OBJECTIVE The purposes of the present study were to determine the dose to medical staff in interventional radiology at different locations on the body measured by thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) and to relate the medical staff dose to patient dose measured by the dose-area product (DAP) meter. METHODS The present study covered 42 patients in three interventional radiology procedures with three x-ray machines. Thermoluminescent dosimeters were stuck at eight positions on the radiologist's skin during the procedure. In addition, direct reading from the DAP meter placed in front of the collimator of the x-ray tube, was recorded to estimate the patient radiation dose. RESULTS The surface dose to the primary radiologist showed maximum value at the left forearm of 407 microGy. The ratios between the maximum interventional radiologist surface dose and patient dose are 12.88 microGy per 10 Gycm2 for transarterial oily chemoembolization TOCE (Siemens Polystar), 22.58 microGy per 10 Gycm2 for transarterial oily chemoembolization TOCE (Siemens Neurostar), 148.29 microGy per 10 Gycm2 for percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage PTBD (Siemens Polystar) and 100.46 microGy per 10 Gycm2for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ERCP (GE Advantx). CONCLUSIONS The interventional radiologist surface dose can be estimated from the mentioned ratio if the patient dose is measured. This will help the radiologists to avoid receiving an excess dose during their work.