title: Radiation Exposure to Staff in Intensive Care Unit with Portable CT Scanner.
abstract: Background. Bedside radiological procedures pose a risk of radiation exposure to ICU staff. The perception of risk may increase the degree of caution among the health care staff and raise new barriers preventing patients from obtaining prompt care. Objective. The aim of this study was to estimate the annual cumulative radiation dose to individual ICU staff. Methods. In this prospective study, forty subjects were required to wear thermoluminescent dosimeter badges during their working hours. The badges were analyzed to determine the exposure after 3 months. Results. A total of 802 radiological procedures were completed at bedside during the study period. The estimated annual dosage to doctors and nurses on average was 0.99 mSv and 0.88 mSv (p < 0.001), respectively. Residents were subjected to the highest radiation exposure (1.04 mSv per year, p = 0.002). The radiation dose was correlated with day shift working hours (r = 0.426; p = 0.006) and length of service (r = -0.403; p < 0.01). Conclusions. With standard precautions, bedside radiological procedures-including portable CT scans-do not expose ICU staff to high dose of ionizing radiation. The level of radiation exposure is related to the daytime working hours and length of service.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Zhichao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Xuelian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4968-1217
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Jiangqian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Lingli
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063731:Mobile Applications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000072232:Radiation Dosimeters; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012306:Risk; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult