Assessment of the effective dose to personnel in interventional radiology: a review of methods

Abstract

The individual monitoring of the occupational exposure in interventional radiology is problematic, owing primarily to the fact that the personnel has to wear a lead rubber protective apron. Indeed the dosimeter readings are not, in principle, accurately representative for the effective dose in all working conditions, irrespective of the over or under-apron dosimeter location. Therefore different simulations for this kind of exposure have been performed, which assess the effective dose from the doses to tissues and derive its relationship with the monitor readings. After briefly enquiring into the general approach to the effective dose estimate in the actual practice, the present paper firstly describes in this connection the characteristics of the radiation striking the staff in interventional radiology. Then it provides, within a unified framework and through a uniform notation, a review of the literature on the effective dose assessment from the doses to tissues relatively to this type of exposure. Specific results of a certain operative relevance are examined in some detail and particular attention is devoted to identify the most appropriate method for the effective dose estimate from the dosimeter readings. Which method is finally properly modified to conform it to the forthcoming update of the effective dose definition.