i...
International Journal of Cardiology, 2006
It would appear that a significant number of cardiologists are unaware that skin injuries ranging... more It would appear that a significant number of cardiologists are unaware that skin injuries ranging from erythema to telangiectasia or even dermal necrosis can be caused by the procedures they perform. Conditions that have been reported to be associated with radiation-induced skin injuries include: the high values of the exposure factors required with thick patients; prolonged or multiple procedures; elevated radiosensitivity of some patients (ataxia telangiectasia); connective tissue disease and diabetes mellitus. The total number of reported severe injuries worldwide so far is 100-200, or over 200 when all degrees of skin injuries are included, but the real number may be substantially larger since initial symptoms often appear only weeks after the procedure and the cardiologist may not be notified, unless a procedure for systematic follow up is in place. Besides skin injuries, patients-more so, the younger ones-incur a risk of radiation-induced cancer at some stage in the future. Experience shows that, with awareness of radiation safety aspects, proper equipment performance, the use of proper techniques, and the monitoring of patient doses, severe skin injuries should not occur in patients undergoing 5-10 PTCAs. However, for those patients whose radiation doses approach the thresholds for radiation injuries a systematic follow up is required. These issues are addressed here.
Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 2011
Realising that the major part of radiation protection efforts had been directed for over half a c... more Realising that the major part of radiation protection efforts had been directed for over half a century at radiation protection of workers, and that there are major issues in relation to medical exposure, which contributes to over 95 % of the dose to the global population from man-made sources, with increasing individual patient doses in diagnostic examinations, unnecessary or inappropriate examinations and continued accidents in radiotherapy, the International Atomic Energy Agency established an International Action Plan (IAP) in 2002 in cooperation with international organisations and professional bodies. The achievements of the IAP, which include harmonised training material, guidance documents, a number of publications, a website on radiation protection of patients (http://rpop.iaea.org) and a series of actions in Member States that have shown positive impacts on patient protection, are summarised in this paper.
Uploads
Papers by Pedro Ortiz Lopez