Occupational exposure assessment in procedures of portable digital veterinary radiology for small size animals

•The occupational dose in portable digital veterinary radiology was studied.•The dose was evaluated through 65 procedures performed with 55 animals.•The dose received by assistants is significantly larger than by the veterinarian.•The doses at various body parts of the assistant are close to the limit of ICRP.

This study evaluates the dose received by veterinarians and assistants involved in portable digital veterinary radiology procedures and checks the dose reduction obtained with the use of individual protection equipment. For this evaluation measurements were made using thermoluminescent dosimeters TLD-100, positioned at different parts of the body: hands, thorax, thyroids, gonads, left and right eye corners and at the center of the eyes. The dose was evaluated through 65 procedures performed with 55 animals. The results showed that in the case of assistants the received dose is significantly larger than that of the veterinarian. The most likely reason of this effect is that they are closer to the primary beam and thus are exposed to higher level of primary radiation first of all in regions of eyes and thyroids. The doses received by various body parts of the assistant are close to the annual limit recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection.