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Bremsstrahlung radiation exposure from pure beta-ray emitters
P B Zanzonico1, B L Binkert, S J Goldsmith
1Division of Nuclear Medicine, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, USA.
Summary
High-energy beta-ray emitting radionuclides used in therapy pose minimal external radiation risk. Patients receiving these treatments do not require medical confinement for radiation protection.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Nuclear Medicine
- Radiation Biology
Background:
- Therapeutic use of high-energy beta-ray emitting radionuclides is increasing.
- In vivo production of bremsstrahlung radiation necessitates evaluation of external radiation hazards.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the potential external radiation hazard from patients treated with high-energy beta-ray emitting radionuclides.
- To determine patient release criteria based on radiation safety.
Main Methods:
- Calculated patient exposure using an extended National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement model.
- Accounted for biologic elimination, bremsstrahlung production probability, mean energy, and absorption.
- Devised and calculated a "specific bremsstrahlung constant" (betaBr) for various radionuclides.
Main Results:
- For pure beta-ray emitters, retained activities for patient release are extremely large (hundreds of thousands to millions of megabecquerels).
- Calculated specific bremsstrahlung constants (betaBr) for several radionuclides.
Conclusions:
- Radionuclide therapy with pure beta-ray emitters, including high-energy bone-seeking ones, does not necessitate medical confinement for radiation protection.
- External radiation hazards are manageable, allowing for safe patient release.