Thyroid dose measurements for staff involved in modified barium swallow exams

Following a successful claim for damages by a speech pathologist, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer after a period of employment including involvement in modified barium swallow procedures, a detailed study on occupational dose was commissioned. In this study radiation doses were measured routinely over 8 clinical periods using TLD100H dosimeters for staff involved with modified barium swallow radiological studies at three hospitals. The regions monitored included the unshielded thyroid, waist under apron, and axilla. Average unshielded thyroid doses for the speech pathologists were measured as 0.017, 0.003, and nil mGy per procedure over the hospitals surveyed, with dose measurements also found for the unshielded thyroid of the radiologist and nurse. This compares to thyroid doses of 0.200 and 0.055 mGy per procedure typically for cardiologists and orthopedic surgeons involved in radiological work, respectively. The use of a thyroid collar will substantially reduce this dose by a factor of about 40. While the worst-case doses are very small, attention should be given to education for staff involved in radiological procedures as well as ensuring that sound procedure protocols are in place and used.