Occupational exposure in nuclear medicine and interventional cardiology departments in Sudan: Are they following radiation protection standards?

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess, analyze and discuss the occupational exposure to ionizing radiation in interventional cardiology practices in Bangladesh for the last 5-year periods. Method: Each year, about 100 workers working in interventional cardiology departments of big hospitals in Dhaka City were monitored using Harshaw Thermoluminescent Dosimeters (TLDs) for quarterly basis. The effective dose of the occupational workers were measured using Two Harshaw TLD Readers (one is manual TLD reader, model-4500, and another is automatic TLD reader, model 6600 plus). Finding: The average annual effective dose (about 80 % workers) in interventional cardiology practices were <2mSv in 2010-2014 and no monitored workers were found to have received an occupational exposure >50 mSv in a single year or >100 mSv in a 5 year period. The status and trends in occupational exposure demonstrate that radiation protection conditions at the majority of the workplace were adequate. Despite that, further optimization is necessary due to large variations observed in the maximum individual doses over the 5-year periods.

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Radiation exposure of the staff at the therapeutic and diagnostic nuclear medicine department

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.3413/nukmed-0163 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 47 (04) ◽

pp. 175-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

J. Dolezal

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Medicine ◽

Radiation Exposure ◽

Effective Dose ◽

Radiation Protection ◽

Annual Effective Dose ◽

Protection Measures ◽

Professional Groups ◽

Personal Dosimetry ◽

The Mean ◽

Administered Activity

SummaryAim: To assess a radiation exposure and the quality of radiation protection concerning a nuclear medicine staff at our department as a six-year retrospective study. Therapeutic radionuclides such as 131I, 153Sm, 186Re, 32P, 90Y and diagnostic ones as a 99mTc, 201Tl, 67Ga, 111In were used. Material, method: The effective dose was evaluated in the period of 2001–2006 for nuclear medicine physicians (n = 5), technologists (n = 9) and radiopharmacists (n = 2). A personnel film dosimeter and thermoluminescent ring dosimeter for measuring (1-month periods) the personal dose equivalent Hp(10) and Hp(0,07) were used by nuclear medicine workers. The wearing of dosimeters was obligatory within the framework of a nationwide service for personal dosimetry. The total administered activity of all radionuclides during these six years at our department was 17,779 GBq (99mTc 14 708 GBq, 131I 2490 GBq, others 581 GBq). The administered activity of 99mTc was similar, but the administered activity of 131I in 2006 increased by 200%, as compared with the year 2001. Results: The mean and one standard deviation (SD) of the personal annual effective dose (mSv) for nuclear medicine physicians was 1.9 ± 0.6, 1.8 ± 0.8, 1.2 ± 0.8, 1.4 ± 0.8, 1.3 ± 0.6, 0.8 ± 0.4 and for nuclear medicine technologists was 1.9 ± 0.8, 1.7 ± 1.4, 1.0 ± 1.0, 1.1 ± 1.2, 0.9 ± 0.4 and 0.7 ± 0.2 in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. The mean (n = 2, estimate of SD makes little sense) of the personal annual effective dose (mSv) for radiopharmacists was 3.2, 1.8, 0.6, 1.3, 0.6 and 0.3. Although the administered activity of 131I increased, the mean personal effective dose per year decreased during the six years. Conclusion: In all three professional groups of nuclear medicine workers a decreasing radiation exposure was found, although the administered activity of 131I increased during this six-year period. Our observations suggest successful radiation protection measures at our department.

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