A study of doses to the hands during dispensing of radiopharmaceuticals

Radiation doses to both the fingertip and finger base of staff preparing radiopharmaceuticals in a radionuclide dispensary have been monitored for more than 5 years. The records show a fall in dose thought to be due, largely, to the introduction of all-glass (lead) syringe shields. In 1998, the annual radiation dose (mean +/- standard deviation) to the fingertip had fallen to 83+/-11 mSv, which corresponded to 0.18 mSv per 10 GBq 99Tc(m) handled. There was less reduction in dose to the finger base, which, in 1998, was 70% of that to the fingertip. To study the effect of a syringe shield on the distribution of dose across the hands, model hands were constructed and a gamma extremity monitoring system (GEMS) was used to measure dose. When a radiopharmaceutical is dispensed, contributions to the dose from activity in the vial and syringe change during the procedure. As a result, relative doses to different fingers and the ratios of doses to the tip and base of each finger will fluctuate throughout dispensing. In the absence of a syringe shield, the front tip of the index finger received the greatest radiation dose. When a syringe shield was used, doses were lower and the dose distribution was completely different. These findings have important implications in terms of compliance with the new UK Ionizing Radiations Regulations, where the dose limit is applied to 'the dose averaged over any area of 1 cm2 regardless of the area exposed'.