Information Technology and Medical Technology Personnel's Perception Regarding Segmentation of Medical Devices: A Focus Group Study.

Objective: Segmentation is one way of improving data protection. The aim of this study was to investigate Information Technology (IT) and Medical Technology (MT) personnel's perception in relation to ongoing segmentation of medical devices and IT infrastructure in the healthcare sector. Methods: Focus group interviews with 9 IT and 9 MT personnel in a county council in southern Sweden were conducted. The interviews focused on two areas: Positive expectations and misgivings. Digital recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Responses related to 2 main areas: Information security and implementation of segmentation. Informants stated that network segmentation would increase the overall level of cybersecurity for medical devices, addressing both insider and outsider threats. However, it would also increase the need for administration and the need for knowledge of the communication patterns of medical devices from the manufacturer's perspective. Conclusion: IT and MT personnel in a county council in southern Sweden believed that segmentation would increase cybersecurity but also increase administration and resource needs, which are important opinions to take into consideration. The present study can be used as a model for others to increase awareness of opinions of healthcare organizations.

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetry in irradiated alumina substrates from mobile phone resistors.

In this study the dosimetric properties of alumina (Al2O3) substrates found in resistors retrieved from mobile phones were investigated. Measurements of the decline of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) generated following exposure of these substrates to ionising radiation showed that 16% of the signal could still be detected after 2 years (735 days). Further, the magnitude of the regenerative dose (calibration dose; D i) had no impact on the accuracy of dose estimates. Therefore, it is recommended that the D i be set as low as is practicable, so as to accelerate data retrieval. The critical dose, D CL, and dose limit of detection, D DL, taking into account the uncertainty in the dose-response relation as well as the uncertainty in the background signal, was estimated to be 7 and 13 mGy, respectively, 1 h after exposure. It is concluded that given the significant long-term component of fading, an absorbed dose of 0.5 Gy might still be detectable up to 6 years after the exposure. Thus, OSL from alumina substrates can be used for dosimetry for time periods far in excess of those previously thought.

Integration of new biological and physical retrospective dosimetry methods into EU emergency response plans - joint RENEB and EURADOS inter-laboratory comparisons.

PURPOSE: RENEB, 'Realising the European Network of Biodosimetry and Physical Retrospective Dosimetry,' is a network for research and emergency response mutual assistance in biodosimetry within the EU. Within this extremely active network, a number of new dosimetry methods have recently been proposed or developed. There is a requirement to test and/or validate these candidate techniques and inter-comparison exercises are a well-established method for such validation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors present details of inter-comparisons of four such new methods: dicentric chromosome analysis including telomere and centromere staining; the gene expression assay carried out in whole blood; Raman spectroscopy on blood lymphocytes, and detection of radiation-induced thermoluminescent signals in glass screens taken from mobile phones. RESULTS: In general the results show good agreement between the laboratories and methods within the expected levels of uncertainty, and thus demonstrate that there is a lot of potential for each of the candidate techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Further work is required before the new methods can be included within the suite of reliable dosimetry methods for use by RENEB partners and others in routine and emergency response scenarios.

Household salt for retrospective dose assessments using OSL: signal integrity and its dependence on containment, sample collection, and signal readout.

The aim of this work was to determine how a latent optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signal in irradiated household salt is preserved under various ambient conditions, from the time of exposure to the time of signal readout. The following parameters were examined: optical fading in fluorescent light and under darkroom conditions (red light), thermal stability of the OSL signal during storage in a light-tight container, optical fading in representative container types, and sensitization effects of the OSL signal in exposed household salt. Furthermore, the influence of grain mixing within the saltshaker or salt container was studied by determining the dose gradient within typical salt packages. Finally, the signal integrity of salt irradiated under field conditions in a village in Belarus contaminated by Chernobyl fallout was investigated. The results show that the OSL signal in household salt is preserved in large cardboard box containers, but not in white plastic salt containers or in small portion bags used in, e.g., fast food restaurants. Furthermore, the continuous wave blue OSL signal in household salt does not fade significantly during storage up to 140 days. On the contrary, the signal appears to slowly increase during storage ("inverse fading"). Field tests of two different salt containers (with and without black tape to block light) located in Belarussian households confirmed that the signal is preserved in white plastic salt containers when they are covered with extra light-shielding material.

Optimizing a readout protocol for low dose retrospective OSL-dosimetry using household salt.

The authors' aim has been to find a single aliquot regenerative dose (SAR) protocol that accurately recovers an unknown absorbed dose in the region between 1-250 mGy in household salt. The main investigation has been conducted on a specific mine salt (>98.5% NaCl) intended for household use, using optical stimulation by blue LED (λ = 462 nm). The most accurate dose recovery for this brand of salt is found to be achieved when using Peak Signal Summing (PSS) of the OSL-decay and a preheat temperature of 200°C after the test dose. A SAR protocol for the household salt with preset values of regenerative doses (R1--R5) and a test dose (TED) of 17 mGy is also suggested here. Under laboratory conditions, the suggested protocol recovers unknown absorbed doses in this particular brand within 5% (2 SD) in the dose range between 1-250 mGy. This is a very promising result for low dose applications of household salt as a retrospective dosimeter after a nuclear or radiological event.

Household salt as a retrospective dosemeter using optically stimulated luminescence.

The aim of this work was to investigate the potential of a selection of household salts (NaCl) as a retrospective dosemeter for ionising radiation using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). The OSL-response of five brands of salt to an absorbed dose in the range from 1 mGy to 9 Gy was investigated using a Risø TL/OSL-15 reader and a (60)Co beam, allowing low dose-rate irradiations. The salt was optically stimulated with blue light (lambda = 470 +/- 30 nm) at a constant stimulation power (CW-OSL) of 20 mW cm(-2). A linear dose response relationship was found in the dose range from 1 mGy to about 100 mGy and above that level, the relationship becomes moderately supra-linear, at least up to 9 Gy. Depending on the sensitivity and background signal, the minimum detectable absorbed dose (MDD) for the household salt when kept at sealed conditions varied from 0.2 to 1.0 mGy, for the household salts investigated. In addition to its widespread abundance and availability, the low MDD suggests that household salt should seriously be considered as an emergency dosemeter. However, the OSL-properties of NaCl under normal household usage need to be more properly investigated as well as the variation in sensitivity by the quality of the radiation. A further optimisation of the read-out sequence for various brands of commercially available salt may further improve the sensitivity, in terms of luminescence yield, and the signal reproducibility.