Radiological Data Management

EQuIS has specific fields that track radiological data. Most test data are tracked using a CAS_RN value (chemical number) and saved to a results table (DT_RESULT), which is also connected to test and sampling data.

Warning: Radiological data values can potentially exceed the precision of the DT_RESULT.RESULT_NUMERIC field, decimal(19,10), which extends to 10 decimal places. To avoid this issue, consider carefully which radiological units to use in EDDs, or consult EarthSoft Support for assistance.

For more information on the decimal data type in SQL Server, see Microsoft documentation. It may also be beneficial to review how EQuIS manages significant figures.

EarthSoft does distribute a Rad_Chem Schema to clients that require decimal(28, 19) to allow for more precise measurements in radiological data, however, that will increase space required for the DT_RESULT.RESULT_NUMERIC field and the overall database size. Customers can request the Rad_Chem Schema from EarthSoft Support.

Note: Prior to applying the Rad_Chem Schema, the database must be updated to 7.21.3 Build or later to ensure that the DT_RESULT.RESULT_NUMERIC value is large enough to contain the data from the expanded RESULT_NUMERIC field.

The RT_ANALYTE_DETAIL.HALF_LIFE_YEARS field and the following fields from the DT_RESULT table support radiological data:

UNCERTAINTY – The uncertainty of the counting error. Valid values include "1 sigma" or "2 sigma". This field is required if the COUNTING_ERROR field is populated.

MINIMUM_DETECTABLE_CONC – The lowest concentration of an analyte that can be detected. This value should be in the same unit as DT_RESULT.RESULT_UNIT.

COUNTING_ERROR – This is the error as reported by the laboratory for tests that depending on counting. This value should be in the same unit as DT_RESULT.RESULT_UNIT.

CRITICAL_VALUE – Critical value as reported by the laboratory.

RESULT_ERROR_DELTA – Error range applicable to the result value; typically used only for radiochemistry results. This is an optional field for the laboratory EDD unless otherwise specified by the EQuIS project manager.

Read more about these fields using the Data Dictionary dashboard available on the EarthSoft Community Center.

EQuIS has formats that allow for negative values, such as the EZEDD or EQEDD formats, or a format can be modified to allow negative values. The EQEDD format includes the fields referenced above in the Lab sections of the format. For more information regarding formats and format customization, see the Selecting an Appropriate EQuIS Format and Making Changes to Format Files articles.

The RT_UNIT and RT_UNIT_CONVERSION_FACTOR tables may need to be updated to handle unit radiological conversions. For additional guidance on how to add the appropriate values and information on how EQuIS handles these, please see Unit Conversion Formulas and Populate Parameter Selection List – Add Unit Types to Report Parameter Selections.