Do dose area product meter measurements reflect radiation doses absorbed by health care workers?
Abstract
This study determined the correlation between radiation doses absorbed by health care workers and dose area product meter (DAP) measurementsat Universitas Hospital, Bloemfontein. The DAP is an instrument which
accurately measures the radiation emitted from the source. The study
included the interventional radiologists, radiographers and nurses associated with radiological intervention procedures during the period
1 August 2003 - 31 August 2003. The amount of radiation produced during
every procedure was measured by a dose area product meter (DAP) and
routinely recorded. The absorbed doses received by health care workers
were measured using a thermoluminescent dose meter (TLD). The TLDs
were analysed and recorded at the end of each week. Health care workers
wore TLDs on the following areas: forehead, thyroid (attached under
thyroid guard), and abdomen (worn under lead jacket). A strong positive
correlation (r = 0.9, p = 0.0374) was found between the radiographers’
head TLD and DAP meter readings. All other correlations between TLD
and DAP readings were not statistically significant. Strong positive correlations were found between the TLD readings of the radiologists’ and nurses’ bodies, the nurses’ and radiographers’ bodies and the radiologists’ and the radiographers’ bodies, all of which were statistically significant.
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