Dose measurement for medical staff with glass dosemeters and thermoluminescence dosemeters during 125I brachytherapy for prostate cancer.

ABSTRACT

Photoluminescence glass dosemeters (PLDs) and thermoluminescence dosemeters (TLDs) are commonly used as a personal monitoring dosemeter. PLDs and TLDs were used for surface dose monitoring of medical staff involved in (125)I brachytherapy for prostate cancer because these dosemeters have a wide dose-response linearity and high sensitivity for low photon energy. Surface doses measured with PLDs agreed with those with TLDs within ∼20 % except for a few cases. Surface doses at a surgeon's left hand and arm were higher than those at the other measuring points. A surgeon received a maximum dose of 650 µGy at the back of left hand. Surface doses to an assistant were <100 µGy. Surface doses to a nurse, a radiologist, an anaesthesiologist and a radiological technologist were <10 µGy. The occupational exposure to a surgeon could be reduced by the adjustment of fluoroscopic parameters and the use of lead gloves.