Personal dose equivalent Hp(0.07) of medical personnel occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation during 2001-2011.

BACKGROUND

The paper presents the results of the determinations of the personal dose equivalent Hp(0.07) received by medical employees of interventional radiology departments occupationally exposed to X and gamma rays in Poland in 2011, performed by the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine in Łódź. The results were compared with the data collected during the last decade.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The dosimetric service provided for medical employees of interventional radiology departments occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation in terms of the personal dose equivalent Hp(0.07). In 2011, personal dosimetry Hp(0.07) determinations performed by the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine in Łódź covered 2017 workers employed in 159 medical laboratories. The determinations were performed using ring dosimeters equipped with thermoluminescence detectors according to the procedure accredited by the Polish Centre for Accreditation (document number AB 327). The determinations were carried out in one or two-month periods.

RESULTS

Mean annual personal dose equivalent Hp(0.07) in 2011 was equal to 4.9 mSv (annual limit for Hp(0.07) is 500 mSv). The mean annual doses of Hp(0.07) varied from 7.6 mSv in 2001 to 5.6 mSv in 2010. In 2011, two cases of exceeding the annual dose limit of Hp(0.07) were reported. The results show that more than 95% of all examined annual doses did not exceed the level of 10 mSv.

CONCLUSIONS

The comparison of the average annual doses and detailed distributions of the doses during the last few years suggests a stabilized level of occupational exposure and an acceptable level of radiological protection in interventional radiology departments monitored by NIOM in Łódź.