Mariaconcetta Longo1, Elisabetta Genovese2, Salvatore Donatiello2, Bartolomeo Cassano2, Teresa Insero2, Mauro Campoleoni3, Antonella Del Vecchio4, Andrea Magistrelli5, Paolo Tomà5, Vittorio Cannatà2. 1. Medical Physics Unit, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. mariaconcetta.longo@opbg.net. 2. Medical Physics Unit, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. 3. Medical Physics Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. 4. Department of Medical Physics, Istituto Scientifico San Raffaele, Milan, Italy. 5. Department of Diagnostic Imaging, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), preterm infants are often exposed to a large number of radiographic examinations, which could cause adjacent neonates, family caregivers and staff members to be exposed to a dose amount due to scatter radiation. OBJECTIVE: To provide information on scatter radiation exposure levels in a NICU, to compare these values with the effective dose limits established by the European Union and to evaluate the effectiveness of radiation protection devices in this setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Radiation exposure levels due to scatter radiation were estimated by passive detectors (thermoluminescent dosimeters) and direct dosimetric measurements (with a dose rate meter); in the latter case, an angular map of the scatter dose distribution was achieved. RESULTS: The dose due to scatter radiation to staff in our setting is approximately 160 μSv/year, which is markedly lower than the effective dose limit for workers established by the European Union (20 mSv/year). The doses range between 0.012 and 0.095 μSv/radiograph. Considering a mean hospitalization period of 3 months and our NICU workload, the corresponding scatter radiation dose to an adjacent patient and/or his/her caregiver is at most 40 μSv. CONCLUSION: For distances greater than 1 m from the irradiation field, both scatter dose absorbed by a staff member during a year and that by an adjacent patient and/or his/her caregiver during hospitalization is less than 1 mSv, which is the exposure limit for public members in a year.
BACKGROUND: In a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), preterm infants are often exposed to a large number of radiographic examinations, which could cause adjacent neonates, family caregivers and staff members to be exposed to a dose amount due to scatter radiation. OBJECTIVE: To provide information on scatter radiation exposure levels in a NICU, to compare these values with the effective dose limits established by the European Union and to evaluate the effectiveness of radiation protection devices in this setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Radiation exposure levels due to scatter radiation were estimated by passive detectors (thermoluminescent dosimeters) and direct dosimetric measurements (with a dose rate meter); in the latter case, an angular map of the scatter dose distribution was achieved. RESULTS: The dose due to scatter radiation to staff in our setting is approximately 160 μSv/year, which is markedly lower than the effective dose limit for workers established by the European Union (20 mSv/year). The doses range between 0.012 and 0.095 μSv/radiograph. Considering a mean hospitalization period of 3 months and our NICU workload, the corresponding scatter radiation dose to an adjacent patient and/or his/her caregiver is at most 40 μSv. CONCLUSION: For distances greater than 1 m from the irradiation field, both scatter dose absorbed by a staff member during a year and that by an adjacent patient and/or his/her caregiver during hospitalization is less than 1 mSv, which is the exposure limit for public members in a year.
Authors: K R Iyer; L Spitz; E Kiely; D P Drake; E Dykes; K Evans; M Wallace; R J Brereton Journal: Eur J Pediatr Surg Date: 1995-10 Impact factor: 2.191
Authors: Rosario Fernández; Miguel Moreno-Torres; Antonia M Contreras; María I Núñez; Damián Guirado; Luis Peñas Journal: J Radiol Prot Date: 2015-09-07 Impact factor: 1.394