EXPOSURE OF A SERVICE TECHNICIAN REPAIRING A BIPLANE X-RAY SYSTEM

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiological Protection
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Accidental exposure during medical equipment repair can pose occupational risks.
• Biplane cardiovascular X-ray systems require careful handling during maintenance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate an accidental radiation exposure incident involving a service technician.
• To estimate radiation doses received by the technician.
• To determine the cause of observed erythema.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of an accidental exposure event during X-ray system repair.
• Dose estimation using radiation physics principles and system configuration.
• Clinical observation and blood analysis of the affected technician.

Main Results:

• Estimated effective dose: 5 mSv; Skin dose: 200 mSv; Eye lens dose: 100 mSv; Extremity dose: 700 mSv.
• The collimator shielded the technician from the direct X-ray beam.
• Erythema developed on the technician's face and neck within 2 hours post-exposure.
• Blood analysis did not indicate significant radiation exposure.

Conclusions:

• The technician received substantial skin and extremity doses, but no significant systemic radiation effects were detected.
• The cause of the technician's erythema is uncertain, as estimated doses are below typical thresholds for such effects.
• This case highlights the importance of radiation safety protocols even during maintenance and repair of X-ray equipment.