Regulations

Question 1

What legislation specifies the dose limits to staff and the public?

Answer 1

IRR 99

Question 2

What are the whole body dose limits set out in IRR99 for:
a) Employees (>18yo)
b) Employees (<18yo)
c) Women of child-bearing age.
d) Pregnant staff.
e) General Public

Answer 2

a) 20mSv/yr
b) 6mSv/yr
c) 13mSv for any consecutive period of 3 months
d) 1mSv to the foetus for the declared duration of the pregnancy
e) 1mSv

Question 3

What are the dose limits allowed for Employees (>18yo):
a) to the lens of the eye
b) to the skin
c) to the extremities

Answer 3

a) 20mSv
b) 500mSv averaged over 1cm^2
c) 500mSv

Question 4

What are the dose limits allowed for Employees (<18yo):
a) to the lens of the eye
b) to the skin
c) to the extremities

Answer 4

a) 15mSv
b) 150mSv averaged over 1cm^2
c) 150mSv

Question 5

What are the dose limits allowed for Other Persons:
a) to the lens of the eye
b) to the skin
c) to the extremities

Answer 5

a) 15mSv
b) 50mSv averaged over 1cm^2
c) 50mSv

Question 6

What are the duties of the Practitioner under IR(ME)R?

Answer 6

“The practitioner shall be responsible for the justification of a medical exposure and such other aspects of a medical exposure as is provided for in [IR(ME)R].”

Question 7

What are the duties of the Operator under IR(ME)R?

Answer 7

“The operator is individually responsible for all practical aspects of a procedure (exposure) they undertake [Regulations 10(3) and 17(1)].”

Question 8

What are the duties of the Referer under IR(ME)R?

Answer 8

“The referrer must supply sufficient medical data (such as previous diagnostic information or medical records) for the practitioner to enable justification of medical exposure 10(5).”

Question 9

Which legislation contains information about the appointment and duties RPAs and RPSs?

Answer 9

IRR17

Question 10

Which legislation contains information about Medical Physics Experts?

Answer 10

IR(ME)R

Question 11

What is the hierarchy of radiation protection?

Answer 11

1. Engineering Controls
2. Systems of Work
3. PPE

Question 12

Which legislation specifies the hierarchy of radiation protection?

Answer 12

IRR17

Question 13

What is meant by “Justification” in terms of Radiation Safety?

Answer 13

No practice involving exposures to radiation should be adopted unless it produces sufficient benefit to the exposed individuals to offset the detriment it causes.

Question 14

What is meant by “Optimisation” in terms of Radiation Safety?

Answer 14

The aim of optimisation is to achieve the image quality required to answer the clinical question using the lowest dose possible. Doses are kept ALARP, consistent with the intended purpose 12(1).

Question 15

What is meant by “Limitation” in terms of Radiation Safety?

Answer 15

The exposure of individuals should be subject to dose limits. These are aimed at ensuring that no individual is exposed to radiation risks that are judged to be unacceptable…in any normal circumstances

Question 16

Who enforces IRR99 compliance?

Answer 16

Health and Safety Executive

Question 17

What are the dose rates that designate a controlled area?

Answer 17

IDR: >2000uSv/hr
TADR: >7.5uSv/hr
TADR2000: >3uSv/hr

Question 18

What are the dose rates that designate a supervised area?

Answer 18

IDR: >7.5uSv/hr
TADR: >2.5uSv/hr
TADR2000: >0.5uSv/hr

Question 19

What are the dose rates that designate an unsupervised/public area?

Answer 19

IDR: >7.5uSv/hr
TADR: >0.5uSv/hr
TADR2000: >0.15uSv/hr

Question 20

What are the minimum requirements for a set of local rules?

Answer 20

Description of controlled and supervised areas
Name and contact details of RPS
Arrangements to restrict access
Conditions of entry for non-classified workers.
Instructions for safe working practice
Dose investigation levels
Contingency plans

Question 21

What are the duties of the Radiation Protection Advisor?

Answer 21

Gives advice to employer on radiation safety including:
- Implementation of requirements for controlled and supervised areas
- Advice on plans for future radiation installations, modifications, design and safety features.
- Calibration and proper use of equipment for monitoring radiation.
- Periodic testing of control and Safety features and systems of work

Question 22

What qualities make a good Radiation Protection Supervisor?

Answer 22

Full-time employee in department
Sufficiently senior to ensure compliance.
Needs to liaise frequently with RPA.

Question 23

What information must be given to a comforter and carer before they take on the role?

Answer 23

Must be informed of risks
Must be informed of special procedures to restrict their exposure
Must willingly accept the dose and risk involved

Question 24

What is the dose limit of a comforter and carer?

Answer 24

No limit, but 5mSv per episode dose constraint.

Question 25

Who enforces IR(ME)R?

Answer 25

Care Quality Commission

Question 26

What are the general principles of Radiation Protection set out in IR(ME)R?

Answer 26

• All diagnostic procedures may carry some personal risk
• Only necessary medical exposures should be carried out
• Alternative methods e.g. using non-ionising radiation should be considered
• All medical exposures must be justified (risk v. benefit)
• Diagnostic exposures as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP)

Question 27

What is the minimum information the referrer must supply?

Answer 27

• Unique Patient identifier
• Clinical information to justify the exposure
• Information re: pregnancy, last menstrual period, breastfeeding
• Signature

Question 28

Explain what is meant by a Diagnostic Reference Level.

Answer 28

• Must be established for each standard diagnostic and nuclear medicine examination for a standard patient cohort
• May be based on patient doses measured within a QA programme, but should also take account of national guidelines
• Expressed in dose quantities (entrance surface dose, screening time, mAs, DAP etc., depending on the type of equipment and examination)
• Reviewed at least every three years or when changes are made to equipment or procedures
• Investigation required if patient doses regularly exceed DRL

Question 29

What types of radiation incidents are reported to the HSE?

Answer 29

Malfunctions/Defects in equipment

Question 30

What types od radiation incidents are reported to CQC?

Answer 30

Human Error.

Question 31

What is the reporting limit for low dose (<0.5mSv) nuclear medicine, extremity X-Ray examinations?

Answer 31

20x intended dose.

Question 32

What is the reporting limit for medium dose (0.5-5mSv) nuclear medicine scans, or med dose X-Ray (spine, abdomen, pelvis, mammography) examinations?

Answer 32

10x intended dose

Question 33

What is the reporting limit for high dose (>5mSv) nuclear medicine scans, or high dose X-Rays (Interventional Radiograph, CT, Fluoroscopy, Angiography, Ba meals/enemas?

Answer 33

1.5x intended dose

Question 34

What is the maximum allowed X-Ray leakage?

Answer 34

1mGy/hr at 1m from focal spot averaged over 100cm^2

Question 35

What is the minimum required tube filtration for normal diagnostic work?

Answer 35

2.5mm Al equivalent (1.5mm Al should be permanent)

Question 36

What is the minimum required tube filtration for mammography?

Answer 36

0.5mm Al equivalent