Assessment of Occupational Radiation Doses of Medical Radiation Workers in Two Community Hospitals

Abstract

The International Commission on Radiological Protection recommends the adoption of the linear, no-threshold model as a predictive risk model for radiation protection purposes since the relationship between low-dose radiation exposure and cancer risk is unclear. Medical radiation workers are subject to occupational exposures and differences in workload, area of work and types of exposure can lead to variations in exposures between different occupational groups. We investigated the occupational exposures of 572 workers from four departments in two community hospitals and stratified into 22 occupational groups in order to identify groups with the highest radiation exposure. The occupational doses from 2015 to 2019 were analyzed to identify the dose distribution of each occupational group, total number of monitored workers, annual and collective deep (Hp(10)), eye (Hp(3)) and shallow (Hp(0.07)) doses. We further determined the individual and occupational group lifetime doses as well as the probability that monitored workers’ lifetime doses will exceed a specified lifetime dose level. The occupational groups with the highest radiation exposures were the nuclear medicine technologists, diagnostic imaging radiologists and diagnostic cardiologists. Although our data suggest that occupational doses reported are low, it is essential that exposure of occupationally exposed personnel are always kept as low as reasonably achievable with an effective radiation protection program.

Evaluation of Complete Blood Counts Parameters of Occupational Radiation and Non-Radiation Professionals from Three Teaching Hospitals in South-South Nigeria

“…The occupational radiations effects are usually as a result of short time exposure to high doses of ionizing radiations above the occupational exposure limit (International Atomic Energy cited by Chinangwa et al (3) and Zare and Mortazari (1) . The exposure of radiation workers to ionizing radiations, especially in medical field has increased due to the use of advance technological equipment in the diagnostic radiology and radiotherapy departments (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10) . According to UNSCEAR (6) .…”

“…These categories of medical work force are inevitably exposed to long term low-dose ionizing radiation even if they apply the normal personal protective equipment (1,11) . Previous studies have identified the connection between moderate to high-dose exposure to ionizing radiation and the potential of cancer development, such as leukemia, thyroid, lung, colon, breast and bladder cancers (4,12,13) . Although, there were controversial issues regarding the effects of ionizing radiations on humans as noted by Koptar and Garaj-Vrhovire (14) , previous studies on the genetic changes due to ionizing radiation effects reported that the number of chromosomal aberrations in medical personnel working with ionizing radiations was higher than those of the general public (2,15) .…”

Effect of Radiation Protection Training on Medical Students using X-ray Equipment

“…Some physicians receive more extensive external exposure than radiological technologists do. 1 During interventional procedures and fluoroscopic examinations/surgeries, prolonged fluoroscopy is required, physicians and assistants may be positioned close to the patient, and radiation exposure due to scattered radiation may be increased. However, the knowledge and awareness of external radiation protection appear to vary among physicians.…”

“…However, the knowledge and awareness of external radiation protection appear to vary among physicians. 1 Radiological technologists typically have acquired sufficient practical knowledge of external radiation protection, and measurement experiments conducted during their time as students may greatly help reduce radiation exposure. Therefore, more practical and effective education on radiation protection might be necessary for medical students.…”