Shorter measurement times when using shadow shield whole body radiation counters

The results of a national survey of body radioactivity in the general public were published in 1989 (A.L. McKenzie et al., ibid., vol.9, p.247-50, 1989). Many of the data were acquired using a mobile shadow shield whole body counter constructed for the purpose which visited several towns and cities throughout England and Wales; a similar but static whole body counter was installed as part of the same project at the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, Cumbria. The authors describe a study undertaken at Whitehaven to examine the feasibility of using a shorter time for measuring subjects, by employing a faster scan speed than that used for normal measurements, for use in the event of a large number of people requesting whole body monitoring following a radiological incident.