From which procedure do workers typically receive the highest occupational radiation dose?

From which procedure do workers typically receive the highest occupational radiation dose?

• A. Fluoroscopy
• B. Computed Tomography
• C. Mammography
• D. Ultrasound

Answer: (A)

In this context, what drives the worker’s dose is being near the x-ray beam for a long time and receiving scatter radiation. Fluoroscopy, especially during interventional procedures, keeps the beam on continuously while staff work at the patient’s side. That means a lot of scatter radiation reaches the operator, even with shielding, leading to higher occupational exposure. Ultrasound uses sound waves, not x-rays, so there is essentially no radiation dose to the worker from the procedure itself. Mammography does involve x-rays, but exposures are short and the operator can stay behind shielding, so the occupational dose is typically lower than during prolonged fluoroscopy. CT involves x-ray exposures as well, but the operator’s exposure is generally reduced by shielding and distance, even though patient doses are high. Therefore, fluoroscopy results in the highest occupational radiation dose for workers.

In this context, what drives the worker’s dose is being near the x-ray beam for a long time and receiving scatter radiation. Fluoroscopy, especially during interventional procedures, keeps the beam on continuously while staff work at the patient’s side. That means a lot of scatter radiation reaches the operator, even with shielding, leading to higher occupational exposure.

Ultrasound uses sound waves, not x-rays, so there is essentially no radiation dose to the worker from the procedure itself. Mammography does involve x-rays, but exposures are short and the operator can stay behind shielding, so the occupational dose is typically lower than during prolonged fluoroscopy. CT involves x-ray exposures as well, but the operator’s exposure is generally reduced by shielding and distance, even though patient doses are high.

Therefore, fluoroscopy results in the highest occupational radiation dose for workers.