A multicenter study of radiation doses to the eye lenses of medical staff performing non-vascular imaging and interventional radiology procedures in Japan

Purpose This study aimed to measure the eye lens doses received by physicians and other medical staff participating in non-vascular imaging and interventional radiology procedures in Japan. Material and methods From October 2014 to March 2017, 34 physicians and 29 other medical staff engaged in non-vascular imaging and interventional radiology procedures at 18 Japanese medical facilities. These professionals wore radioprotective lead glasses equipped with small, optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters and additional personal dosimeters at the neck during a 1-month monitoring period. The Hp(3) and the Hp(10) and Hp(0.07) were obtained from these devices, respectively. The monthly Hp(3), Hp(10), and Hp(0.07) for each physician and other medical staff member were then rescaled to a 12-month period to enable comparisons with the revised occupational equivalent dose limit for the eye lens. Results Among physicians, the average annual Hp(3) values measured by the small luminescence dosimeters on radioprotective glasses were 25.5 ± 38.3 mSv/y (range: 0.4–166.8 mSv/y) and 9.3 ± 16.6 mSv/y (range: 0.3–82.4 mSv/y) on the left and right sides, respectively. The corresponding values for other medical staff were 3.7 ± 3.1 mSv/y (range: 0.4–10.4 mSv/y) and 3.2 ± 2.7 mSv/y (range: 0.5–11.5 mSv/y), respectively. Conclusions The eye lens doses incurred by physicians and other medical staff who engaged in non-vascular imaging and interventional radiology procedures in Japan were provided. Physicians should wear radioprotective glasses and use additional radioprotective devices to reduce the amount of eye lens doses they receive.