title: Occupational dose in interventional radiology procedures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interventional radiology tends to involve long procedures (i.e., long fluoroscopic times). Therefore, radiation protection for interventional radiology staff is an important issue. This study describes the occupational radiation dose for interventional radiology staff, especially nurses, to clarify the present annual dose level for interventional radiology nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the annual occupational dose (effective dose and dose equivalent) among interventional radiology staff in a hospital where 6606 catheterization procedures are performed annually. The annual occupational doses of 18 physicians, seven nurses, and eight radiologic technologists were recorded using two monitoring badges, one worn over and one under their lead aprons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The annual mean ± SD effective dose (range) to the physicians, nurses, and radiologic technologists using two badges was 3.00 ± 1.50 (0.84-6.17), 1.34 ± 0.55 (0.70-2.20), and 0.60 ± 0.48 (0.02-1.43) mSv/y, respectively. Similarly, the annual mean ± SD dose equivalent range was 19.84 ± 12.45 (7.0-48.5), 4.73 ± 0.72 (3.9-6.2), and 1.30 ± 1.00 (0.2-2.7) mSv/y, respectively. The mean ± SD effective dose for the physicians was 1.02 ± 0.74 and 3.00 ± 1.50 mSv/y for the one- and two-badge methods, respectively (p < 0.001). Similarly, the mean ± SD effective dose for the nurses (p = 0.186) and radiologic technologists (p = 0.726) tended to be lower using the one-badge method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The annual occupational dose for interventional radiology staff was in the order physicians > nurses > radiologic technologists. The occupational dose determined using one badge under the apron was far lower than the dose obtained with two badges in both physicians and nonphysicians. To evaluate the occupational dose correctly, we recommend use of two monitoring badges to evaluate interventional radiology nurses as well as physicians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Technology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku University, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan. chida@mail.tains.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chida
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaga
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Haga
authors.forename: Nozomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kumasaka
authors.forename: Taiichiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meguro
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zuguchi
mesh_terms: D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002932:Cineangiography; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005373:Film Dosimetry; D006801:Humans; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention; D010820:Physicians; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D011835:Radiation Protection; D015642:Radiology, Interventional