Radiation safety review for 511-keV emitters in nuclear medicine

With the advent of high-energy collimators and dual-head coincidence cameras, standard nuclear medicine facilities will soon begin imaging with PET isotopes. The use of 511-keV emitters raises new radiation safety concerns for technologists traditionally limited to handling 99mTc and other low-energy isotopes. This article is a basic review of positron emitters, measurement concerns, exposure rates, shielding requirements and external radiation exposure mitigation. Newly developed PET shielding products are presented and regulatory status is discussed briefly.