Back to abstracts
Back to abstracts
ABSTRACT
Background
Radiation from X-rays scattered from the primary beam that enters the patient upon changing trajectory unintentionally exposes staff working in a hybrid operating room. Monitoring of scatter radiation is a crucial component of a radiation protection program in a hybrid operating room. This study aimed to estimate the distribution of scatter radiation in designated radiation workers’ positions in a hybrid operating room using a C-arm in an orthopaedic surgical environment
Method
A Rando phantom was placed in the supine position on the imaging table, aligned with the imaging axis of the C-arm to replicate a spine procedure. With the C-arm operated in pulsed mode at 80 kVp and 2–5 mA, scatter radiation from the phantom was measured using a calibrated portable dose rate meter (6150AD-6 Automess, Germany) with an internal probe and a measuring range of 0.1 µSv/h to 10 mSv/h (energy range 60 keV to 1.3 MeV) at various angles and distances to the control room window, control room door, control room desk, reporting room A, reporting room B, passage, main sliding door and reception denoted 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Result
The measured mean scatter radiation at points 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 were 15, 8, 3, 4, 25, 11, 6 and 7 mSv respectively. The respective yearly exposures were 3.28, 1.05, 0.39, 0.13, 3.28, 0.07, 0.10 and 0.92 mSv. These values are below the annual limit of 20 mSv/year proposed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) for radiation workers
Conclusion
The investigation established that scattered radiation at various positions occupied by radiation workers in the theatre does not pose any risk of cancer induction to the radiation workers because the yearly exposures at the designated positions are below the annual limit (20 mSv/year) proposed by the ICRP.