Health Physics

1. Health Physics The Science of Radiation Protection

2. Radiation • What do you think of when you hear the terms: • Radiation • Atomic • Radioactivity • Nuclear

8. Brief History of Radiation Protection

9. Discovery of X Rays Wilhelm Roentgen discovered x rays in November 1895 and announced his discovery on January 5, 1896. • Scientists had been making x rays without knowing it for years. • Medical uses of x rays began almost immediately thereafter. • Diagnostic x-ray images were taken within 2 weeks. • Radiation therapy for cancer performed within 6 weeks.

10. Bizarre claims were made • An x-ray image of a bone projected onto the brain of a dog would make the dog salivate; • X-ray baths supposedly cured blindness and criminality; • Beauty parlors used x rays to remove unwanted hair; • Leaded undergarments were sold to protect the modesty of girls.

11. Discovery of Radioactivity • While all of the excitement over x rays was going on, Henri Becquerel discovered radioactivity in March 1896. Unlike x rays, radioactivity did not interest the public at first because it was not very plentiful. • By 1903, Radium was commercially available • Cancer treatments were performed by August 1903 (Alexander Graham Bell first proposed this.) • Watch dials were painted with radium. • Public’s fascination with radioactivity began.

12. Bizarre uses of radioactive material • Drinking radium contaminated water was considered healthy. • Liquid Sunshine (a drink which glowed when mixed with radium) became popular. • Radium bearing medicines were patented. • A farmer advocated the addition of radium to chicken feed to produce hard boiled eggs.

14. Radioactive toothpaste If radioactivity is good for one end, it must be good at the other end, too. A box of radium suppositories.

15. Radiation injuries occurred • The first reported injury (eye irritation) was published on March 5, 1896. • Skin burns, dermatitis, and alopecia were reported as early as April, 1896. • The first report of radiation sickness occurred in November, 1896. Obviously there was a need for radiation protection.

16. Radiation burn caused by x rays used to remove unwanted hair.

17. Doctors Tested X Ray Machines with Own Hands Fluoroscope X-ray tube Radiographic plate

19. Today’s uses of Radiation The properties of radiation make it useful for a variety of applications

20. Industrial Uses

21. Sterilization

22. Nuclear Power

23. Industrial Radiography

24. Well Logging • Well Logging

25. Construction

26. Gauges

27. Security

28. Medical Uses

29. Cancer Treatment - HDR

30. Linear Accelerator

31. Cancer of Eye

32. Prostate Cancer

33. Diagnostic Imaging Radiographs

34. Fluoroscopy

35. Mammography

36. Nuclear Medicine

37. Biomedical Research • DNA Sequencing • X-ray Diffraction

38. Benefits and Risks • It should be noted that there are beneficial uses of radiation, from treating cancer to generating electricity, BUT it can be harmful if used in an unsafe way, exposing people to the potential harmful effects of radiation. For this reason both the states and federal government regulate the many uses of radiation.

39. Health Physics • The profession devoted to protecting people and their environment from potential radiation hazards, while making beneficial uses of radiation and radioactivity possible.

40. Health Physicists • Scientists who control the beneficial uses of ionizing radiation while protecting workers and the public from potential hazards.

41. Health Physics many disciplines, include: • physics • biology • biophysics • engineering (nuclear, civil, mechanical, or electrical) • chemistry • genetics • ecology • environmental sciences • metallurgy • medicine • physiology • toxicology • statistics

42. Fields for Health Physicists • Research • Industry • Power Reactors • Education • Environmental protection • National defense • Government regulatory agencies • Medicine

43. Academic Programs A partial list of academic programs in Health Physics: Bloomsburg University BS University of Cincinnati MS PhD Clemson University MS PhD University of Florida BS MS PhD Idaho State University AA BS MS PhD University of Nevada – Los Vegas BS MS Oregon State University BS MS PhD Purdue University BS MS PhD University of Mass.-Lowell BS MS PhD University of Michigan BS MS PhD University of Tennessee BS MS PhD Texas A&M University BS MS PhD Uniformed Services MS PhD Vanderbilt University MS PhD Thomas Edison AA BS

44. Professional Certification You may seek certification at either of two educational and experience levels: • For the professional health physicist, certification may be obtained from the American Board of Health Physics (ABHP) • For health physics technicians, registration may be obtained from the National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists (NRRPT).

45. My Job • Insert your specific job here, such as title and where you work

46. What do I do? • Add a sentence or two about what you do in your daily duties

47. Specifics? • Add 5 to 7 specifics about your job

48. How did I get here? • Where did your degree come from • What sort of certification or registration do you have

49. There are worse jobs! Don’t look down!

50. Please, please, please aim higher.