Occupational radiation monitoring at a large medical center in Japan
Date
2014-02-26
Authors
ALMasri, Hussein Y.
Kakinohana, Yasumasa
Yogi, Tadashi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer Publishing Company
Abstract
Occupational radiation dose monitoring is a
method of ensuring that radiation levels are within the
regulatory limits. Our objective in this study was to evaluate
the radiation doses experienced by personnel at a
radiology facility between 2001 and 2010. Overall, 2418
annual dose records for workers who were categorized into
four occupational groups were analyzed. The groups
included: (1) radiologists, (2) radiologic technologists, (3)
nurses, and (4) other workers, who belong to other hospital
departments, but who participate partially in some radiologic
procedures. The dose distribution was found to be
skewed, with 76 % of personnel having received no measurable
doses and almost 2 % having received doses of
more than 2 mSv. The weighted-average annual doses
ranged from 0.13 to 0.57, 0.9 to 2.12, 0.01 to 0.19, and 0.01
to 0.09 mSv for the radiologists, radiologic technologists,
nurses, and the other workers, respectively. The radiologic
technologists received the highest radiation exposure
among the four groups. It was found that the average
annual doses were decreasing over time for the radiologists,
radiologic technologists, and others, whereas they
were increasing for the nurses. Nurses play an important
role in assisting radiologists and patients during various
radiologic procedures, which might have increased their
average annual dose. During the 10-year period of this
study, there was no incidence of a dose exceeding the
annual dose limit of 20 mSv. Furthermore, there was no
detectable neutron exposure.
Description
Keywords
Personnel , Monitoring , Occupational , Radiation dose