title: Measurement of occupational doses of ionising radiation to the lens of the eyes of interventional radiologists.
abstract: Currently, there exists no standardised method for monitoring radiation doses to the eye lens. This investigation aimed to determine the optimum method for monitoring the eye doses for interventional radiologists. Three interventional radiologists were issued with a series of dosimeters to wear during their routine work. These dosimeters were worn at defined positions on the body and the absorbed dose to each position was measured. It was confirmed that the dose received to the thyroid collar followed an apparently well-defined relationship to the dose recorded on the forehead, which is representative of the dose to the lens of the eye. It was also confirmed that, as hypothesised, the dose to the left eye was universally greater than to the right, although by varying factors. It was concluded that the use of dosimeters attached to the inside arms of protective eyewear is the optimum solution for eye lens dosimetry. It was also concluded that, when used with a dose conversion factor which corroborates existing literature, dosimeters attached to the outside of a thyroid collar yield sufficiently accurate results for use in routine dosimetry programmes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK. Department of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering, King's College London, Faraday Building, 124-126 Denmark Hill, London SE5 8RX, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Higgins
mesh_terms: D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology; D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D000072177:Radiologists; D015642:Radiology, Interventional; D011874:Radiometry