Effects of lead shielding on gamma radiation scatter energy spectrum during equine bone scintigraphy

The main aim of this pilot study was to determine how the energy spectrum of scatter radiation emitted from horses after injection of the radiopharmaceutical ^99mTechnetium-methyl diphosphonate (^99mTc-MDP), changed behind lead shielding of varying thicknesses (0.25 mm, 0.35 mm, and 0.5 mm Pb thickness), and if beam hardening occurred. The effect lead shielding has on the emitted gamma radiation energy spectrum has not been documented. In particular, the presence of beam hardening effects behind lead shielding was investigated, to determine whether or not it could discourage the use of lead shields during bone scintigraphy in horses. Horses were injected intravenously with ^99mTc-MDP, and energy spectra emitted from horses without lead shielding were recorded initially to determine the emitted scatter spectrum. Thereafter, different combinations of lead shields of the various thicknesses listed above, draped over the horse and on simulated personnel, were recorded. The energy spectra were obtained at different anatomical locations of five horses on five consecutive days with a pulse height (multichannel) analyser two and a half hours post-injection. Energy spectra recorded from horses without lead shielding showed polychromatic energy spectra that encompassed a large portion of predominantly lower scatter energies (averaging around the 88-94 keV peaks). Higher ^99mTc- MDP peaks averaging at 139-143 keV (useful for gamma camera acquisition) were consistently seen in all recordings but made up a very small part of the emitted spectra. With the application of lead shielding, peaks of 83-86 keV, which coincided with K-edges of lead, occurred. No significant beam hardening effects behind lead shields of varying thicknesses were observed. Thus, the wearing of lead shields during bone scintigraphy of horses is encouraged.