In plain language
In a reconstruction of badge doses for 110,374 US radiologic technologists from 1916 to 2020, mean cumulative dose was 79 mSv. Technologists assisting more often with fluoroscopically guided interventions, especially near the patient, had higher estimated doses.
At a glance
- Type of study
- Original research, Retrospective cohort study
- Who was studied
- Radiologic technologists
- Size
- n = 110,374 technologists
- Where
- United States
- Summary based on
- the full text
What it found
Updated reconstruction gives a slightly higher mean cumulative badge dose for the cohort than the prior version, with a mean absolute individual change of 26%.
Key figures: 79 mSv (median 48 mSv; range 0.12-3,000 mSv) vs 76 mSv; mean absolute change 26%
Frequency of fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures (FGIP) was associated with higher badge dose, strongest when technologists spent at least 50% of time within 3 feet of patients.
Key figures: per 10 FGIP/month: 5.08% (no proximity info), 9.77% (low proximity), 22.77% (high proximity)
No FGIP involvement was associated with lower population badge dose relative to unknown FGIP status.
Key figures: -14.44%
Median annual badge dose declined from 83 mSv in 1916 to 0.02 mSv in 2020, with a peak in 1935.
Key figures: 83 to 0.02 mSv; peak 115 mSv in 1935
Adding nuclear medicine or FGIP to diagnostic X-ray and fluoroscopy work increased mean annual dose; NM alone had the highest single-procedure mean.
Key figures: NM 2.42 mSv; fluoroscopy 1.79 mSv; diagnostic X-ray 0.83 mSv; NM without FGIP combined 3.14 mSv
Limits to keep in mind
Pre-1955 doses come from literature rather than measurements, work histories are self-reported and recalled years later, and practices after 2009 were assumed unchanged; badges were generally worn outside the apron, so badge dose overstates body dose. This is a dose reconstruction, not a health outcome analysis.
Related research summaries
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How this summary was made
ORSIF prepared this summary with AI assistance from the full text of the paper. A program then checked that the passage supporting each finding appears word for word in that source. A person has not yet reviewed each summary, so read the original before relying on a number. ORSIF summarizes research and does not endorse any product or company. Report a problem with this summary.
Prepared November 3, 2026.