Vietnam: 4 methods for controlling the exposure to radiation of discharged patients

According to Article 13 of Circular No. 19/2012/TT-BKHCN of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam, the organizations and individuals that do radiological works using radioactive sources for diagnosing and treating diseases must control the exposure to radiation of visitors, caretakers, and discharged patients using the following methods:

- Appointing people proficient in the safety measures and radiation prevention to instruct the visitors and caretakers when they enter controlled areas.

- Provide information and instruction about radiation safety for visitors before they enter supervised areas.

- Ensure that the radiation doses of the caretakers, during the diagnosis, testing, or treatment by ionizing radiation or radioactive pharmaceuticals, do not exceed the dose limits prescribed in Annex I enclosed with this Circular.

- Only discharge the patients that have absorbed radioactive pharmaceuticals during the diagnosis and treatment when the activity of radioactive substances in their bodies does not exceed the levels prescribed by laws on medical radiation safety.

Moreover, according to Article 14 of Circular No. 19/2012/TT-BKHCN of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam, the organizations and individuals that do radiological works must inspect the radiation at their workplaces. The radiation inspection at workplaces must be carried out regularly, systematically, and proportionally to the level and potential of radiation exposure to radiations works, and satisfy the following requirements:

- Comply with the measurement quantities, the method and process of measurement, the position and time of measurement, and the frequency of radiation inspection that have been determined;

- The level of investigation at the measuring positions prescribed in Point a this Clause must be established based on the actual assessment data, or the experience from other premises that do similar radiations works;

- The frequency of radiation inspection at the workplace must suit the danger of the radiation works being done therein, and must not be fewer than once a year.

- The radiation inspecting devices must satisfy the technical regulations and national technical standards or international standards, must be periodically maintained, tested, and calibrated.

Note: The requirements of radiation inspection prescribed above must be made into an observation program, sent together with the application for licensing, and kept in the dossier of radiation inspection at the workplace. The radiation inspection results at the workplace must be notified to radiological workers and their direct managers.

View more details at the Circular No. 19/2012/TT-BKHCN of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam, effective from December 23, 2012.

Le Vy

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