October 30, 2024
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)
Chiyoda
Technol Corporation
Commercialization of “thyroid monitor compatible to high background” capable of conducting accurate measurements anywhere
— A breakthrough in thyroid monitoring at the time of nuclear disaster —
- [Summary of announcement]
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- When a nuclear disaster occurs, it is required to commence thyroid monitoring of residents as early as possible because radioactive iodine has short half-life and decays rapidly. However, there has been no thyroid monitor which can be brought into a place where the dose rate in surrounding areas immediately after a disaster is high (high-background environment).
- A "thyroid monitor compatible to high background" was developed by using a CdZnTe semiconductor detector capable of accurately measuring how much radioactive iodine the thyroid absorbed by integrating a lightweight and compact shield which filters out radiation from parts other than the thyroid.
- Since this monitor can be set up anywhere if there are a table and a chair and can measure the exposure dose of the thyroid accurately and swiftly even in a high background environment immediately after a nuclear disaster. The conventional thyroid monitoring method can be transformed, achieving a breakthrough in preparedness for nuclear disasters.
(the measurement part can be detached to adjust to small children as shown in the right figure)