Occupational dosimetry in real time. Benefits for interventional radiology

Abstract

Abstract Occupational dosimetry is still a challenge in fluoroscopy-guided procedures. Personal dosimeters are not regularly used by many professionals. Most of the dosimeters used are worn under the lead apron and it is difficult to estimate radiation doses to the unprotected organs and tissues. New electronic dosimeters make it possible to know staff doses and dose rates in real time, inside interventional laboratories. A system using solid-state detectors and equipped with a wireless connection (DoseAware distributed by Philips) that sends the scatter dose rate and cumulative scatter dose readings to a base station, inside the catheterization room, has been evaluated. The initial test was carried out over a period of 4 months in two laboratories (a cardiology one and a second one dedicated to general interventional procedures). In addition to the educational value of the dosimetry system, other benefits have been identified such as the detailed information on occupational dose rate during the procedures, the possibility of comparing occupational doses registered among different staff during the procedures, the capability of establishing correlations between occupational and patient doses, and correlations between staff doses and geometry and radiographic factors used during the procedures. From all this information, it is possible to derive criteria for optimization of occupational radiation protection.