In the United States there are several thousand devices containing high-activity radiation sources licensed for use in areas ranging from medical uses such as cancer therapy to safety uses such as testing of structures and industrial equipment. Those radiation sources are licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and state agencies. Concerns have been raised about the safety and security of the radiation sources, particularly amid fears that they could be used to create dirty bombs, or radiological dispersal device (RDD). In response to a request from Congress, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission asked the National Research Council to conduct a study to review the uses of high-risk radiation sources and the feasibility of replacing them with lower risk alternatives. The study concludes that the U.S. government should consider factors such as potential economic consequences of misuse of the radiation sources into its assessments of risk. Although the committee found that replacements of most sources are possible, it is not economically feasible in some cases. The committee recommends that the U.S. government take steps to in the near term to replace radioactive cesium chloride radiation sources, a potential "dirty bomb" ingredient used in some medical and research equipment, with lower-risk alternatives. The committee further recommends that longer term efforts be undertaken to replace other sources. The book presents a number of options for making those replacements.

With an introduction by Marie Curie''s granddaughter, nuclear physicist Dr. Hélène Langevin-Joliot, who reveals a host of interesting and hitherto unknown stories about her famous family (winners of five Nobel Prizes), this unique popular science book dispels many unfounded fears and provides a wealth of valuable information.As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Marie Curie''s first Nobel Prize, awarded to her and her husband, Pierre, for their monumental discovery of radioactivity, it is an ideal time to reflect on the countless ways that their astounding work has so marvelously enriched our daily lives. Despite public fears of the potentially harmful effects of radiation from nuclear waste, we in fact rely on its many beneficial uses everyday for fresh food preservation, fighting terrorism, stopping crime, cancer detection and treatment, spacecraft power, and numerous other life-enhancing applications.In this lucid overview of radiation''s many great benefits and ongoing potential, Dr. Alan E. Waltar, past president of the American Nuclear Society, explains how this important energy source has been harnessed to serve a plethora of humanitarian tasks. Through artful use of vivid anecdotes that give vibrancy to technical explanations, Waltar provides numerous examples of radiation''s many uses in agriculture, medicine, electricity generation, modern industry, transportation, public safety, environmental protection, space exploration, and even archeology and the arts. Estimating the total financial contribution of all these varied uses, Waltar comes to the startling revelation that radiation technology now contributes more than $420 billion to the U.S. economy and over 4.4 million jobs. In only one century, Marie Curie''s discoveries have provided an infrastructure larger than the entire U.S. airline industry.In the future Dr. Waltar foresees continuous improvement in many areas of science, industry, and medicine through tapping the incredible potential of Marie Curie''s initial insights. At a time when our dependency on foreign oil makes us vulnerable and when we know that our fossil fuel resources will soon be used up, we need to understand radiation more than ever. This superb book will provide that necessary insight.

This open access book gives a complete and comprehensive introduction to the fields of medical imaging systems, as designed for a broad range of applications. The authors of the book first explain the foundations of system theory and image processing, before highlighting several modalities in a dedicated chapter. The initial focus is on modalities that are closely related to traditional camera systems such as endoscopy and microscopy. This is followed by more complex image formation processes: magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray projection imaging, computed tomography, X-ray phase-contrast imaging, nuclear imaging, ultrasound, and optical coherence tomography.

X-ray computed tomography has been used for several decades as a tool for measuring the three-dimensional geometry of the internal organs in medicine. However, in recent years, we have seen a move in manufacturing industries for the use of X-ray computed tomography; first to give qualitative information about the internal geometry and defects in a component, and more recently, as a fully-quantitative technique for dimensional and materials analysis. This trend is primarily due to the ability of X-ray computed tomography to give a high-density and multi-scale representation of both the external and internal geometry of a component, in a non-destructive, non-contact and relatively fast way. But, due to the complexity of X-ray computed tomography, there are remaining metrological issues to solve and the specification standards are still under development. This book will act as a one-stop-shop resource for students and users of X-ray computed tomography in both academia and industry. It presents the fundamental principles of the technique, detailed descriptions of the various components (hardware and software), current developments in calibration and performance verification and a wealth of example applications. The book will also highlight where there is still work to do, in the perspective that X-ray computed tomography will be an essential part of Industry 4.0.

Quality Technology Handbook, Fourth Edition offers a wide discussion on technology and its related subtopics. After giving some information on its background, content, and authors, the book then informs the readers about the quality problem check-list and enumerates the questions one has to ask to ensure that a problem will be solved. This part is followed by a discussion on non-destructive testing (NDT) and the several committees formed for it, among which are the British National Committee and the Harwell NDT Center. The book also includes information on two organizations that are closely related to the topic, the Institute of Quality Assurance (IQA) and The Welding Institute (TWI). A directory of international organizations related to quality assurance and non-destructive testing is provided in the latter part of the text. The book serves as valuable reference to undergraduates or postgraduates of courses that are related to science and technology.

Radiography can be an invaluable tool for the study of a diverse array of cultural materials including metals, ceramics, paper, paintings and human and animal remains. In this book, experts in the field bring to life their experiences with the different materials, describing the techniques that can be employed to discover the stories behind the objects. This second edition, available in paperback for the first time, includes new case studies and images, as well as whole new sections on digital imaging, quality control and animal mummies.