Objectives: To investigate radiation exposure among the staff of departments of nuclear medicine (NM) and diagnostic radiology (DR) during 2008 and 2009 and to compare the mean doses received with the limit of 20 mSv/year of the International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP). Materials and Methods: The whole-body dose or effective dose, i.e. Hp(10), and the skin dose, i.e. Hp(0.07), of the staff of departments of NM and DR in Kuwait for the period of 2008 and 2009 were taken from the national thermoluminescent dosimetry database. A total of 1,780 radiation workers, grouped as NM physicians, radiologists, NM technologists, and DR technologists, from 7 departments of NM and 12 departments of DR were included. The annual average Hp(10) and Hp(0.07) were calculated for each group and comparisons were made between the groups and the years. A two-sided Mann-Whitney test was carried out, at the p = 0.05 level, to compare the means. The mean Hp(10) was compared with the limits of the ICRP. Results: Of the 16 distributions of Hp(10) and Hp(0.07), 10 were normal, with a mean annual Hp (10) in 2008 of 1.06, 1.03, 1.07, and 1.05 mSv for NM physicians, radiologists, NM technologists, and DR technologists, respectively. The corresponding Hp(0.07) values for 2008 were 1.03, 1.00, 1.05, and 1.03 mSv, respectively. Small but significant (p < 0.001) reductions in Hp(10) and Hp(0.07) were observed in 2009 for NM technologists and DR technologists. In all other cases, no significant (p > 0.072) differences were found. Conclusion: The annual average Hp(10) was well below the limit of the ICRP.

Entrance surface dose (ESD) and effective dose (E) to premature infants were estimated at three neonatal intensive care units in Kuwait for three standard X-ray examinations—abdominal, chest and skull X rays using a simple water phantom. The ESD was found to vary between 58 and 102 μGy for abdominal X rays, between 51 and 102 μGy for chest X rays and between 58 and 145 μGy for skull examinations. These doses are comparable to the entrance skin doses published elsewhere. The E-values were estimated using normalised organ dose dataset from the National Radiological Protection Board. The E-values for abdominal, chest and skull examinations were in the ranges of 30–46, 20–36 and 8–18 μSv per examination, respectively. The risk of developing childhood cancers from each of the three examinations was estimated to be in the range (9–117) × 10⁻⁶ for infants undergoing 25 of these X-ray examinations during their stay in the NIC unit.

The threshold energy of the ${}_{}{}^{26}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Mg}$(p,n${)}^{26}$ ${\mathrm{Al}}^{\mathit{m}}$ reaction has been measured to be 5209.46±0.12 keV, using a 1 V standard as reference, and taking account of effects due to finite beam energy spread, nonuniform proton energy loss in the target, and ionization of the magnesium atoms. The Q value derived for the ${}_{}{}^{26}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Al}_{}^{\mathit{m}}{}_{}{}^{}$ beta decay then becomes 4232.17±0.12 keV, which is in clear disagreement with the most precise of the existing measurements. A further measurement is proposed.

Objective: It was the aim of this study to investigate radiation doses for commonly performed paediatric X-ray examinations (skull, chest, abdomen and pelvis) in public hospitals in Kuwait in order to establish national reference or guidance dose levels. Materials and Method: Exposure factors used for six commonly performed X-ray examinations – antero-posterior (AP) chest, lateral chest, AP abdomen, AP skull, lateral skull and AP pel vis – were obtained from various hospitals, and entrance surface doses (ESD) were measured using a Victoreen model 660 survey meter. Effective doses (E) and the corresponding risk of developing fatal malignancies were calculated using published conversion factors and methods recommended by the International Commission of Radiological Protection for newborn babies to 1-year-old infants. Results: The range of ESD values was 26– 668 µGy for newborn babies and 40–700 µGy for 1-year- old infants. The range of E values was about 4–150 µSv for the two age groups. The risk of developing long-term stochastic effects due to radiation exposure ranges between 0.6 and 23.4 per million. Conclusion: The range of ESD values, E values and risk of development of fatal malignancies obtained in this study can be used as a guide for the risk-benefit analysis of an X-ray examination for newborn babies and 1-year-old infants. Tube voltages used for these examinations should be kept above 60 kV, whenever possible, to minimise the radiation dose.