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MNR I-125 ALARA Team
The MNR I-125 ALARA Team
Recipients of the President's Awards for Outstanding Service in 2003
- The Team
- Recent Work History
- Enhancement of the Reputation of McMaster University
- Provision of Excellent Service
- Demonstrated Innovation
- Impact of Work
- Effective and Harmonious Working Relationships
- Supporting Reference from John Valliant
- Supporting Reference from Bill Garlnd
- Brad Trushinski
- Steve Staniek
- Ursala Walker
- Alice Pidruczny
- John Avelar
- Shen Pang
- Stan Spina
- Jim McAndrew
- Dorde Bijevolic
- Patti Smith
- Heinz Schlicting
- Richard Tomlinson
- Rose Nielson
One of the most important uses of the McMaster Nuclear Reactor is the production of radio-iodine for use in cancer treatment.
Radioiodine (I-125) is used throughout the world to treat patients suffering from prostate cancer. An aqueous solution of I-125 is fixed to a substrate and then encapsulated in small titanium "seeds". These seeds are then precisely located around a patient's tumour in a process known as brachytherapy.
After developing and testing a novel production process, full scale production of I-125 began in earnest in 1995. The production activities were expanded in 1998 to meet growing demand for the product. As production was increased, a sudden large increase to the radiation doses received by the production staff occurred. This increase was noted with concern by McMaster Health Physics, by the MNR production staff and management, and by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (the CNSC).
Doses to workers are tightly regulated and must be carefully managed. The ability to produce radioiodine while maintaining doses at an acceptably low level is a critical component to the safe and successful production of this needed product. Although the doses were under the legal dose limit, the ongoing accumulation of these doses put the ongoing viability of the production process at risk.
An ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) review was conducted by the Team to systematically review the entire I-125 Process, identify sources of exposure, and to identify and implement measures to reduce the doses to the workers involved in the process.
As a result of their efforts, the rate of dose accumulation by the production personnel was reduced by 93%. The legal dose limit to an individual in Canada in 20 mSv per year. The collective dose saving realized to date as a result of the team's efforts amount to over 200 mSv.
A report documenting the Team's effort was recently published and accepted by the Reactor Operating Control Committee, the Health Physics Advisory Committee and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
Enhancement of the Reputation of McMaster University
The rapid and effective response to the increasing doses was vital in inspiring confidence in the federal regulator (the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission). McMaster University 's ability to pursue research and applied uses of radiation and radioactive material depends on the CNSC's confidence in our ability to effectively manage safety. The success of the dose reduction efforts was one of the principal items which cleared the way for MNR to receive a five year licence (instead of the previous standard of two years).
In addition, the systematic review conducted by the Team has demonstrated to the to the radioisotope community the level of commitment and technical excellence the University has in the area of dose reduction.
Provision of Excellent Service
One of the areas contributing to dose was the mobilization of I-126 (an impurity associated with the production of I-125). This impurity both affects both the dose to those workers associated with the process as well as impacts on the quality of the product being delivered to the seed manufacturers and eventually the patient receiving treatment.
Part of the focus of the team was to control the movement of I-126 within the process and thereby reducing the doses and at the same time increase in the quality of the product.
The quality of the I-125 produced here at McMaster is recognised as an industry model for other producers of this life-saving radiochemical.
Establishing a safe workplace is the absolute first requirement to provision of a quality product or service. This team took ownership of a problem that developed and applied their effort and intellect to solve it. Having established a safe environment for the work, the production team is now able to focus on the production and quality of the product.
If you have questions about NEW status, please check out our Q&A document here. If you still have questions or concerns, please contact a member of the Health Physics staff or call our office at 24226.
The I-125 ALARA Team's sytematic approach has led to a number of significant process improvements including:
- Production process improvements to reduce the amount of I-126 mobilzed in the process.
- Strategic sheilding design enhancement targetted at reducing doses while maintaining the flexibility/operability of the production equipment.
- Implementation of pesonnel alarming dosimeters which give workers early detection of changes in equipment performance and allow for a proactive approach to dose control.
- Significant administrative and procedural changes which embody the lessons learned from the systematic review.
The ALARA Team's results have allowed the University to successfully demonstrate to internal and external regulators and stakeholders the professionalism which the University brings to the safety and licensing of activities involving the handling of radioactive materials.
This ability allows the University to pursue the many fields associated with applied radiation sciences.
Effective and Harmonious Working Relationships
The ALARA Team brought together a number of diverse groups-( the University's Health Physics Department, the MNR I-125 Production Team, the Quality Assurance group, the Technical Support group as well as a Professor Emeritus) all focussed on the goal to systematically review the sources of dose associated with the production process and identify and implement the steps required to bring the doses to a level which embodies the concept of ALARA. Despite early success, the team has persisted in dose reduction efforts to achieve a sustained year over year reduction in doses for five straight years. This ongoing success is a result of sustained effort and rigour on the part of all the participants.
Supporting Reference - John Valliant
As the Chair of the Health Physics Advisory Committee, The Director of Isotope Research and a Member of the McMaster Institute of Applied Radiation Sciences (McIARS), it gives me great pleasure to write a letter in support of the MNR I-125 ALARA Team.
Working with radioactive iodine has a number of challenges which has often caused isotope production facilities to shy away from producing this valuable isotope. Iodine-125 is the key component of a non-invasive therapy for prostate cancer (Brachytherapy), which is rapidly replacing surgical removal of the prostate as the main treatment option. As a result, there is an enormous need for large quantities of iodine-125.
The only way that an institution can produce iodine isotopes is if it has a top-notch safety program that meets all of the stringent requirements set out by regulatory agencies. The MRN I-125 ALARA team was charged with the daunting task of reducing radiation exposure that were occurring as the existing iodine process was ramped up to full production mode. This was no small task considering the amount of material being produced, the complex nature of the production process and the radiation hazard associated with the material.
The ALARA team consisted of a group of employees who in true McMaster fashion worked as a cohesive unit to identify and address hazards associated with production, handling and shipping of radioiodine. Without the team's work, licensing and approval of the full scale operation by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and its internal oversight bodies could not have been possible. The acceptance of their work by the CNSC, which was completed in a remarkably short time frame, is a testament to the dedication and skill of the ALARA team. Having worked with the CNSC, acceptance of this type comes only as a result of exquisite attention to detail and mistake free work.
The work done by the ALARA team is consistent with the nature of the President's Awards for Outstanding Service. A group of committed and highly skilled individuals worked together to advance both the academic and social impact of the University while ensuring a safe working environment for the employees of the reactor. They are truly deserving of recognition and I nominate them without hesitation or reservation.
Supporting Reference - Bill Garland
It is my pleasure to recommend the ALARA team for the President's Award. I have been closely involved with MNR since the 80's as a member and Chair of the reactor safety committee, as Director of MNR for a short time, as an analyst / reviewer for the reactor safety report, and as a faculty member supervising students doing research in the reactor. I have seem first hand the dedication of the group through good times and bad. They had to create a radioisotope production system from scratch and bring it up to world class standards in a short time with safety as the prime priority. They did it! And they continue to improve on the quality of the product while raising the safety bar at the same time. What a team! I am honoured to be associated with them in some small way. Also, I am pleased that, because of the team's activities, my students can do industrial level projects (like the iodine monitoring system that is currently in use) while in an academic environment.