Dr Ron Cameron

RCA National Representative

- Australia -

Lead Country Coordinator Progress Reports

Projects

1. Distance-Assisted Training for Nuclear Medicine Technicians (RAS/6/029):• Approved 1997 for 4 years;• Extended to 2007/2008.

2. Strengthening Medical Physics through Education and Training (RAS/6/038):• Initiated in 2003, objectives revised for

2005/2006 cycle;• Estimated completion by 2012.

3. Establishment of a Benchmark for Assessing the Radiological Impact of Nuclear Power Activities on the Marine Environment in the Asia-Pacific region (RAS/7/016):• New 2007;• Estimated completion by 2010.

4. Intensification of Productivity in Coal, Minerals and Petrochemical Industries using Nucleonic Analysis Systems (NAS) and Radiotracers (RAS/8/107):• New 2007;• Estimated duration of 2 years.

5. Sustainability of Regional Radiation Protection Infrastructure (RAS/9/042):• New 2007;• Estimated completion by 2010.

Distance-Assisted Training for Nuclear Medicine Technicians

(RAS/6/029)• LCC: Professor Brian Hutton

• 16 participating Member States:

AUL INS MON SIN

BGD JPN MYA SRL

CPR ROK PAK THA

IND MAL PHI VIE

OverviewINPUTS• The DAT project first commenced as the RCA project

RAS/6/022 in 1994 and then progressed to project RAS/6/029 in 1997.

• Both projects were part of AUL’s contribution to RCA. AUL funding ceased in 2002

• TC funds have supported project activities since then.CURRENT ACTIVITY• The final phase which is currently being completed is to

add additional modules to cover techniques and technologies that were not in place in the late 1990’s and are now widely used.

OverviewOUTPUTS• The DAT program has been demonstrated to be

cost effective and well-suited to local needs.• Through common study materials and

standardized assessment methods DAT students are able to achieve a common basic standard of knowledge and practice that enhances the quality of nuclear medicine services.

• DAT provides a mechanism for in-service training of technologists whilst providing an infrastructure that can sustain this training. No alternative form of training exists to meet this need.

Overview

OUTCOMES The application of the project outputs of

modules, assignments and assessment strategies has now being taken up :

• Nationally in RCA Member States;• Regionally in RCA, AFRA, ARCAL & Europe,

although at varying stages of materials preparation and practical application;

Clearly the impact and the outcomes are now on

a global scale and the issues of sustainability at all the levels have to be addressed if the maximum benefits are to be derived.

Overview

The project has exceeded its goals and is a visible demonstration of the success and impact that the RCA projects can achieve not just in the Asia Pacific region but also in Latin America, Africa and Europe.

The project concept and initial support came from the RCA Member States. Their high level of cooperation and contribution has had a direct input on the success of the project especially at the important pilot testing and initial evaluation stages.

The Future

While individual IAEA Member States will be expected to institute their own sustainability strategies for DAT, the optimum benefits will only be achieved if they are integrated into wider coordinated and harmonised system that would address:• ongoing updates as technology, protocols and

regulations change; • maintaining the DAT website – updating and

‘de-bugging’; • provision of support / help for new (and

current) DAT users.

The Future In moving forward with the future DAT activities

it will be important to establish firm policies on a number of issues. For example:• is there an ongoing role for IAEA in approving

specific applications covered by the DAT programme?

• what is the role of national contributors in relation to sustainability of global DAT activity?

• who administers and controls web access if it is not under TC project?

• should there be a fee structure to support management cost if there is no underpinning TC project?

The Future

Sustainability at the regional level is difficult to address without some catalytic support from the Agency. With the global reach of the project, RCA MSs may like to encourage the Agency to establish an interregional project linked to the DAT project to assist in national, regional and inter-regional sustainability.

Clearly the RCA MSs’ experience and expertise would be of assistance to the other regions and countries seeking to apply the DAT programme for their needs.

The Future

The Research Institute for Asia and Pacific (RIAP) at Sydney University will be undertaking some tasks to assist with the RCA DAT programme.

Clearly the RCA MSs’ experience and expertise would be of assistance to the other regions and countries seeking to apply the DAT programme for their needs.

Strengthening Medical Physics through Education and Training

(RAS/6/038)• LCC: Professor John Drew

• 16 participating Member States:

AUL INS MON SIN

BGD JPN MYA SRL

CPR ROK PAK THA

IND MAL PHI VIE

2007 Achievements

• Experts meeting held 8-12 January:Finalisation of clinical modules;Planning of Regional Training Program;Planning of Clinical Training Program (CTP)

Implementation.

• 3 home based contracts issued to experts to complete essential program documentation.

• Thailand was first to trial the CTP: Regional Meeting for National Trainers held

25-26 June, Bangkok, Thailand; National Training Workshop for Clinical

Supervisors held 27-28 June, Bangkok, Thailand;

4 clinical training sites inspected; Pilot RCA training program commenced in

August.

• The Philippines hosted an Experts Meeting from 29 October – 2 November: Developed a CTP for Radiology Medical

Physicists; outlined modules & agreed to action plan.

• November: Prospectus & registration of interest in CTP

pilot program issued to Member States; LCC met with local medical physicists in

Thailand and Philippines to discuss progress and future plans;

LCC invited to lecture at the SEACOMP Conference on the project.

• RTC on Implementation of the International Code of Practice for Radiotherapy Dosimetry (IAEA TRS-398) Held at the National Cancer Centre,

Singapore, 5-8 December.

Planned Activities for 2008

• Experts meeting scheduled for July in Seoul to continue the development of the modules of the CTP for Radiology Medical Physicists.

Establishment of a Benchmark for Assessing the Radiological

Impact of Nuclear Power Activities on the Marine

Environment in the Asia-Pacific region (RAS/7/016)

AUL INS MYA THA

BGD ROK PAK SIN

CPR MAL PHI VIE

IND

• LCC: Mr Ron Szymczak• 13 participating Member States

2007 Achievements

• Project Planning meeting held 9-13 July:Nomination of host countries for regional

events to be held in 2008;Work plan revised for successful project

completion;Development and agreement of a common list

of radionuclides of interest.

• Identification of National Project teams and End-users by all participating Member States.

Key Constraints• Delays obtaining agreement from Member

States to host regional events required a revised work plan to be developed;

• Project scope & boundaries relating to radiological dose assessment are to be reviewed at the mid-term project review meeting.

Planned Activities for 2008• RTC on Establishment of Transfer Factors &

Dose Assessment for Marine Organisms from Contaminants Released from Nuclear Activities:18-29 February in Cheju, Republic of Korea.

• RTC on Application of Agreed Nuclear Techniques to Measurement of Nuclear Contaminants in Marine Systems:27 May – 6 June, Mumbai, India. Prospectus approved, participants invited.

Intensification of Productivity in Coal, Minerals and

Petrochemical Industries using Nucleonic Analysis Systems

(NAS) and Radiotracers(RAS/8/107)

• LCC: Dr Jacek Charbucinski

• 14 participating Member States:

AUL INS NZL SRI

BGD ROK PAK THA

CPR MON PHI VIE

IND MYA

2007 Achievements

• Project Planning Meeting: 5-9 March, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; 25 participants.

• Technical Meeting - New Developments of Radiotracer & Sealed Source Techniques: 20-24 August, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka; 21 participants.

• Regional Training Course - In-Situ Analysis of Coal Quality: 28 October – 1 November, Dhaka,

Bangladesh; 21 participants.

• Technical Meeting – Marketing & Quality Management of Radiotracer & Sealed Source Techniques: 12-16 November, Vienna, Austria; 18 participants.

Planned Activities for 2008

• Regional Executive Management Seminar:Benefits of Industrial Applications of NAS in

Exploration and Mine Development in Mineral Industry;

7-10 April 2008, Hanoi, Vietnam.

• Mid-Term Project Review Meeting:12-16 May, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

• Regional Training Course:Off-Belt Analysis of Mineral Products; Scheduled for October in China.

• Technical Meeting on Radiotracer Applications: date and location to be advised.

Sustainability of Regional Radiation Protection

Infrastructure (RAS/9/042)

• LCC: David Woods

• 16 participating Member States:

AUL INS MYA SIN

BGD JPN NZL SRI

CPR MAL PAK THA

IND MON PHI VIE

2007 Achievements• Focal Group Meeting of Interventional

Cardiologists in Radiation Protection: 17-18 March, Malaysia; 9 participants, 1 expert, 9 Member States; Formation of an Asian Network of Cardiologists

in Radiation Protection: 2 newsletters issued (Aug 07 & Jan 08); Radiation protection sessions planned for national

& regional cardiology conferences - first held 16-21 April 2007, Bali, Indonesia at the 16th ASEAN Congress of Cardiology.

• Expert Mission to set up Emergency Exercises: 2-4 April, Chernobyl/Vienna; 3 experts, funded through RAS/9/032.

• Project Planning Meeting: 7-11 May, Sri Lanka; 13 participants, 3 experts, 1 observer, 14

Member States; Agreement not to hold a project coordination

meeting in 2008 & to allocate these funds elsewhere in the project.

• Regional Field Exercise in Chernobyl Exclusion Zone for Extended Response by Radiological Assessors:14-18 May, Ukraine;Partial funding through RAS/9/032 & EBP;5 x 2 person teams from IND, PHI, MAL, SIN

& AUL;Practical lessons working in real elevated

levels of contamination over extended areas.

• Meeting for the Establishment of a Regional Forum for Regulators: 15-19 October, Vienna; 16 participants, 3 experts, 17 Member

States; Formation of an RCA Regulator’s Forum in

Radiation Protection; RCA Regulators Forum Site established on

RaSaReN.

• Meeting to Establish a Regional ALARA Network: 3-5 December, Republic of Korea; 11 participants, 3 experts, 9 Member States; Asia Region ALARA Network (ARAN) formed; Japan as Chair; Republic of Korea as Vice-

Chair; Draft objectives agreed for the network; Membership remains open for other RCA

Member States; First Asian Regional ALARA network Meeting

scheduled for 5-7 November 2008, Chiba, Japan.

Key Constraint

• Incorrect nominations from Member States against prospectus specifications for each activity.

Project Coordination Amendment

• Project coordination of RAS/9/042 to be transferred from Australia (Mr David Woods) to Japan (Dr Kazuo Sakai) for the period 2009-2010.

Questions

Thank You

• Research Institute for Asia and the Pacific (RIAP) of the University of Sydney partnership established with the IAEA to:Develop a website to implement the DAT programme;Develop additional training modules;Prepare existing modules for website use;Develop web-based tools for student assessment.

• RIAP contribution of A$50,000.• University College London (UCL)

collaboration.• Contracts awarded to RIAP (US$45,000)

& UCL (US$10,000).

Planned Activities for 2008

• Technical Writer’s Meeting to be held 3-5 March.

• Final preparation of the modules to be completed.

• Peer review of the new modules to be undertaken in August.

• PET/CT and SPECT/CT modules to be available for Member State use early 2009.