Assessment of internal radiation exposure of nuclear medicine workers using whole body gamma counter

French regulations have introduced the use of electronic dosimeters for personal monitoring of workers. In order to evaluate the exposure from diagnostic procedures to nuclear medicine staff, individual whole-body doses were measured daily with electronic (digital) personal dosimeters during 20 consecutive weeks and correlated with the work load of each day. Personal doses remained always below 20 µSv/d under normal working conditions. Radiation exposure levels were highest to tech staff, nurses and stretcher-bearers. The extrapolated annual cumulative doses for all staff remained less than 10 % of the maximum legal limit for exposed workers (2 mSv/yr). Electronic dosimeters are not technically justified for routine survey of staff. The high sensitivity and immediate reading of electronic semiconductor dosimeters may become very useful for exposure control under risky working conditions. It may become an important help for optimising radiation protection.

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Estimation of internal radiation exposure using a whole body counter

Polish Journal of Medical Physics And Engineering ◽

10.2478/v10013-011-0017-0 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Tomasz Pliszczyński ◽

Jakub Ośko ◽

Katarzyna Ciszewska ◽

Zbigniew Haratym ◽

Marianna Umaniec ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radiation Exposure ◽

Whole Body ◽

Internal Radiation ◽

Body Counter ◽

Whole Body Counter

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A Simple Method for the Evaluation of Internal Doses in Nuclear Medicine

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1624857 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 13 (02) ◽

pp. 193-206

Author(s):

L. Conte ◽

L. Mombelli ◽

A. Vanoli

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Medicine ◽

Close Agreement ◽

Whole Body ◽

Simple Method ◽

Rapid Estimation ◽

Absorbed Doses ◽

The Mean ◽

The Individual ◽

Estimation Of Risk

SummaryWe have put forward a method to be used in the field of nuclear medicine, for calculating internally absorbed doses in patients. The simplicity and flexibility of this method allow one to make a rapid estimation of risk both to the individual and to the population. In order to calculate the absorbed doses we based our procedure on the concept of the mean absorbed fraction, taking into account anatomical and functional variability which is highly important in the calculation of internal doses in children. With this aim in mind we prepared tables which take into consideration anatomical differences and which permit the calculation of the mean absorbed doses in the whole body, in the organs accumulating radioactivity, in the gonads and in the marrow; all this for those radionuclides most widely used in nuclear medicine. By comparing our results with dose obtained from the use of M.I.R.D.'s method it can be seen that when the errors inherent in these types of calculation are taken into account, the results of both methods are in close agreement.

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Radioiodine treatment of feline hyperthyroidism in Germany

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1625296 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 41 (06) ◽

pp. 245-251 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. Knietsch ◽

T. Spillmann ◽

E.-G. Grünbaum ◽

R. Bauer ◽

M. Puille

Keyword(s):

Radiation Exposure ◽

Radiation Protection ◽

Thyroid Function ◽

Radioiodine Therapy ◽

Whole Body ◽

Radioiodine Treatment ◽

Normal Thyroid ◽

Normal Thyroid Function ◽

Body Activity ◽

Thyroid Uptake

SummaryAim: Establishment of radioiodine treatment of feline hyperthyroidism in veterinary routine in accordance with German radiation protection regulations. Patients and methods: 35 cats with proven hyperthyroidism were treated with 131I in a special ward. Thyroid uptake and effective halflife were determined using gammacamera dosimetry. Patients were released when measured whole body activity was below the limit defined in the German “Strahlenschutzverordnung”. Results: 17/20 cats treated with 150 MBq radioiodine and 15/15 cats treated with 250 MBq had normal thyroid function after therapy, normal values for FT3 and FT4 were reached after two and normal TSH levels after three weeks. In 14 cats normal thyroid function was confirmed by controls 3-6 months later. Thyroidal iodine uptake was 24 ± 10%, effective halflife 2.5 ± 0.7 days. Whole body activity <1 MBq was reached 13 ± 4 days after application of 131I. Radiation exposure of cat owners was estimated as 1.97 Sv/MBq for adults. Conclusion: Radioiodine therapy of feline hyper-thyroidism is highly effective and safe. It can easily be performed in accordance with German radiation protection regulations, although this requires hospitalisation for approximately two weeks. Practical considerations on radiation exposure of cat owners do not justify this long interval. Regulations for the veterinary use of radioactive substances similar to existing regulations for medical use in humans are higly desirable.

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PET/CT

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1625216 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 44 (S 01) ◽

pp. S51-S57 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

T. Beyer ◽

G. Brix

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Accuracy ◽

Radiation Exposure ◽

Dose Reduction ◽

Pet Imaging ◽

Clinical Studies ◽

Review Article ◽

Whole Body ◽

High Radiation ◽

Radiation Burden ◽

Pet Ct

Summary:Clinical studies demonstrate a gain in diagnostic accuracy by employing combined PET/CT instead of separate CT and PET imaging. However, whole-body PET/CT examinations result in a comparatively high radiation burden to patients and thus require a proper justification and optimization to avoid repeated exposure or over-exposure of patients. This review article summarizes relevant data concerning radiation exposure of patients resulting from the different components of a combined PET/CT examination and presents different imaging strategies that can help to balance the diagnostic needs and the radiation protection requirements. In addition various dose reduction measures are discussed, some of which can be adopted from CT practice, while others mandate modifications to the existing hardand software of PET/CT systems.

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Aktivitätskonzentration der vom Personal einer Radiojodtherapiestation eingeatmeten Luft

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1628879 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 26 (03) ◽

pp. 143-146 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

H. Fill ◽

M. Oberladstätter ◽

J. W. Krzesniak

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Medicine ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Activity Concentration ◽

Threshold Value ◽

Whole Body ◽

Therapeutic Activity ◽

External Radiation ◽

Oral Application ◽

Exhaled Air ◽

The Mean

The mean activity concentration of1311 during inhalation by the nuclear medicine personnel was measured at therapeutic activity applications of 22 GBq (600 mCi) per week. The activity concentration reached its maximum in the exhaled air of the patients 2.5 to 4 hours after oral application. The normalized maximum was between 2 • 10−5 and 2 • 10−3 Bq-m−3 per administered Bq. The mean activity concentration of1311 inhaled by the personnel was 28 to 1300 Bq-m−3 (0.8 to 35 nCi-rrf−3). From this the1311 uptake per year was estimated to be 30 to 400 kBq/a (x̄ = 250, SD = 50%). The maximum permitted uptake from air per year is, according to the German and Austrian radiation protection ordinances 22/21 µiCi/a (= 8 • 105 Bq/a). At maximum 50% and, on the average, 30% of this threshold value are reached. The length of stay of the personnel in the patient rooms is already now limited to such an extent that 10% of the maximum permissible whole-body dose for external radiation is not exceeded. Therefore, increased attention should be paid also to radiation exposure by inhalation.

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Radiation exposure in the environment of patients after application of radiopharmaceuticals

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.3413/nukmed-0184 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 47 (06) ◽

pp. 267-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

F. Boldt ◽

C. Kobe ◽

W. Eschner ◽

H. Schicha ◽

F. Sudbrock

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Medicine ◽

Radiation Exposure ◽

Radioactive Source ◽

Time Intervals ◽

The Public ◽

Dose Rates ◽

Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine ◽

Photon Dose ◽

Order Of Magnitude ◽

Study Dose

Summary Aim: After application of radiopharmaceuticals the patient becomes a radioactive source which leads to radiation exposure in the proximity. The photon dose rates after administration of different radiopharmaceuticals used in diagnostic nuclear medicine were measured at several distances and different time intervals. These data are of importance for estimating the exposure of technologists and members of the public. Patients, method: In this study dose rates were measured for 67 patients after application of the following radiopharmaceuticals: 99mTc-HDP as well as 99mTcpertechnetate, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose, 111In-Octreotid and Zevalin® and 123I-mIBG in addition to 123I-NaI. The dose rates were measured immediately following application at six different distances to the patient. After two hours the measurements were repeated and – whenever possible – after 24 hours and seven days. Results: Immediately following application the highest dose rates were below 1 mSv / h: with a maximum at 780 μSv/h for 18F (370 MBq), 250 μSv/h for 99mTc (700 MBq), 150 μSv/h for 111In (185 MBq) and 132 μSv/ h for 123I (370 MBq). At a distance of 0.5 m the values decrease significantly by an order of magnitude. Two hours after application the values are diminished to 1/3 (99mTc, 18F), to nearly ½ (123I) but remain in the same order of magnitude for the longer-lived 111In radiopharmaceuticals. Conclusion: For greater distances the doses remain below the limits outlined in the national legislation.

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Radiation exposure of the staff at the therapeutic and diagnostic nuclear medicine department

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.3413/nukmed-0163 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 47 (04) ◽

pp. 175-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

J. Dolezal

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Medicine ◽

Radiation Exposure ◽

Effective Dose ◽

Radiation Protection ◽

Annual Effective Dose ◽

Protection Measures ◽

Professional Groups ◽

Personal Dosimetry ◽

The Mean ◽

Administered Activity

SummaryAim: To assess a radiation exposure and the quality of radiation protection concerning a nuclear medicine staff at our department as a six-year retrospective study. Therapeutic radionuclides such as 131I, 153Sm, 186Re, 32P, 90Y and diagnostic ones as a 99mTc, 201Tl, 67Ga, 111In were used. Material, method: The effective dose was evaluated in the period of 2001–2006 for nuclear medicine physicians (n = 5), technologists (n = 9) and radiopharmacists (n = 2). A personnel film dosimeter and thermoluminescent ring dosimeter for measuring (1-month periods) the personal dose equivalent Hp(10) and Hp(0,07) were used by nuclear medicine workers. The wearing of dosimeters was obligatory within the framework of a nationwide service for personal dosimetry. The total administered activity of all radionuclides during these six years at our department was 17,779 GBq (99mTc 14 708 GBq, 131I 2490 GBq, others 581 GBq). The administered activity of 99mTc was similar, but the administered activity of 131I in 2006 increased by 200%, as compared with the year 2001. Results: The mean and one standard deviation (SD) of the personal annual effective dose (mSv) for nuclear medicine physicians was 1.9 ± 0.6, 1.8 ± 0.8, 1.2 ± 0.8, 1.4 ± 0.8, 1.3 ± 0.6, 0.8 ± 0.4 and for nuclear medicine technologists was 1.9 ± 0.8, 1.7 ± 1.4, 1.0 ± 1.0, 1.1 ± 1.2, 0.9 ± 0.4 and 0.7 ± 0.2 in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. The mean (n = 2, estimate of SD makes little sense) of the personal annual effective dose (mSv) for radiopharmacists was 3.2, 1.8, 0.6, 1.3, 0.6 and 0.3. Although the administered activity of 131I increased, the mean personal effective dose per year decreased during the six years. Conclusion: In all three professional groups of nuclear medicine workers a decreasing radiation exposure was found, although the administered activity of 131I increased during this six-year period. Our observations suggest successful radiation protection measures at our department.

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