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Sources of ionizing radiation are an integral part of modern healthcare and are widely used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. One of the key aspects of the safe use of ionizing radiation in medicine is the competence of medical professionals in the field of radiation protection. The aim of this study is to investigate the level of awareness and understanding of radiation protection among interventional radiologists in the Russian Federation. The research was conducted through an online survey. The link to the questionnaire was shared in communities of interventional radiologists in social networks. A total of 78 interventional radiologists participated in the survey. The questionnaire consisted of 26 questions, 11 of which focused on assessing knowledge of radiation protection. Each question addressed a fundamental aspect essential for understanding and application in medical practice. None of the respondents answered all radiation protection questions correctly. The average score among all participants was 6.1 out of a maximum of 11. The level of knowledge did not significantly depend on years of professional experience (p>0,05). The most challenging questions concerned the biological effects of ionizing radiation. Most participants assessed their knowledge of radiation safety as satisfactory (46,1%) or good (33,3%). Self-assessment of knowledge levels also did not significantly depend on professional experience (p>0,05). As preferred sources of information on radiation safety, interventional radiologists identified online resources, scientific conferences, educational materials, and training courses. Currently, no regularly updated, unified information online resource in Russian is available. Developing such a resource represents the most cost-effective approach to ensuring and improving the awareness of interventional radiologists regarding radiation protection. Simultaneously, efforts should be directed toward enhancing the quality of training courses on radiation protection.

Interventional examinations are associated with high levels of patient exposure per examination, which makes it particularly important to monitor individual patient doses and to assess radiation risks. The aim of this study was the assessment of effective doses for fluoroscopy-guided balloon dilatation of benign esophageal strictures, whichwasperformedonpediatricpatientsaged 1 to 2 yearsatthe Departmentof Radiosurgical Methodsof Diagnosis and Treatment of St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University. Patient exposure patterns were basedonourowndatacollection. Thecalculationofeffectiveandorgandosesofpatientsnormalizedbythevalue of the dose area product measured during the study was carried out using PCXMC 2.0 software. The conversion coefficients from the dose area product to the effective dose were calculated using tissue weighting coefficients from the ICRP Publications 60 and 103 their values were 10.7 and 11.7 µSv/cGy cm2, respectively. The results of verification of the method indicated that the use of inappropriate conversion coefficients leads to an almost double underestimation of children’s effective doses. Differences in the values of conversion coefficients are significant and are explained by differences in voltage, source to image distance, and irradiation field size. A simplified model of patient exposure was proposed, which is described by a single irradiation field. The assessment of effective doses using multi-field and single-field irradiation model shows comparable results, which allows using the differentiated approach to the assessment of radiation doses of patients.

Computed tomography is associated with high patient doses. CT is actively used for pediatric, however, currently there is no reliable data on the pediatric patient doses in the Russian Federation. The current study presents the data on the anthropometric characteristics of 5, 10 and 15-year-old pediatric patients, as well as the results of a comparative assessment of the effective doses of these patients during CT-examinations of chest, considering their anthropometric data. The effective doses were calculated using three methods: based on the actual guidelines (MU 2.6.1.3584-19) using the age specific conversion coefficients; using the conversion coefficients considered patient body mass and effective diameter; using a specialized software NCICT 3.0. The difference between effective doses according to actual guidelines and considering patient body mass and effective diameter was about 7.1 % (max-65 %). High deviations were observed in patients with abnormally large or abnormally low body mass. Effective doses calculated using NCICT 3.0 were higher compared to doses calculated according to actual guidelines on average by 18 % (max — 53 %). Such differences are explained by the fact that in MU 2.6.1.3584-19 conversion coefficients are presented for the most common CT-scan parameters of protocols, and in NCICT 3.0 the calculation considers individual scan parameters for each patient. The difference between effective doses according to NCICT 3.0 and considering patient body mass and effective diameter was about 32 % (max-70 %). This difference can be explained by the differences in the anthropometric data of some patients, and by the use of different types of phantoms: a stylized phantom (Golikov et al) and a voxel phantom in NCICT 3.0.

Objective was to determine the presence and the main manifestations of professional burnout syndrome among intensive care doctors and nurses from the department of anesthesiology and intensive care. Material and methods. Resuscitators and secondary medical staff were asked to pass a questionnaire, which included a survey by V.V. Boyko «Emotional burnout», a test by C. Spielberger in the modification Y.A. Hanin, the technique of Munsterberg. Results and discussion. Professional burnout syndrome is typical for 55 % of resuscitators and 35 % of mid-level medical staff of the department of anaesthesiology and intensive care of the pediatric University clinic. As for the respondents of the first group, the presence of the «resistance» phase is characteristic, while the second group has the «resistance» and «exhaustion» phases. According to the Spielberger scale, both groups have a middle degree of situational and personal anxiety. The Munsterberg method found that selectiveness and concentration of attention before and after the daily shift is more decreased in resuscitators. Conclusion. High rates of susceptibility of specialists of the department of anaesthesiology and intensive care to the formation of professional burnout syndrome, which affects their psychological health, were established. It is necessary to develop appropriate measures to prevent this occurrence.

Analysis of levels of exposure of public of the Russian Federation by sources of ionizing exposure is one of main parts of the activities conducted by the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing. Data on the doses of public of the Russian Federation from medical exposure on facility, regional and federal levels is collected using the form of federal governmental statistical surveillance № 3-DOZ “Data on patient doses from medical X-ray examinations”, that is active since 2000. For the last 20 years there were no significant updates of the form № 3-DOZ. According to the decision of the Board of the Rospotrebnadzor from 11.09.2020, a complex program on update and modernization of form № 3-DOZ was initiated, that has resulted in the approvement of new form № 3-DOZ by the order of Rosstat № 880. The form has been significantly changed to reflect the modern condition of X-ray diagnostics in the Russian Federation. The aim of the current study was to analyze main components of medical exposure dose data collection system that required update and modernization. The study was performed based on the results of assessment of the forms № 3-DOZ from different medical facilities and regions in 2015-2020. The results of the study allowed developing main approaches to the update of the form № 3-DOZ that were implemented in a new edition of the form.