Radiation detection schemes, apparatus and methods of transmitting radiation detection information to a network

Abstract

Personal radiation detection devices, methods of obtaining radiation exposure data, and networks of personal radiation devices. The detection devices may include passive devices and active devices. The passive detection devices may have the same form factor as credit cards or be included in common types of credit card form factor sized cards.

1 . A personal radiation detection device, comprising:
 a body having a frontside and an opposing backside;   a window in said body, said window open to said frontside and said backside of said body; and   a radiation detection layer positioned in said window, said radiation detection layer comprising a material that will undergo a change in optical density, color, color intensity, electrical capacitance, electrical conductance or tensile strength upon exposure to ionizing radiation.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , said body further including equal length opposing top and bottom edges and equal length opposing left and right side edges, no width, length or thickness dimension of said body being greater that a corresponding width, length or thickness dimension of a common credit card. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said radiation detection layer comprises regions having sensitivities to different doses of a same type or types of ionizing radiation. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said ionizing radiation comprises alpha radiation, beta radiation, gamma radiation, neutron radiation or combinations thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , further including:
 a set of reference regions of varying optical density, color or color intensity corresponding to different levels of exposure of said radiation detection layer to corresponding doses of said ionizing radiation, said set of reference regions located within said window, said set of reference regions insensitive to said ionizing radiation.   
   
   
       6 . A method of performing triage based on an exposure level to nuclear radiation, comprising:
 obtaining one or more personal radiation detection devices, each personal radiation detection device comprising:
 a body having a frontside and an opposing backside; 
 a window in said body, said window open to said frontside and said backside of said body; and 
 a radiation detection layer positioned in said window, said radiation detection layer comprising a material that will undergo a change in optical density, color, color intensity, electrical capacitance, electrical conductance or tensile strength upon exposure to ionizing radiation; and 
   determining a radiation dose recorded by said radiation detection layer in each device based on a change in optical density, color, color intensity, electrical capacitance, electrical conductance or tensile strength of said radiation detection layer.   
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , said body further including equal length opposing top and bottom edges and equal length opposing left and right side edges, no width, length or thickness dimension of said body being greater that a corresponding width, length or thickness dimension of a common credit card. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , further including:
 determining a medical treatment based on a protocol based on exposure of a human body to said radiation dose recorded by said radiation detection layer.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said determining a radiation dose recorded by said radiation detection layer includes placing said personal radiation detection device into a reading device. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said reading device determines said change in optical density, color, color intensity, electrical capacitance, electrical conductance or tensile strength of said radiation detection layer. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said reading device determines changes in optical density, color, color intensity of said radiation detection layer by passing a light beam through said radiation detection layer. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 6 ,
 wherein said window in said personal radiation detection device includes a set of reference regions of varying optical density, color or color intensity corresponding to different levels of exposure of said radiation detection layer to corresponding doses of said ionizing radiation, said set of reference regions located within said window, said set of reference regions insensitive to said ionizing radiation; and   further including, comparing an optical density, color or color intensity said set of reference regions to a corresponding an optical density, color or color intensity of said radiation detection layer in order to determine said radiation dose recorded by said radiation sensitive layer.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 6 ,
 wherein said window in said personal radiation detection device includes a set of reference regions of varying optical density, color or color intensity corresponding to different levels of exposure of said radiation detection layer to corresponding doses of said ionizing radiation, said set of reference regions located within said window, said set of reference regions insensitive to said ionizing radiation; and   further including, a reading device comparing an optical density, color or color intensity said set of reference regions to a corresponding an optical density, color or color intensity of said radiation detection layer in order to determine said radiation dose recorded by said radiation sensitive layer.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said ionizing radiation comprises alpha radiation, beta radiation, gamma radiation, neutron radiation or combinations thereof. 
   
   
       15 . A network for collecting radiation exposure information, comprising:
 a multiplicity of personal radiation detection devices according to  claim 1 ;   one or more reading devices adapted to determine a radiation exposure dose recorded by said radiation detection layer, said radiation dose recorded as said change in optical density, color, color intensity, electrical capacitance, electrical conductance or tensile strength upon exposure to said ionizing radiation; and   one or more network computers connected to said one or more of said one or more reading devices and connected to each other, said network computers having software to compile and statistically manipulate recorded radiation exposure dose data received from said one or more reading devices and entered into one or more of said one or more network computers from one or more of said multiplicity of personal detection devices.   
   
   
       16 . The network of  claim 15 , wherein bodies of each personal radiation device of said multiplicity of personal radiation detection devices further include equal length opposing top and bottom edges and equal length opposing left and right side edges, no width, length or thickness dimension of said body being greater that a corresponding width, length or thickness dimension of a common credit card. 
   
   
       17 . The network of  claim 1 , wherein said radiation detection layer of each personal radiation device of said multiplicity of personal radiation detection devices comprises regions having sensitivities to different doses of a same type or types of ionizing radiation. 
   
   
       18 . The network of  claim 15 , wherein said ionizing radiation comprises alpha radiation, beta radiation, gamma radiation, neutron radiation or combinations thereof. 
   
   
       19 . The network of  claim 13 , wherein each personal radiation device of said multiplicity of personal radiation detection devices further includes a set of reference regions of varying optical density, color or color intensity corresponding to different levels of exposure of said radiation detection layer to corresponding doses of said ionizing radiation, said set of reference regions located within said window, said set of reference regions insensitive to said ionizing radiation.