WG 9 - Radiation protection dosimetry of medical staff (CONRAD WP7)

Objectives

This WP coordinates and promotes European research for the assessment of occupational exposures to staff in therapeutic and diagnostic radiology workplaces. Research coordination and establishment of guidelines are necessary on a variety of issues, including in particular:

• extremity dosimetry in nuclear medicine and interventional radiology requires the coordination of investigations of extremity dosemeters in the specific fields of the hospitals as well as of studies mapping the doses to different parts of the hands, arms, legs and feet;
• the practice of double dosimetry, where dosemeters are placed above and below lead aprons (especially in the determination of personal doses to cardiologists during cardiac catheterisation) requires the review and evaluation of different methods and algorithms, and of specific dose assessments for new techniques, like CT-fluoroscopy and some nuclear medicine developments (e.g. use of Re-188);
• the use of active personal dosemeters (APD) in interventional radiology requires the coordination of investigations in laboratories and hospitals, and intercomparisons with passive dosemeters with the aim to enable standards to be formulated;

Results of this research coordination action will be collected by the participants based on well-specified protocols, including traceable calibrations for the measurements, in order to generate a consistent and comprehensive database useful in radiation protection dosimetry. Results will be presented in publications and, if feasible, a workshop.

Milestones and deliverables

Milestones are the protocols for coordination of dosemeter intercomparisons.

Deliverables are the reports on coordinated research activities and intercomparisons.

Chairperson: Francesco d'Errico
Universita degli Studi di Pisa
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica, Nucleare e della Produzione
Via Diotisalvi, 2
56126 Pisa
ITALY
e-mail: francesco.derrico@ing.unipi.it