WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE RADIOLOGISTS FINGER DOSES DURING PERCUTANEOUS DRAINAGES UNDER FLUOROSCOPIC GUIDANCE

Radiation exposure of radiologists' left and right hands during 44 per cutaneous drainages involving fluoroscopy was measured with thermolumi nescent dosimeters. Finger doses of 3.4-1,300 muGy (mean 180, median 1 10) were recorded. Finger exposure seemed to show a significant, posit ive correlation with the screening time, but not with the patients' bo dy mass indexes or ages. The mean personal doses of the radiologists w ere different and, in one case, the difference between the individual radiologists' doses was statistically significant. The personal workin g technique may therefore partly explain the amount of radiation expos ure to the fingers.