Answer to Question #2719 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Q

I'm medical resident (third phase of postgraduate studies) in radiation oncology. I am eight weeks pregnant. Everyday for approximately six hours I'm assisting at the linear accelerator and SYMVIEW simulator. I didn't wear a personal film badge all the time and because of that exposure can't be measured. How do I assess the risk to the fetus?

A

I really don't expect that you will receive any radiation exposure from either of these procedures. When a linear accelerator procedure is taking place, you should not be in the room and the room is specially designed so there is little or no radiation that will come through the walls. The same is true of a simulator—you should either be out of the room or in a control room when the simulator is being operated so there would be no radiation exposure. At my organization we have 10 radiation oncology residents and 40 radiation oncology technologists. Their average annual exposure is less than 10 mrem (what is referred to as 'minimal' or not distinguishable from background). It is important that you wear the badge assigned to you. In these situations, knowing the exposure measured by your badge is really the only true way to know what, if any, exposure you might have received.

Kelly Classic
Certified Medical Health Physicist