Occupational exposure to the whole body, extremities and to the eye lens in interventional radiology in Poland, as based on personnel dosimetry records at IFJ PAN

We report results of measurements of Hp(10) from whole body dosimeters (about 53 thousand readouts), of Hp(0.07) from finger ring dosimeters (23 thousand readouts) and of Hp(3) from eye lens dosimeters (100 readouts), issued in the years 2010-12 to over 150 medical departments in Poland which apply X-rays in radiology, interventional radiology (haemodynamic, angiology, cardiac surgery), urology, orthopaedics, electrophysiology or electro-cardiology. In all measurements thermoluminescence detectors (TLD) were used: the well-known standard MTS-N (LiF:Mg, Ti) for whole body and extremity dosimetry, and the high-sensitivity MCP-N (LiF:Mg, Cu, P) for eye lens dosimetry and environmental monitoring. We analysed the data base of the accredited Laboratory of Individual and Environmental Dosimetry (LADIS) at the Institute of Nuclear Physics PAN which offers its dosimetry service to these departments on a regular basis. We found that in the population of radiation workers that studied over the years 2010-2012 in 84%, 87%, and 34% of Hp(10), Hp(0.07) and Hp(3) measurements, respectively, the level of 0.1 mSv/quarter did not exceed, indicating lack of their occupational exposure. In the remaining 16%, 13% and 66% of individual cases, the 0.1 mSv/quarter exceeded, occasionally reaching several hundreds of mSv/quarter.