Decommissioning of a 60Co unit and estimation of personal doses

Chang-hua Christian Hospital needs to uninstall the Co-60 unit. The mode of this Co-60 teletherapy unit is SHIMADZU RTGS-10. The original lead head was taken as the source container of this Co-60 unit. The source head was dismantled and put into the prepared wooden box, after the source was sealed. This Study describes the planning and dismantling of the retirement and transport of the Co-60 unit, and personal doses measured during the procedure. This work estimates the doses of radiation received by exposed workers during the dismantling of the machine. The workers received doses of approximately 53 muSv. This study shows that the original lead head can be used as the source container of this Co-60 unit. The Co-60 machine was smoothly dismantled and transported by conscientious and careful workers, using planned and controlled radiation protection, following the ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) rule.