Assessing occupational radiation exposure trends and safety interventions for healthcare professionals at a university hospital in Saudi Arabia

This study investigates the occupational radiation exposure levels among 50 healthcare professionals, including Radiographers, Nurses, and Radiologists, who were monitored for radiation doses across various operational scenarios within the Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine departments at a university hospital, consisting of approximately 54 % males and 46 % females, from 2020 to 2022. The lowest recorded radiation exposure was 0.11 mSv, and the highest was 0.88 mSv, with all values remaining below the recommended safety limit of 20 mSv. Results indicate that both departments experienced reduced radiation exposure in 2020 due to pandemic-related operational changes, with subsequent years showing divergent trends. The Diagnostic Radiology department stabilized radiation levels, suggesting effective refinement of safety protocols. In contrast, the Nuclear Medicine department observed a concerning increase in radiation exposure, highlighting areas needing enhanced safety measures. A Machine Learning Linear Regression model has been used to examine the relationship between various predictor variables and the radiation levels. The result shows that these predictors explain only about 9.2 % of the variance in radiation levels. This study underscores the importance of continuous monitoring and tailored interventions to ensure the health and safety of radiation workers, reflecting dynamic changes in healthcare practices and the critical need for robust radiation safety frameworks.