OA220] Evaluation of a new personal radiation protection device for the operator’s head during X-ray diagnostics and interventions

Abstract

Purpose In clinical interventions, medical personnel are subjected to X-ray exposure, which can result in radiation-induced diseases. Lead shields and personal radiation-protection equipment are routinely used, but sometimes difficult to position and only parts of the body are covered. As a result, operators head and extremities are sometimes poorly protected. Ten Medical Design AB has developed a head shield based on 0.25 mm lead equivalence - HeadPeace. In this pilot study, HeadPeace ability to reduce radiation doses to the operator’s head in clinical routine interventions was evaluated. Methods Six interventional operators wore the HeadPeace, in which thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD), DXTRAD Extremity Dosimeters were positioned to measure scattered radiation towards the operators head while performing X-ray based clinical interventions. Operators participating in the study followed radiation-protection routines at the department. HeadPeace was worn as complementary radiation protection equipment. In total, 42 measuring points (fourteen TLD-dosimeters per HeadPeace) were used on the in- and outside of HeadPeace, at the following positions: frontal (0 degrees angle); 45; 90; 225; and 270 degrees, seen from above. The TLDs were worn for a month; calibrated; background subtracted and T-tested (p-value Results Preliminary data shows that the absorbed doses to the TLDs outside HeadPeace were low. At 20 out of 42 measuring points, the TLD-measurements outside HeadPeace was significantly higher compared to the background measurements, p-value The TLD-measurements varied depending on operator’s position relative to the patients irradiated area. Conclusions The absorbed doses to operators head surface were low, as expected, due to the use of basic radiation-protection methods, such as increasing distance and use of lead shields. However, the absorbed dose was significantly lower on the inside of the HeadPeace, compared to nearest measuring points outside the HeadPeace. Concern need to be taken to the scattered radiation in the eye-, cheek- and chin- direction, which HeadPeace do not cover. Further studies are needed, evaluating the absorbed-dose distribution inside the head as well as the radiation risk.