BJR
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
British Journal of Radiology (1996) 69, 539-543
© 1996 British Institute of Radiology
doi:
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Patel, R.
Right arrow Articles by Fogelman, I.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Patel, R.
Right arrow Articles by Fogelman, I.

The British Journal of Radiology, Vol 69, Issue 822 539-543, Copyright © 1996 by British Institute of Radiology

ARTICLES

Occupational dose to the radiographer in dual X-ray absorptiometry: a comparison of pencil-beam and fan-beam systems

R Patel, GM Blake, S Batchelor and I Fogelman
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.

The introduction of advanced dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanners with fan-beam geometry, improved image definition and faster scan times raises the question as to whether there is a significant radiation dose to the radiographer. We have measured the radiation dose to the operator from studies performed on four DXA systems; the Lunar DPX, Hologic QDR-1000, QDR-2000 plus and QDR-4500. The results were compared with the radiographer dose from 99Tcm-MDP radionuclide bone scanning, where it is not usual to use a radiation barrier between the patient and the operator, and 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) scanning where it is usual to protect staff. Ambient dose equivalent rate averaged over 1 h at 1 m from the patient with the DXA systems working at maximum patient throughput were 0.012, 0.12, 2.1 and 2.4 microSv h-1, respectively, for the DPX, QDR-1000, QDR-2000plus and QDR-4500. Annual operator dose for the DPX and QDR-1000 was well below the 1 mSv limit for members of the public recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) (1990). Results for the QDR-2000plus and QDR-4500 were similar to a radionuclide bone scan (2.2 microSv h-1), but smaller than for a PET scan (8.9 microSv h-1), and were close to the 5 mSv year-1 limit for a supervised area defined in the 1985 Ionising Radiation Regulations. Precautions to reduce radiographer dose with fan beam DXA include placing the operator at least 2 m from the patient, scanning the right hip instead of the left and using scan modes with short scanning times.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Radiat Prot DosimetryHome page
U. O'Connor, A. Dowling, A Larkin, N. Sheahan, L. Gray, A. Gallagher, G. O'Reilly, A. Kosunen, U. Zdesar, and J. F. Malone
DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING SYLLABI FOR RADIATION PROTECTION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE OF DUAL-ENERGY X-RAY ABSORPTIOMETRY (DXA) SYSTEMS
Radiat Prot Dosimetry, April 8, 2008; (2008) ncn088v1.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Radiat Prot DosimetryHome page
N. F. Sheahan, A. Dowling, G. O'Reilly, and J. F. Malone
Commissioning and quality assurance protocol for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) systems
Radiat Prot Dosimetry, December 1, 2005; 117(1-3): 288 - 290.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br. J. Radiol.Home page
W A Waddington and P J Marsden
Whole body radiation dose to the operator in bone mineral densitometry
Br. J. Radiol., December 1, 2001; 74(888): 1161 - 1162.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
BJR DMFR IMAGING  ALL BIR JOURNALS 
Copyright © 1996 by the British Institute of Radiology.