Scattered Radiation Doses to the Patients and Medical Practitioneer from Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy / 대한비뇨기과학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We estimated scattered radiation doses to the patients and medical practitioneer and revealed risk factors associated with increasing radiation doses during extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy(ESWL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: At first, we measured radiation doses 2 times using thermoluminescence dosimeter to simulative patients and medical practitioneer without any shield during 10 minutes of ESWL and determined mean radiation dose/minute. From June to August 2007 at our institution, we prospectively measured radiation exposured time during respective ESWL for treatment of urinary stones. Thereafter, we calculated practical radiation doses to patients and medical practitioneer from respective mean radiation dose/minute. We also analyzed which factors were associated with increasing radiation doses. RESULTS: A total of 50 ESWL were analyzed from 38 patients. Mean radiation dose/minute to simulative patients and medical practitioneer was 16.20, 0.006mSv respectively. At 1 time ESWL, median radiation exposured time was 360 seconds(130-980), therefore, median radiation dose to patients and medical practitioneer was calculated as 97.20mSv(35.10-264.60), and 0.04mSv(0.01-0.08) respectively. Larger stone size had a correlation with increasing radiation dose and additional pain control group had higher radiation dose than otherwise. CONCLUSIONS: During ESWL, patients were relatively exposed to high radiation which were roughly corresponded to that of 3 times of computed tomography. But the radiation dose to medical practitioneer was insignificant consider international guideline. Medical practitioneer should be aware of radiation hazard and try to minimize radiation dose to the patients at the time of ESWL.