An analysis of personnel dose reports in medical radiation occupational workers from an oncology center

ABSTRACT

Background: To evaluate the risk involved, there is need to know the quantum of personnel exposures in whole service. Dose reports from an Oncology Centre over 7 block periods, 5 years each from 1979 till 2013 are analyzed. Materials and Methods: Personnel monitoring [PM] reports till 1990s with film badges and later thermoluminescent [TL] badges [CaSo4.Dy] were evaluated. 35 years total service was taken to represent total professional service of staff superannuating at age 60 years. Results: Mean personnel equivalent dose for 5 year block period is 3.30+/-0.43 mSv [n=7 blocks]. Maximum dose in any block period was 30-60 mSv. Equivalent doses 22% were zero, 64.3% within 5 mSv. 2.1% were above 30 mSv in 5 year periods. Doses were decreasing order 11.8 mSv [radiopharmaceutical preparation], 4.3 mSv [nuclear medicine], 4.1 mSv [medical physics], 2.2 mSv[brachytherapy]; 1.2 mSv [radiodiagnosis], 1.1 mSv [external beam radiotherapy] and 0.73 mSv [radiation sterilization plant]. Conclusion: The whole body personnel dose in are much lower than recommended annual dose equivalent limits of 100 mSv/ 5 years. The magnitude of recorded doses to staff show that the risk is negligible and the principle of ALARA is being practiced in the work areas