Fluoroscopic radiation measurement in Saskatchewan.
A mail-out thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) system has been used to measure fluoroscopic surface dose rates very 8 weeks in Saskatchewan hospitals since 1976. Incentive for the program came from Saskatchewan radiologists. The mean of the annual dose rates for all units was 30.8 mGy/min (3.08 rads/min). Each year, 30% of the machines varied in output by 100% or more, 8% by 200% or more, and one machine's output increased by 800%. These measurements have allowed prompt correction of excessive dose levels or replacement of offending machines when the dose rate could be lowered sufficiently. No significant difference in surface dose rates between manually controlled units and units with automatic brightness control was found.
D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000295:instrumentation; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D012525:Saskatchewan; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry / Q000295:instrumentation*