Practical Radiation Protection for Interventional Radiologist

Abstract

As per the International Commission on Radiological Protection 2010 recommendation, it was stated that "interventional radiologists performing difficult procedures with high workloads may be exposed to high doses" and that education and training of medical staffs in radiation exposure is "an urgent priority." There are many reports on the textbook aspects of radiation protection, but reports on the practical aspects of radiation protection have remained to be scarce. Various methods of reducing radiation exposure are described as "useful" or "can be reduced," but the priority of these methods and the "extent" to which they contribute to reducing radiation exposure are not clear. Thus, in this article, we will look into the protection of interventional radiologist from radiation exposure in a practical way, giving priority to clarity rather than academic accuracy.

Keywords: occupational exposure; radiation exposure; radiation protection.

Figure 1.

Direct, Forward-scattered and back-scattered radiation. Direct radiation is emitted from the tube to the patient. The direct radiation is scattered by the patient or other objects and becomes “scattered radiation,” which exposes the surrounding area to radiation. Back-scattered radiation has a higher dose than forward-scattered radiation.