Investigating the effective annual dose of radiation angiography department of Afshar Hospital in Yazd and providing radiation protection strategies to better manage the dose received by staff

Abstract

Introduction: Due to the increasing use of angiography procedures and the higher risk of deterministic and stochastic effects for radiation workers of these sections than other radiological procedures, radiation safety is very important among angiography staff. Therefore, this study aimed to obtain the effective dose of angiography staff, compare them with the standard dose limit, and finally outline the strategies for occupational dose reduction in angiography.

Methods: In this study, the report of film dosimetry of angiography staff was studied and the effective periodic and annual doses of 34 radiographs were reported from the year 2015 to 2018. The relationship between effective dose and body mass index, work experience, gender and age of staff was also evaluated.

Results: The results showed that the average effective dose of the physicians, nurses and radiographers in 2 months period were 0.2 mSv and their average annual effective dose were 1.6, 1.2 and 1.2, respectively. In addition, there were no significant relationship between effective dose and work experience, age, sex and BMI of the radiation workers.

Conclusion: The effective dose of radiation in this study is less than the annual dose.. Low effective doses do not make their radiation protection less important because this reduction can be due to radiation protection by personnel in this ward. Therefore, as far as possible, radiation protection measures should be taken to reduce the radiation exposure of catheterization lab staff. In these radiologists thyroid protection, eyes, gonads, and the organs that are usually outside the lead apron is of great importance.