Evaluation of an automated FDG dose infuser to PET-CT patients

An experience with an automated infuser device at a university hospital is presented in this paper. Occupational doses at operators' fingertips were measured using optically stimulated luminescence dosemeters for two different scenarios: (i) using a semi-automatic system to prepare the fluorodesoxiglucose (FDG) injections that were delivered to the patient manually and (ii) using an automated infusion device that prepares and delivers the FDG dose. The accuracy of the activity prepared by the automatic system was also verified. Reductions in fingertip doses of 60 % using the fully automatic system have been measured. The difference between the programmed and the delivered activity was 2 %. The use of the automatic infuser in the authors' institution has led to a substantial reduction in hand radiation doses. But contamination risks, even though reduced, still exist; therefore, radioisotope manipulation should follow strict radiation protection rules to avoid incidents. Improved accuracy in dose delivery reduces chances of dose misadministration.