Personal dose equivalent H_p(0.07) during ⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-TATE production procedures

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Medicine
• Radiation Dosimetry
• Radiopharmaceutical Handling

Background:

• Nuclear medicine personnel handle radiopharmaceuticals like 68Ga-DOTA-TATE, necessitating radiation exposure assessments.
• Understanding radiation exposure is crucial for implementing effective safety protocols in nuclear medicine departments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify hand radiation exposure in nuclear medicine staff preparing and administering 68Ga-DOTA-TATE.
• To identify procedures and personnel groups with the highest radiation exposure.
• To provide recommendations for minimizing radiation exposure.

Main Methods:

• Utilized MCP-N thermoluminescent detectors for dosimetry measurements over three 1-week sessions.
• Collected 360 measurements from fingertips of radiochemists and nurses during production procedures.
• Focused on the non-dominant left hand for assessing maximum radiation exposure.

Main Results:

• The highest radiation exposure was observed on the non-dominant left hand of radiochemists and nurses.
• Radiochemists had a maximum H p(0.07)/A of 49.36 ± 4.95 mSv/GBq during dispensing.
• Nurses had a maximum H p(0.07)/A of 1.28 ± 0.13 mSv/GBq during injection, with a mean of 0.38 mSv/GBq.

Conclusions:

• The dispensing of 68Ga-DOTA-TATE accounts for a significant portion (approx. 60%) of radiochemists' fingertip exposure.
• Routine use of ring dosimeters on the non-dominant hand is recommended for both radiochemists and nurses.
• Systematic training in handling open radioactive sources is proposed to reduce exposure time and risk.