Radiation Exposure in IR and Nuclear Medicine

[BillrothI]

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Hey Everybody -

I am wondering if there is any data on the long-term risks of radiation exposure associated with a career in IR or nuclear medicine. I know that the annual radiation dose tends to be relatively low in terms of mSv, but I'm not sure what that means clinically. Are cataracts, malignancies, etc. more common among those in IR or nuclear medicine as compared to diagnostic radiology?

Thank you!

-Bill

 

[maxxor]

IR - cataracts yes.

NM and DR have essentially zero exposure. The NM technologists usually are the ones handling the doses, so they get the majority of the exposure. Occasionally, we must respond to a patient who has been injected already, so you are getting some emission dose from the patient, but this is not common.