Occupational exposure at the Department of Nuclear Medicine as a work environment: A 19-year follow-up

BACKGROUND This study assessed the radiation safety at Nuclear Medicine Department being a work environment. Ionizing radiation exposure of the employees in the last 19 years and the effects of legislative changes in radiological protection were analyzed. MATERIAL/METHODS All employees of the investigated department were regularly and individually monitored using chest badges equipped with Kodak film type 2. Overall, 629 annual doses of the employees of nuclear medicine department, registered in the period 1991-2009, were analyzed statistically. RESULTS Technicians were found to be the largest exposed professional group, whereas nurses received the highest annual doses. Physicians received an average annual dose at the border detection methods. Ancillary and administration staff occasionally received doses above the method detection limit (MDL). The average annual dose for all dosimetry records was 0.7 mSv, and that for dosimetry records equal and higher than MDL was 2.2 mSv. CONCLUSIONS There was no case of an exceeded dose limit for a worker. Furthermore, improvement of radiological protection had a significant impact on the reduction of doses for the most exposed employees.