A study on occupational exposure in a PET/CT facility

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Medicine
• Radiological Protection
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Staff working with radioactive materials, such as Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG), require careful monitoring for occupational exposure.
• Assessing radiation doses is crucial for ensuring safety and optimizing procedures in nuclear medicine facilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and quantify staff occupational exposure during 18F-FDG Positron Emission Tomography (PET) studies.
• To establish a radiological map of radiation dose rates in different working areas.
• To verify that occupational doses are within regulatory limits.

Main Methods:

• Utilized detectors traceable to Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) standards for accurate measurements.
• Conducted measurements across various working zones and procedures, with a standard injected activity of 400 MBq per patient.
• Generated a radiological map by measuring dose rates in proximity to patients, identifying the abdomen as the highest exposure area.

Main Results:

• The maximum estimated dose to the most exposed staff member was 3.6 mSv per year under conservative assumptions.
• Typical doses near the patient's abdomen, considering staff rotation, were measured at 0.9 ± 0.3 mSv per year.
• Statistical analysis of data from 50 patients indicated a negligible probability (P < 0.01) of exceeding 20 mSv annually, barring incidents.

Conclusions:

• Occupational radiation doses for staff involved in 18F-FDG studies are well within the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommended limits.
• The findings support the optimization of working procedures to further enhance safety in the facility.
• This study provides a quantitative basis for radiation safety protocols in 18F-FDG administration and patient handling.