Omniflex monitor Radiation leaks at Brain Centre

Increased confidence in compliance combined with reduced man-hours benefits University of Cambridge. When the University of Cambridge wanted to ensure protection of staff and patients from the hazards associated with accidental radiation leaks at their new Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, (WBIC) they chose an Omniflex solution for their engineering support, and the system’s comprehensive array of alarms and its ability to interface with the widest range of monitors. The Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre (WBIC) is a research facility attached directly to the Addenbrooke's Hospital Neuro Critical Care Unit (Cambridge UK) and dedicated to imaging function in the injured human brain using Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance. The name reflects the generous funding from the Wolfson Foundation that enabled the University of Cambridge via the School of Clinical Medicine to build and equip the Centre. When WBIC needed to specify a centralised environmental monitoring system for PET facility they needed to find a company that would work with them to fully define their requirements. As medical professionals they knew their needs and had a good idea of what the system should achieve, but not being experts in the technical aspects of environmental alarm monitoring, were unsure of many of the practical issues of implementation. Omniflex provide a Maxiflex based distributed environmental alarm radiation monitoring equipment to provide comprehensive cover in all important areas of the facility. Monitoring is done from a central location in the facility on a computer screen. Features of the system include: • Presentation of reliable realtime data from a network of distributed, personnel and environmental radiation monitors, in a format everyone can understand and in relevant locations. • The storage of real-time data in a database providing a continuous record for compliance purposes. • The database can be easily accessed on request in order to demonstrate compliance. • Through the comprehensive array of alarms, the system safeguards against inadvertent or accidental infringement of statutory regulations governing the management of the release of gaseous radionuclides to the environment. • Summarized daily reports are automatically generated. • Future site environmental monitoring development will be catered for by interfacing with spare data acquisition channels and connections or by fitting additional Omniflex modules without any major disturbance of the existing system. Paul Burke, Cyclotron Engineer for WBIC had this to say: I really appreciate the way the Omniflex engineers were so instrumental in turning my ideas (somewhat 'woolly' in certain areas) into a working system. I was very impressed by the way the Omniflex team deal with their customers. Throughout the development phase they maintained a close working relationship with us and took great pains to ensure the final package was exactly tailored to our needs. "It was a refreshing change to deal a company that works in this way. All too often one ends up with a solution that is a compromise: Not so in this case, thanks to the Omniflex team. "Excellent training and after-sales service too. There is no doubt in my mind that we made a wise choice in selecting Omniflex to develop this project for us."

For more information on Omniflex monitor Radiation leaks at Brain Centre talk to Omniflex UK Limited