Diagnostic radiopharmaceutical dose estimate to the Australian population

The annual per caput effective dose and the genetically significant dose to the Australian population, arising from the practice of nuclear medicine, were estimated from the results of a survey of all major hospitals. The survey was conducted for a 4-wk time period during June-July 1991. Patients were characterized by age and gender. The use of diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals resulted in values of 64 microSv and 26 microSv per caput for effective dose and the genetically significant dose, respectively. The effective dose has shown a marked increase in the last decade. These values may be compared to the estimated 2 mSv from natural background radiation.