Radiation surveillance in and around cyclotron facility.

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Medicine
• Radiation Safety
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Compact medical cyclotrons are crucial for producing short-lived radioisotopes like Fluorine-18 (18F), Nitrogen-13 (13N), and Carbon-11 (11C) for diagnostic imaging.
• Installation of cyclotrons requires a radiation control permit from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, necessitating thorough radiation safety assessments.
• Radiation surveillance is a mandatory component of cyclotron facility safety protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive radiation survey around a newly installed medical cyclotron.
• To assess radiation exposure levels in and around the cyclotron facility during operation.
• To ensure compliance with radiation safety regulations and identify potential high-exposure areas.

Main Methods:

• Utilized ionization chamber and Geiger-Muller counters for radiation detection.
• Performed measurements before, during, and after cyclotron operation.
• Recorded radiation readings at various locations, particularly in areas with expected high radiation fields.

Main Results:

• The highest radiation exposure level recorded was 0.93 μSv/h at the back wall of the radiochemistry lab facing the cyclotron vault.
• This peak exposure was attributed to the presence of (18)F activity during the synthesis of (18)F-Fluoro-Deoxy-Glucose ((18)F-FDG).
• All other measured radiation levels were below the recommended safety limits.

Conclusions:

• The radiation survey confirmed that the cyclotron facility generally maintains safe radiation levels.
• The identified peak exposure highlights the importance of localized monitoring during specific radioisotope production processes.
• Ongoing radiation surveillance is essential for maintaining a safe operating environment in medical cyclotron facilities.