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CONCERT · Project

Radiation Dose Monitoring Tools and Safety Standards for Hospitals and Nuclear Sites

healthPrototypeTRL 4Thin data (2/5)
concert-h2020.eu

Imagine 79 organizations across 27 countries pooling their knowledge about radiation — how it affects people, how to measure it accurately, and how to protect workers and patients. CONCERT built practical tools like a real-time app that calculates radiation doses during medical treatments and a portable thyroid monitoring device for nuclear emergencies. Think of it as building a shared European playbook for radiation safety, backed by actual prototype devices that hospitals and emergency responders can use.

By the numbers
EUR 19,822,878
EU contribution to radiation protection research
79
consortium partners across Europe
27
countries represented in the consortium
207
total project deliverables produced
3
working prototype tools delivered
5
industry partners in the consortium
The business problem

What needed solving

Hospitals still struggle with accurate real-time radiation dose calculation during treatments, risking patient over- or under-exposure. Nuclear facilities and emergency responders lack fast, portable tools for screening radiation exposure in workers and affected populations after incidents. Current monitoring relies on delayed readings and fragmented national standards rather than unified European best practices.

The solution

What was built

Three working prototypes: a fast Monte Carlo real-time radiation dose estimation application designed for hospital testing, a processing unit for a portable thyroid dose monitor for emergency screening, and a health and welfare monitoring app tracking diet and space-time exposure distribution. In total, 207 deliverables were produced across all work packages.

Audience

Who needs this

Radiotherapy equipment manufacturers (Elekta, Varian, IBA)Nuclear power plant operators and decommissioning companiesOccupational radiation monitoring service providersNational radiation protection authorities upgrading to Euratom BSS complianceEmergency response equipment suppliers for CBRN incidents
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical devices and hospital equipment
mid-size
Target: Companies manufacturing radiotherapy planning systems or hospital dosimetry equipment

If you are a medical device company supplying radiation therapy departments — this project developed a prototype fast Monte Carlo real-time radiation dose estimation application tested in hospitals. It could help your equipment deliver more accurate dose calculations during treatment, reducing over- or under-exposure for patients. The tool was built within a 79-partner consortium spanning 27 countries.

Nuclear energy and decommissioning
enterprise
Target: Nuclear power plant operators and decommissioning contractors

If you are a nuclear facility operator dealing with worker dose monitoring and emergency preparedness — this project produced a prototype thyroid dose monitor processing unit for rapid screening after radiological incidents. With input from 34 research organizations and 5 industry partners, the tools align with Euratom Basic Safety Standards implementation across Europe.

Radiation protection services and consultancy
SME
Target: Occupational health companies providing radiation monitoring to hospitals, labs, and industrial sites

If you are a radiation protection consultancy tracking worker exposure across multiple sites — this project built a prototype health and welfare monitoring app that tracks diet and space-time distribution of exposure. Developed across 207 deliverables, these tools could help you offer digital, real-time monitoring services to your clients instead of relying on delayed badge readings.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt these radiation monitoring tools?

The project was publicly funded with EUR 19,822,878 from the EU and coordinated by Germany's Federal Office for Radiation Protection (a public body). Licensing terms are not specified in the available data, but public-sector coordination typically means favorable terms for commercial partners. Direct contact with the coordinator would clarify IP and pricing.

Can these prototypes work at industrial scale in hospitals or nuclear plants?

Three prototype-level tools were delivered: a real-time dose estimation app for hospitals, a thyroid dose monitor processing unit, and a health monitoring app. These were designed for testing in real settings (the dose app was specifically built to be tested in hospitals), but scaling to full commercial products would require further engineering and regulatory clearance.

Who owns the intellectual property from this project?

The project was coordinated by Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (German Federal Office for Radiation Protection), a public institution. IP from EU-funded COFUND projects is typically shared among consortium partners under the grant agreement. Specific licensing arrangements would need to be negotiated with the relevant partners who developed each prototype.

Does this align with current European radiation safety regulations?

Yes — one of CONCERT's explicit goals was to foster implementation of the Euratom Basic Safety Standards (BSS) across Europe. The project brought together regulatory expertise and scientific evidence specifically to harmonize radiation protection practices, making its outputs directly relevant to regulatory compliance.

How long would it take to turn these prototypes into commercial products?

The project ran from 2015 to 2020 and delivered working prototypes. Based on available project data, the tools reached demonstration stage but would need additional development cycles for commercial readiness. A realistic timeline from prototype to certified medical or nuclear device is typically several years depending on regulatory pathway.

Can these tools integrate with existing hospital or dosimetry systems?

The real-time Monte Carlo dose estimation app was specifically designed for hospital environments. Based on available project data, integration details with specific vendor systems are not documented, but the tool was built to operate in clinical settings alongside existing treatment planning infrastructure.

Consortium

Who built it

CONCERT is a massive coordination effort with 79 partners across 27 countries, but it is overwhelmingly research-driven: 34 research organizations and 21 universities make up the bulk, while only 5 industry partners (6% ratio) and just 2 SMEs participated. The coordinator, Germany's Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, is a public regulatory body — not a commercial entity. For a business looking to adopt these tools, this means the science is solid and well-validated across Europe's top radiation labs, but commercial productization was not the primary goal. A company would need to partner directly with the specific teams that built the prototypes to bring them to market.

How to reach the team

Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (German Federal Office for Radiation Protection) — reach out to their international cooperation or research department

Order a report on this consortiumSee BUNDESAMT FUER STRAHLENSCHUTZ profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the teams behind the real-time dose estimation app or thyroid monitor? SciTransfer can connect you with the right researchers and handle the matchmaking.

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