OCCUPATIONAL DOSE ASSESSMENT FOR NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND RADIOTHERAPY TECHNOLOGISTS IN SAUDI ARABIA.

Abstract

This study estimated the occupational radiation dose received by nuclear medicine and radiotherapy technologists in Saudi Arabia. A retrospective analysis of personal dosemetry data of 1243 nuclear medicine and radiotherapy technologists from 28 medical centers across Saudi Arabia from 2015 to 2019 was conducted. Thermoluminescent dosemeters were employed to monitor the occupational radiation dose. For the study period, the average annual values for nuclear medicine and radiotherapy technologists were found to be 1.22mSv (SD=1.00mSv) and 0.73mSv (SD=0.40mSv) for Hp(10) and 1.23mSv (SD=1.07mSv) and 0.72mSv (SD=0.41mSv) for Hp(0.07), respectively. The work routines of nuclear medicine technologists cause them to be exposed to higher radiation doses than radiotherapy technologists. The occupational doses for all technologists were found to be below the annual dose limits, which indicates satisfactory working conditions in terms of radiation protection.