부산대학교 도서관

Efforts were made to measure the radiation doses absorbed by all members of the Department of Anesthesia in a large teaching hospital over a period of months, for the purpose of assessing whether or not dangerous levels of radiation exposure were being reached. The photographic film blackening method was used to measure the dose. Each member of the Department wore a standard badge affixed to the anterior chest area of his operating room clothing at all times. No attempt was made to avoid exposure, with the anesthetist staying in his customary position at all times. Each anesthetist recorded the data and type of procedure when x ray or radioactive material was used in conjunction with anesthesia over a period of 5 months. A total of 195 exposures were recorded, amounting to 6% of the total number of anesthetics administered in this period, exclusive of maternity cases. Only two badges were recorded as having exposure of over 40 mrad in any 2-week period; these were only 50-mrad readings. This was well within the allowable level as stated by the lnternational Commission on Radiological Protection (0.3 rad weekly). The chief radiologist of the hospital concluded that these exposures were not considered sufficient to warrant either continuation of the wearing of the badges routinely, or to suggest any changes in the precautions taken by the anesthetists. If the method of measurement was fairly accurate, and the relative use of x rays in conjunction with anesthesia in this hospital accepted as typical, then it can be assumed that anesthetists have no cause for alarm, and need take no special precautions at present, since the observed doses are well within present-day permissible levels. (BBB)