Next-Generation Services for e-Traceability to Ionizing Radiation National Standards

摘要

An Internet-based system for fast, remote certification of radiation sources against the U.S. national standard is near completion at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The new service will establish traceability in real time at a lower cost by using automated routines and the Internet. The software architecture is based on the Real-time Control System (RCS) methodology for control of intelligent systems. The RCS methodology uses a unique task-based approach to organize information during the design phase of an automated system. High-level tasks are broken down into smaller subtasks. The software modules built around these tasks have very limited specific functions and are coordinated and managed by upper level "manager" modules. The modules are organized into a hierarchy that is unrelated to the computer or physical location in which the module may be resident. The highest level managers in the scheme may do nothing more than coordinate other modules and ensure that these lower level modules complete their tasks appropriately. Multiple levels of state-of-the-art encryption technology will ensure the protection of private information as well as the highest degree data integrity. This technology has been built around the alanine dosimetry system and the Bruker BioSpin e-scan spectrometer. A description of the hardware and software configurations of this service as well as the communication and information management aspects of the service will be presented. The Internet-based certification service has the potential to provide radiation treatment centers with 24-hour, 7-day-per-week, on-demand certifications, immediate turnaround times, and lower cost, contributing to the overall quality of clinical treatment programs.