Radiation Hazards and Safety

Radiation hazards and safety

The effects of nuclear radiation on the human body

Several factors are involved in determining the potential health effects of exposure to radiation. These include:

1. The size of the dose (amount of energy deposited in the body)
2. The ability of the radiation to harm human tissue
3. Which organs are affected

Radiation sickness

Radiation sickness results when humans (or other animals) are exposed to very large doses of ionizing radiation. Radiation exposure can occur as a single large exposure (acute), or a series of small exposures spread over time (chronic).

Causes

1. Accidental exposure to high doses of radiation such as nuclear power plant accidents.
2. Exposure to excessive radiation for medical treatments.

Symptoms

1. Bleeding from the nose, mouth, gums, and rectum
2. Bloody stool
3. Bruising
4. Confusion
5. Dehydration
6. Diarrhea
7. Fainting
8. Fatigue
9. Fever
10. Hair loss
11. Inflammation of exposed areas (redness, tenderness, swelling, bleeding)
12. Mouth ulcers
13. Nausea and vomiting
14. Open sores on the skin
15. Skin burns (redness, blistering)
16. Sloughing of skin
17. Ulcers in the esophagus, stomach or intestines
18. Vomiting blood
19. Weakness

First aid

1. Check the person's breathing and pulse.
2. Start CPR, if necessary.
3. Remove the person's clothing and place the items in a sealed container. This stops ongoing contamination.
4. Vigorously wash body with soap and water.
5. Dry the body and wrap with soft, clean blanket.
6. Call for emergency medical help or take the person to nearest emergency medical facility if you can do so safely.

How to protect yourself from nuclear radiation hazards

Precautions

1. Time: An average the procedure time for a diagnostic coronary angiogram is approximately 30 minutes and an interventional procedure PCI or EPS/pacing would take between 90 to 120 minutes. The lower the amount of time spent in a radiation area, the lower the exposure will be.
2. Distance: Increasing the distance from the radiation beam decreases the risk of exposure. Doubling the distance between the primary beam and operator, reduces the exposure by a factor of four.
3. Adhering to guideline and protocols: Every unit or work place that deals with ionizing radiation should have their own local guidelines and rules for radiation safety. These must be read, understood and strictly adhered to in daily practice.
4. Minimizing risk of exposure to staff and patients: The occupational limit of radiation exposure in the UK currently is estimated at 20 mSv per year averaged over five consecutive years (5). Every operator who undertakes a cardiovascular procedure in the Cath lab is responsible for the amount of radiation exposure to the patient, his or her co-staff and to themselves. In the event of an incident where the patient might have been exposed to inadvertent excess radiation either due to clinical circumstances, malfunctioning of the equipment or operation errors.