ICRP Publication 139 - Occupational Radiological Protection in Interventional Procedures (Free)

At a glance

Type of study

Guideline or consensus statement

Who was studied

Medical physicists and radiation safety officers, Mixed lab staff, Other physicians

Topics

Dosimetry and monitoringPersonal protective equipmentEye lens and cataractsTraining and educationRegulation and policySafety culture and compliance

Summary based on

the abstract

What it found

• Protective measures for interventional staff are effective only within a framework of radiological protection elements and with professionals responsible for radiological protection.

• The framework comprises a radiological protection programme covering exposure monitoring, protective garments, education and training, and quality assurance.

• The publication gives specific advice on estimating effective dose when an apron is worn, lens of the eye exposure with and without eyewear, and extremity monitoring.

• It recommends auditing procedures when occupational doses are unusually high or low, since low readings may mean the dosimeter was not worn.

• The intended audience extends beyond clinicians to medical physicists, dosimetry services, vendors, occupational health, hospital administrators, professional bodies and regulators.

Limits to keep in mind

This is international guidance and not a study, so it reports no new data. Only the abstract was available, so the specific recommendations and numbers are not captured here.

Related research summaries

• Occupational Radiological Protection in Interventional Procedures, ICRP PUBLICATION 139 (2018, Guideline or consensus statement)
• Occupational Protection in Interventional Radiology. A Joint Guideline of the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe and the Society of Interventional Radiology (2026, Guideline or consensus statement)
• SCAI Multi-Society Position Statement on Occupational Health Hazards (2020, Guideline or consensus statement)
• Accidents of occupational exposure to ionizing radiation in radiology departments: risks, prevention, and management (2026, Narrative review)
• Addressing the Occupational Risk of Radiation Exposure in the Evolving Field of Interventional Echocardiography (2024, Narrative review)