Study of radiation doses to personnel in a cardiac catheterization laboratory

Radiation safety guidelines and federal regulations (10 CFR Part 20) require that radiation workers who are likely to receive above a certain percentage of the effective dose equivalent limit be monitored and that exposure be maintained as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). With few exceptions in our hospital, the badges that exceed the Level 1 ALARA limits were worn by personnel in the Cardiology Division. The objective of this study was to determine the reasons for the high personnel dosimeter readings for staff in the cardiac catheterization laboratory and implement corrective measures to keep exposures ALARA. The physicians were double badged. The fluoroscopic time for each patient examination performed by each physician in the catheterization laboratory was tabulated and compared with the exposure on the dosimeters of the person performing the study. Education and retraining of cardiology staff concerning radiation protection and the use of state-of-the-art equipment are major considerations in reducing worker radiation exposure.