Radiation Protection for Radiologic Technologists

The book begins with an excellent section on the methodology for starting and maintaining cell and organ cultures from human biopsy specimens. Techniques for growing monolayer cultures, cell suspension cultures, free-floating slice cultures, and organ cultures of several types are presented clearly and in detail. Subsequent sections ofthe book describe the application ofshort term cultures oftumor cells to diagnosing cancer, evaluating the immunological status of the cancer patient, and predicting the sensitivity of tumors to therapy. Several papers describe the use of short term cultures to evaluate the sensitivity of tumors to chemotherapeutic agents, ionizing radiation, hyperthermia, and hormonal therapy. Many of these papers are especially valuable to the researcher, because they emphasize the development, methodology, application, and limitations of the cell culture techniques , as well as the data obtained with the cultures. The final section of the book considers the possibility of individualizing chemotherapy by using short term cultures from biopsy specimens to monitor the chemosensitivity of individual tumors before and during treatment and using the data obtained in these tests to optimize the therapeutic regimen for each patient. In spite ofthe fact that this conference was held 3 years ago, the book is one ofthe best and most up-to-date available reviews of the techniques and applications of short term cultures oftumor cells in cancer research and cancer therapy. The book should be of interest and use to those working with cultures of human or animal tumors, to those interpreting data obtained with such systems, and to those interested in new clinical tools for use in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This is an excellent book on protection written primarily for diagnostic radio-logic technologists but it is a worthwhile introduction to protection for medical students and physicians. For a short textbook, it does very well integrating basic physics, radiation biology and radiation protection. There are ten chapters starting with a review of the interaction of x-rays with matter, units of radiation, and the biological effects of ionizing radiation both immediate and long-term. These effects are then translated to the clinical situation and into maximum permissible doses for both radiation workers and the general public. Examples of specific calculations of permissible doses in various circumstances are demonstrated. In later chapters, the student learns the uses and limitations of various types of instruments used in ionizing radiation protection, as well as the basic methods of minimizing diagnostic x-ray exposure …