#E0058 Radiation Management Safety Checklist- does it create a standard of personal radiation protection?
Radiation Management Safety Checklist- does it create a standard of personal radiation protection?
Recent developments in radiology have introduced a range of diagnostic and treatment interventions, requiring active participation of health workers. Occupational exposure to radiation remains one of the significant issue concerning their health. Therefore, certain standardized lists of recommendations have emerged including those of World Health Organization, which constitutes the Surgical Safety Checklist. The specific guidelines outlined for Japan are detailed in Radiation Management Safety Checklist (RMSC).
In this article, the adherence of medical workers in a Japanese hospital setting was assessed concerning physicians' personal dosimeter wearing rates to evaluate the effectiveness of RMSC. The sample consisted of physicians involved in radiological practices and engaged in fluoroscopy and interventional radiology procedures. The assessment was conducted in two periods: May–June 2021 (2 months) and July–August 2021 (2 months). In accordance with RMSC recommendations, all participating physicians were advised to use double dosimetry to record radiation exposure during fluoroscopy, both under and over the apron.
Those who did not adhere to the RSMC protocol had two different electronic personal dosimeters positioned under and over apron to measure irradiation. Three wearing status categories were identified: “wearing,” “not wearing,” and “unregistered”. The effective whole-body dose, indicative of cancer risk following exposure to ionizing radiation was determined during procedures inside and outside the lead apron.
The obtained values in three groups were compared during pre- and measurement periods and analyzed statistically. Among the 72 participating physicians from nine medical facilities, the overall dosimeter wearing rate was 58.2% before the measurement and 80.1% (185/231) during it. The departments of Gastroenterological Surgery and Orthopedic Surgery had highest number of participants (11), with the latter also conducting the most surveys before and during measurement period (69 and 109, respectively). The wearing status exhibited significantly greater values during the measurement period than before it, while the not-wearing status did not show significant changes between these two periods.
The authors have demonstrated that adherence to RMSC during fluoroscopy elevated the compliance rate of wearing personal dosimeters, a trend not observed among unregistered personnel. The study highlights, the importance of controlling the use of personal dosimeters among physicians engaged in radiological treatment for the overall improvement of radiation safety.
Link to the original journal article:
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/eohp/5/1/5_2022-0016-OA/_article
Title of the paper:
Effectiveness of a radiation management safety checklist for non-vascular imaging and interventional radiology at a medical facility
Authors:
Keisuke Nagamoto, Naoki Kunugita
