Abstract

The increase in patients undergoing radiological examination has aroused a great deal of interest in quantifying the risk associated with the radiological examination. Determination of the radiation dose to the organs is very difficult and direct measurement is not possible. The scattered radiation in the x-ray rooms of three selected hospitals in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State has been investigated. A radiation survey meter, Radalert was used to measure the scattered radiation in different places in the x-ray rooms of the hospitals. Model equations were used to estimate the radiological parameters associated with exposure to the scattered radiation in the rooms. The measured scattered radiation for the three hospitals falls between (0.226 - 0.655) mRh-1 with a mean of 0.290 mRh-1. The corresponding absorbed dose rates (nGyh-1). Equivalent dose rates (mSvy-1), annual effective dose rates (mSvy-1) and excess lifetime cancer risks falls between (1966 - 5699), (0.019 - 0.055), (0.003 - 0.011) and 1.27 × 10-4 - 3.66 × 10-2 respectively. The estimated organ dose for the three hospitals falls between (0.002 - 2.180) mSvy-1. Comparing the result with permissible limits set by ICRP, 1991, the annual effective dose values for the study are less than the occupational limit of 20 mSvy-1 and slightly higher than the public limit of 1 mSvy-1. Hence, the workers, residents living close to the locations of the hospital, and the patients are within the safe limits.