Occupational exposure in nuclear medicine and interventional cardiology departments in Sudan: Are they following radiation protection standards?

• Published in: Radiation physics and chemistry (Oxford, England : 1993) England : 1993), 2019-07, Vol.160, p.100-104
• Main Authors: Suliman, Ibrahim I., Salih, Lamia H., Ali, Dua M., Alaamer, Abdulaziz S., Al-Rajhi, M.A., Alkhorayef, M., Bradley, D.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cardiology; Dosimeters; Drug dosages; Exposure; Federal regulation; Interventional cardiology; Nuclear Medicine; Nurses; Occupation exposure monitoring; Occupational health; Pharmacists; Physicists; Radiation effects; Radiation Protection; Staff doses; Technologists
• ISSN: 0969-806X; 1879-0895
• DOI: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2019.03.004

Monitoring of staff's radiation exposure in medicine is an important radiation protection task. This study aimed to measure the staff doses in the nuclear medicine (NM) and interventional cardiology (IC) departments in Sudan and assess whether the measured doses fall within the recommended radiation protection standards. 37 members of staff involved in the NM and IC procedures were monitored using electronic personal dosimeters (EPDs). In IC, the average monthly Hp (10) values ranged from 30.0 to 38.9 µSv (to cardiologists), from 3.6 to 13.5 µSv (to nurses), and from 3.5 to 8.9 µSv (to technologists). The annual effective dose ranged from 1.95 to 2.53 mSv (to cardiologists), from 0.23 to 0.88 mSv (to nurses), and from 0.23 to 0.56 mSv (to technologists). In NM, the monthly Hp (10) values ranged between 83.0 and 84.0 µSv (to nurses), 38.8 and 54.0 µSv (to pharmacists), 16.9 and 70.2 µSv (to technologists), 40.2 and 76.6 µSv (to physicists). The annual effective doses ranged from 0.91 to 0.92 mSv (to nurses), 0.43–0.59 mSv (to pharmacists), 0.19–0.77 mSv (to technologists), and 0.44–0.84 mSv (to physicists). The estimated doses fall below the recommended annual dose limit. However, the lack of a radiation surveillance program and use of occupational exposure control tools are of concern in both the IC and NM departments. •Dose to staff were studied in nuclear medicine (NM) and interventional cardiology (IC) in Sudan.•In IC procedures, the estimated annual effective doses were: 1.95–2.53 mSv varied.•In NM procedures, the estimated annual effective doses were: 0.19–0.92 mSv varied.•Doses are below the annual dose limit but occupational exposure control tools are lacking.•The data are important in promoting radiation protection good practices at workplaces.