Safety on the use of dental X-ray units in Public Health Region 7

Abstract

       Radiation can induce hazard to cells and human bodies so the safe and the use of X-ray equipment is important to the protection of patients, radiation workers and other members of public. During January - May 2012, Regional Medical Sciences Center 1 Trang evaluated the safety on the use of 80 intra-oral X-ray units which most used in governmental and private facilities in Public Health Region 7; there were Trang, Krabi, Phangna and Phuket provinces. The evaluation proceeded by testing radiation dose using for taking radiograph compared to the diagnostic reference levels of European guidelines and testing scatter radiation in controlled and uncontrolled area compare to the recommended values in NCRP. The results found the radiation dose using for taking radiograph of upper molar teeth of adults were between 0.3 - 6.8 mGy, the third quartile of the group was 3.7 mGy which less than European guideline, however, when studied of each unit found the doses were very wide variations and some hospitals using extremely high dose caused max/min ratio was 23.1 and found 19 units (23.8%) using higher dose than the third quartile value of the group and found 12 units (15%) were higher than European guidelines. For the scatter radiation in controlled and uncontrolled area were between 0.2 - 32.1 and 0.04 - 9.8 μGy per week which were in compliance with the standard. However, for the practical use of the machines and radio-protective equipments, found some clinics using hand-held units with no-shielding for the users, some units installed beside dental units with no shielding wall, some units installed in the room constructed with wood wall. From the study led some governmental and private facilities in Public Health Region 7 to review the current practice of radiographers to reduce patient dose and to provide radio-protective equipments that can properly protect radiation dose for radiation workers and public.