The National Calibration Reference Centre for Bioassay and ''In Vivo'' Monitoring (NCRC) is administered by the Radiation Protection Bureau of the Canadian Federal
Department of Health
A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their ow ...
. It was created in 1982 through a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the regulator of the nuclear industry, the Canadian
Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), formerly the
Atomic Energy Control Board, and the Department of Health with the specific mission of providing "practical reference standards" for measurements used for internal dosimetry. Two other Reference Centres were created at the same time. These were to have equivalent roles for (1) external dosimetry and (2) radon and radioactive atmospheres, and were administered, respectively, by the Canadian
National Research Council National Research Council may refer to:
* National Research Council (Canada), sponsoring research and development
* National Research Council (Italy), scientific and technological research, Rome
* National Research Council (United States), part of ...
and the federal Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. The choice of the three agencies to act as Reference Centres was based on their expertise acquired over years of work in their respective fields and the fact that they operate independently of both the CNSC and the nuclear industry.
The role of the NCRC is in keeping with Health Canada's mandate to protect and preserve the health of Canadians. Specifically, its focus is to provide:
# Independent external
quality control on a regular basis through regularly scheduled intercomparisons;
# Improvement of measurement techniques through advice and training; and
# Information on improving calibrations by supplying practical reference standards and the necessary techniques.
While the provision of intercomparison programs is its principal function, the NCRC also provides the following:
# Advice and assistance;
# Bioassay measurements and internal dose assessments of suspected radionuclide intakes;
# Research in collaboration with other agencies on radionuclide metabolism and biokinetics; and
# Methods development in support of its intercomparison programs and research studies.
The NCRC provides a national calibration reference service to universities, hospitals,
public utilities
A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and ...
and private firms in Canada. This calibration is a critical step in ensuring that measurements of internal
radiation doses to workers are accurate.
Quality
The National Calibration Reference Centre (NCRC) was registered to
ISO 9001:2000 by the Canadian General Services Board (CGSB) in December 2003. The Centre has adopted a set of standards containing
technical specifications
A specification often refers to a set of documented requirements to be satisfied by a material, design, product, or service. A specification is often a type of technical standard.
There are different types of technical or engineering specificati ...
and criteria which are used as rules and guidelines to ensure that the materials, processes, and products meet the provided services.
In addition to having an in-house
quality assurance program, Canadian Internal Dosimetry Services are required by the nuclear regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), through its Regulatory Standard S-106: "Technical and Quality Assurance Standard for Dosimetry Services in Canada", to undergo independent testing by participating in the intercomparison programs provided by the National Calibration Reference Center for Bioassay and ''In Vivo'' Monitoring (NCRC). Dosimetry services must obtain passing results prior to receiving CNSC approval to operate as a licensed service, and at least once per year thereafter, in order to demonstrate continuing capability.
Intercomparison programmes
In Vitro
The Bioassay intercomparison program is concerned with the calibration of measurements for
radioactive isotopes
A radionuclide (radioactive nuclide, radioisotope or radioactive isotope) is a nuclide that has excess nuclear energy, making it unstable. This excess energy can be used in one of three ways: emitted from the nucleus as gamma radiation; transferr ...
in
human urine
Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and in many other animals. Urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder. Urination results in urine being excreted from the body through the urethra.
Cellular me ...
samples. This program offers intercomparison samples for measurement of the following materials in urine:
# Uranium
# Tritium
#
Carbon-14
# Tritium and Carbon-14
# Fission and Activation Products
In Vivo
The ''In Vivo'' Monitoring intercomparison program is concerned with the calibration of measurement for radioactive isotopes directly in the human body. Phantoms or mannequins shaped to resemble parts of the human body are prepared which contain known quantities of radioactivity. Three programs are offered:
# Thyroid
# Lung
# Whole Body
Internal Dosimetry
Cases are sent to participating facilities, chosen by the CNSC, that must be evaluated for the internal dose received. The results are collated by the NCRC and reported back to the regulator.
External links and sources
Canadian National Calibration Reference Centre Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
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Health Canada
Radiobiology
Medical physics organizations