Computed Tomography Scanners Background Radiation in Some Selected Hospitals within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria

This study determined the Indoor and Outdoor background radiation of the Computed Tomography Scanners (CT) rooms in some selected hospitals within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. The measurements were done with the survey meters held in the CT room while the CT machine is switched off and around the department or unit outside the CT room. The data measured was read on the display screen of the survey meters. The average dose of the ten readings taken in a hospital was recorded under the area code assigned to that Hospital. The Results showed that the CT indoor doses ranged from 0.141µSv/hr ± 0.02 to 0.213µSv ± 0.03, with a mean value of 0.171µSv/hr ± 0.03. And the CT outdoor doses ranged from 0.165 µSv/hr ± 0.02 to 0.250 µSv/hr ± 0.04, with a mean value of 0.208 µSv/hr ± 0.0.03. Also, the Mean dose values for CT indoor and Outdoor were 0.171µSv/hr± 0.03 and 0.208µSv/hr± 0.03 respectively. The mean background radiation values gotten for CT indoor and outdoor doses are all within the acceptable limits for natural background radiation levels for indoor and outdoor when the machine was in operation. When the indoor and outdoor doses were added, it is about 1.56mSv per year from CT scanners when added to estimated 2mSv from radon gas. The background radiation will be 3.56mSv per year for Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria.