Staff eye lens dose in interventional radiology and cardiology in Finland

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the eye lens and whole-body radiation doses to interventional radiology and cardiology staff in two Finnish hospitals. Methods: Simultaneous measurements of personal dose equivalent quantities H-p(3) and H-p(10) were conducted in clinical conditions during different radiological and cardiological interventional procedures. In order to study the feasibility to estimate eye lens dose with H-p(10) measured over the protective apron or thyroid shield, the ratio between measured H-p(3) and H-p(10) was investigated. Results and conclusions: Applying the obtained ratio on H-p(10) records from national dose register showed that only a small number of interventional radiologists and cardiologists in Finland may exceed eye lens equivalent dose levels of 20 mSv per year or 100 mSv in five consecutive years, but likely do not exceed 50 mSv in a single year. For the most Finnish interventionalists, the eye lens dose is well below 10 mSv per year. Nurses and radiographers assisting in interventions are, on average, less exposed than interventionalists, and will not exceed 20 mSv per year. Based on our results, H-p(10) measured over the protective apron or thyroid shield provides a conservative estimate of the eye lens dose for interventional radiologists and cardiologists, provided that appropriate protective glasses are used.