Analysis of the radiation levels in the population of the Oryol region during X-ray radiological studies

Abstract

The article deals with the problems of medical exposure (ME), since it is the predominant source of artificial exposure and one of the essential types of exposure of the population as a whole. In the course of the study, the dose load of ionizing radiation sources (IRS) used for medical purposes on the population of the Oryol region in 1998–2018 was analyzed based on the results of the analysis of the fleet of X-ray diagnostic equipment, data from radiation passports and official annual medical statistics. To achieve the goal of the study, statistical methods were used, methods of retrospective epidemiological analysis of data on medical exposure of the population of the Oryol region. We used data from 15 million X-ray procedures recorded by the official annual medical statistics of dynamic changes over 20 years from 1998 to 2018 (form No. 30) and data from 800 annual No. 3‑DOZ — forms of federal state statistical observation in the Oryol region for the period 2001–2018 provided by medical institutions. The patient pays for information with a high risk of radiation exposure. The reason for the increase in medical exposure is the increasing use of interventional radiology in recent years. Medical exposure carries the risk of stochastic effects. The incidence of malignant neoplasms among the population of the Oryol region has increased by 14 % over the past 5 years, adolescents — 1.3 times, children under 14–1.4 times; congenital anomalies and malformations were recorded — 1.3 times more, in children under 14 years of age there was an excess of 4.5 %. The health indicators of the population of the Oryol region are considered unsatisfactory in terms of the incidence of malignant neoplasms, mortality and congenital malformations. As a result of the research, proposals were made to optimize the dose load and reduce the radiation hazard to the health of the population of the Oryol Region. Recommendations have also been developed to reduce the radiation doses to the personnel of medical and prophylactic organizations, to re-equip the health care facilities with modern low-dose devices.