Measurement of the Effective Dose Radiation at Radiology Departments of Some Hospitals in Duhok Governorate

Abstract

During operating of the X-ray machines, if the protection of X-ray rooms is insufficient, not only the patient but also clinical staffs as well as public are exposed to high X-ray dosage and they are affected from X-ray related to the dose level. In the present survey, by testing the radiological leakage and scatter from X-rays machines in radiology departments of 7 randomly selected hospitals in Duhok governorate, the effects dose of X-ray to the both control panel area and the patients waiting or visiting area who are located near the radiography room, were measured. The dose was recorded for a range of peak kilovoltage (kVp) and mAs values to find efficiency of shielding materials (barriers) of radiography rooms for different X-rays level. The measurements were performed at one meter above the ground surface which was the same height of X-rays tube by using Gamma Scout dosimeter. From the measurement results, it was seen that the most hospitals barriers (doors and walls) were not appropriate to the standards except 2 hospitals. The maximum effective doses were measured in uncontrolled area of Khazer hospital which was 82.48 ± 0.73 mSv · yr -1 that was much more than the reference dose limits and in controlled area of Haval Banda Zaroka hospital which was 12.98 ± 0.16 mSv · yr -1 . In result, the knowledge about the radiation dose affecting the radiologists and public in the selected hospitals was obtained, and by informing the radiologists and the hospitals managements, the necessary regulations would be planned.