Occupational Radiation Dose Absorbed by Radiographers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Abstract

Radiographers in Nigeria are exposed to very high radiation risk because of their great dependence on refurbished x-ray equipment. This study therefore seeks to assess the level of dose adsorption by some personnel in radio-diagnostic centres in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in the Niger Delta region from 2020 to 2022. The research was a cross-sectional prospective survey that assessed the amount of absorbed dose among individuals working in radio-diagnostic centres in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The study focused on government-owned hospitals and private imaging centres in the city. The entire study population was eighty (80). The acquired data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 21.0 developed and distributed by SPSS Incorporated, Chicago, Illinois. Analysis of the results reveals that the mean doses received by radiographers in government hospitals and private imaging centres are 0.4882 mSv and 0.5463 mSv over the two-year period under investigation respectively. These correspond to mean annual doses of 0.2442 mSv for radiographers in government hospitals and 0.2732 mSv for those in private centres. From these findings, we conclude that the occupational radiation dose received by government diagnostic workers is less than that of private centres in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. By comparison, the average mean doses for both government hospitals and private centres are well below the occupational dose limit of 20 mSv set by International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). This essentially suggests that there were no circumstances of overexposure for the radiographers during the time under investigation. A greater knowledge of radiation protection techniques, as well as the use of advanced equipment and technology available in this field, has contributed immensely to an improvement in the status of radiation protection in the centres investigated. It is however recommended that radiation protection and safety training should be included in the required training of radiology practitioners, particularly for graduates. In addition, there is need for regular continuing professional education (CPE) in this field