<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The imperative use of ionizing radiation in medicine causes the inevitable occupational exposure of the medical workers during the course of routine duties. The magnitude of health risk due to such radiation exposures has been described in terms of occupational radiation doses. In this context, it is obligatory to monitor, measure and document the radiation dose of occupationally exposed medical workers. This study aims to review the whole-body occupational radiation exposures of medical workers in Pakistan. Specifically, online literature published during 2000-2018 was reviewed for the occupational radiation exposures of Pakistani medical workers. Analysis of the extracted personal dosimetry data revealed that the total number of monitored medical occupational workers was 26046. The range of total cumulative and annual average effective doses was 94-15785 Person-mSv and 0.66-7.37 mSv, respectively. A significant number of the workers (25477; ~98%) received an annual dose below 5 mSv, while only 18 workers received an occupational exposure exceeding the annual dose limit of 20 mSv. It is expected that this study will provide a useful reference for evaluating and improving radiation protection and safety policies in the country.</p></abstract>

The imperative use of ionizing radiation in medicine causes the inevitable occupational exposure of the medical workers during the course of routine duties. The magnitude of health risk due to such radiation exposures has been described in terms of occupational radiation doses. In this context, it is obligatory to monitor, measure and document the radiation dose of occupationally exposed medical workers. This study aims to review the whole-body occupational radiation exposures of medical workers in Pakistan. Specifically, online literature published during 2000-2018 was reviewed for the occupational radiation exposures of Pakistani medical workers. Analysis of the extracted personal dosimetry data revealed that the total number of monitored medical occupational workers was 26046. The range of total cumulative and annual average effective doses was 94-15785 Person-mSv and 0.66-7.37 mSv, respectively. A significant number of the workers (25477; ~98%) received an annual dose below 5 mSv, while only 18 workers received an occupational exposure exceeding the annual dose limit of 20 mSv. It is expected that this study will provide a useful reference for evaluating and improving radiation protection and safety policies in the country.

Occupational radiation exposures for medical workers in Pakistan – An overview

Polish Journal of Medical Physics and Engineering

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The imperative use of ionizing radiation in medicine causes the inevitable occupational exposure of the medical workers during the course of routine duties....

Occupational radiation exposures for medical workers in Pakistan – An overview

Published Online: Apr 03, 2020

Page range: 45 - 53

Received: Oct 24, 2019

Accepted: Dec 30, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pjmpe-2020-0005

Keywords
occupational exposure, radiation protection, effective dose, dose limits

© 2020 Misbah Ahmad et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Occupational radiation exposures for medical workers in Pakistan – An overview

Published Online: Apr 03, 2020

Page range: 45 - 53

Received: Oct 24, 2019

Accepted: Dec 30, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pjmpe-2020-0005

Keywordsoccupational exposure, radiation protection, effective dose, dose limits

© 2020 Misbah Ahmad et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
occupational exposure, radiation protection, effective dose, dose limits