The use of fluoroscopy equipment in surgical procedures exposes professionals to ionizing radiation. An important safety aspect is the correct use of personal protective equipment and monitoring of dose levels in workers. In Brazil, the Resolution of the Collegiate Board of Directors (RDC) No. 330/2019 demands the use of individual dosimeter for professionals who exceed the public dose limits. However, when personal dosimeters are not available, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommends attaching a dosimeter to the C-Arm, close to the detector, to estimate the dose received by medical personnel. The objective of this research was to evaluate the levels of exposure in professionals during surgical procedures in the operation room. This analysis was performed by placing OSL dosimeters on the C-arm equipment for eleven months and comparing them with the quantitative values extracted from the equipment in the routine. Two mobile fluoroscopies C-Arm equipment were used in this study. A total of 1231 procedures were evaluated, with a mean dose value of 5.8µSv per procedure. Thus, the maximum number of procedures that the same professional can perform was 140 procedures per day for a staff member considering worker dose limits and 7 procedures per day for staff members using the required protective aprons considering the public dose limits. Although the study shows that the dose limits established by regulatory bodies are above the doses recorded in clinical practice, this situation should not promote false safety in the use of ionizing radiation.
Computed Tomography (CT) has been one of the greatest innovations for medical diagnosis. Among the main features of CT is its ability to provide high-quality anatomical and functional images. Other important imaging modalities are the ones conducted in Nuclear Medicine (NM), which, with the use of radiotracers, makes it possible to obtain metabolic and molecular images in vivo. The union of NM and CT imaging modalities is possible through hybrid equipment. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the quality and quantity of tomographic exams that can be performed in hybrid equipment. To complete this research analyzes of the ability to perform CT exams in the room that holds a Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography/ Computed Tomography SPECT/CT equipment in an NM facility were carried out. The evaluation criteria were: equipment quality control, image quality assessment by a subjective method as per European Guidelines on Quality Criteria for Computed Tomography (EUR), and assessment of shielding of the room, as an indicator of how many exams can be performed. Considering the results of the barrier thickness, the Botucatu Medical School and Nuclear Medicine facility is capable of performing 100 tomography exams per week. According to information obtained in the facility, currently, approximately 20 scans are performed weekly, so there is an increased opportunity of up to 80 exams weekly. Therefore, the hybrid equipment is qualified to perform diagnostic tests with superior image quality, compared to those performed in CT equipment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.