Dose Load during Orthopedic Procedures

This article discusses the dose load of people working with a C-arm X-ray system during orthopedic procedures. We measured the effective doses received by the doctor-operator and his assistant at three points of the body—head, gonads and feet, in radiography mode (single shot) and in three sub-modes of the fluoroscopy mode—continuous fluoroscopy; 1/2 dose fluoroscopy and pulse fluoroscopy. Calculations were made for dose rate the resulting our measurements due to the fact that at the different exposure modes are used different exposure times. For a more accurate comparison of the dose load in the different operating modes, we calculated the time for reaching the dose limit for the personnel given in the Bulgarian legislation is calculated—20 mSv per year. The results of all measurements and calculations show that the dose load in the radiography mode (single shot) is several times larger than the dose that was received in the three variations of the fluoroscopy modes. Our main goal by this research is to convincingly show orthopedic surgeons and traumatologists that using a fluoroscopy mode (in all its variations) of the C-arm X-ray system in the position of the tube under the patient table is best for their work, appreciating terms of work, image quality, informational value and dose load of the staff.