This study investigates the relationship between personal dosemeter (PD) reading, effective dose and dose to the lens of the eye for interventional cardiologists in Norway. Doses were recorded with thermoluminescence dosemeters (TLD-100) for 14 cardiologists, and the effective doses were estimated using the Niklason algorithm. The procedures performed were coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention, and all the hospitals (eight) in Norway, which are performing these procedures, were included in the study. Effective dose per unit dose-area product varied by a factor of 5, and effective dose relative to PD reading varied between 4 and 39%. Eye lens doses ranged from 39 to 138% of the dosemeter reading. On the basis of an estimated annual workload of 900 procedures, the annual effective doses ranged from 1 to 11 mSv. The estimated annual doses to the unprotected eye ranged from 9 to 210 mSv. According to the ICRP dose limits, the results indicate that the eye could be the limiting organ.
Conversion coefficients from measurable quantities such as air kerma free-in-air or personal dose equivalent to effective dose were determined by phantom experiments. Heterogenic anthropomorphic phantoms representing children of one and five years age, and a Rando phantom representing an adult were exposed in the open field contaminated by different levels of radiocesium in the upper soil layer, in a forest site and inside a wooden house. LiF thermoluminescent (TL) detectors were used inside the phantoms for the estimation of organ doses and effective dose. Personal dosimeters similar to those used in radiation protection for individual dose measurements were placed onto the phantom surface (chest area). The ratios of dose values in separate organs to air kerma free-in-air varied from 0.69 to 1.15 for the children phantoms, and from 0.55 to 0.94 for the adult phantom, respectively, when irradiated in the open field. Body size (weight) was found to be the most important factor influencing the values of the conversion coefficients. The differences observed can reach approximately 40% when comparing conversion factors from air kerma free-in-air to effective dose for adults and newborns. For conversion coefficients from personal dose to effective dose, these differences can reach approximately 15%. The dependences of the various conversion coefficients on body mass were quantified by regression analysis. The results were compared with those calculated for a plane mono-energetic photon source having an energy of 700 keV and being located in the ground at a depth of 0.5 g cm(-2). Calculated and measured conversion coefficients from air kerma free-in-air to effective dose agreed within 12%.
The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority has performed measurements of finger doses to nuclear medicine staff exposed to 99Tc(m), researchers handling 32P, surgeons performing X-ray guided orthopaedic surgery and surgeons and radiologists performing X-ray guided endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Calibrations were done with X-ray qualities N-40, N-60 and N-300 and with the beta source 90Sr + 90Y. Annual doses were estimated for the nuclear medicine staff and the orthopaedic surgeons. The mean annual finger dose to nuclear medicine staff exposed to 99Tc(m) was estimated to be 18.8 mSv, and the mean annual finger dose to surgeons performing X-ray guided orthopaedic surgery was 13.7 mSv. The surgeons and radiologists performing X-ray guided endovascular treatment of AAA received a mean finger dose of 0.35 mSv per treatment. The majority of researchers handling 32P received no finger dose at all, and the maximum reading was 1.65 mSv. All occupational groups received finger doses well below the annual finger dose limit of 500 mSv.
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