Local absorbed doses to medical personnel during brachytherapy for prostate cancer using micro sources of 125I

The results of measurements of local radiation doses to medical personnel's body parts which are mostly exposed to radiation (operator's fingers, palms and breast) are presented. The measurements were performed by a luminescence dosimetry method using high-sensitive TLD-500K detectors. It has been found, that even at the highest total activity of the sources (1221 MBq) and the longest duration of work of the personnel with them without using radiation protective gloves, the maximal dose (after subtraction of the natural background dose and taking into account the energy dependence of the detector sensitivity) is equal to 0.18±0.01 mGy (thumb of the right hand) and minimal dose is equal to 0.01±0.0004 mGy (external side of the palm of the left hand), which is not dangerous even if work requires multiple use of sources. (author)