Study of radiation doses to personnel in a cardiac catheterization laboratory. 1996

M H McKetty
Department of Radiology, Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC 20060, USA.

Radiation safety guidelines and federal regulations (10 CFR Part 20) require that radiation workers who are likely to receive above a certain percentage of the effective dose equivalent limit be monitored and that exposure be maintained as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). With few exceptions in our hospital, the badges that exceed the Level 1 ALARA limits were worn by personnel in the Cardiology Division. The objective of this study was to determine the reasons for the high personnel dosimeter readings for staff in the cardiac catheterization laboratory and implement corrective measures to keep exposures ALARA. The physicians were double badged. The fluoroscopic time for each patient examination performed by each physician in the catheterization laboratory was tabulated and compared with the exposure on the dosimeters of the person performing the study. Education and retraining of cardiology staff concerning radiation protection and the use of state-of-the-art equipment are major considerations in reducing worker radiation exposure.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011829 Radiation Dosage The amount of radiation energy that is deposited in a unit mass of material, such as tissues of plants or animal. In RADIOTHERAPY, radiation dosage is expressed in gray units (Gy). In RADIOLOGIC HEALTH, the dosage is expressed by the product of absorbed dose (Gy) and quality factor (a function of linear energy transfer), and is called radiation dose equivalent in sievert units (Sv). Sievert Units,Dosage, Radiation,Gray Units,Gy Radiation,Sv Radiation Dose Equivalent,Dosages, Radiation,Radiation Dosages,Units, Gray,Units, Sievert
D011834 Radiation Monitoring The observation, either continuously or at intervals, of the levels of radiation in a given area, generally for the purpose of assuring that they have not exceeded prescribed amounts or, in case of radiation already present in the area, assuring that the levels have returned to those meeting acceptable safety standards. Monitoring, Radiation
D011835 Radiation Protection Methods and practices adopted to protect against RADIATION. Protection, Radiation
D006328 Cardiac Catheterization Procedures in which placement of CARDIAC CATHETERS is performed for therapeutic or diagnostic procedures. Catheterization, Cardiac,Catheterization, Heart,Heart Catheterization,Cardiac Catheterizations,Catheterizations, Cardiac,Catheterizations, Heart,Heart Catheterizations
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D016273 Occupational Exposure The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents that occurs as a result of one's occupation. Exposure, Occupational,Exposures, Occupational,Occupational Exposures

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