RADIATION EXPOSURE TO STAFF IN NUCLEAR MEDICINE, OTHER
HOSPITAL SECTIONS AND PUBLIC DUE TO ADULT PATIENTS
UNDERGOING DIAGNOSTIC NUCLEAR MEDICINE PROCEDURES.
SYED MANSOOR NAQVI(1), KHALIL AHMED KHAN (1), GHUFRAN A KHAN(1),
HUMA SHAUKAT(2), NAZISH(2), WAQAS MAZHAR(2), DR. MASSEH UZ
ZAMAN(1), DR. RIFFAT HUSSAIN(1)
(1) Aga Khan University & Hospital
(2) Karachi University
Purpose
Radiation exposure to staff in nuclear medicine, other hospital sections and
public due to adult patients undergoing diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures
need to be measured to ensure that the exposures from the patients to the
hospital staff and public is in safe range.
Materials Methods
Once the diagnostic nuclear medicine exam is performed the patients may then
come into close contact with members of the public and hospital staff. In order to
expand the available dosimetry and derive appropriate recommendations, dose
rates were measured at 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 m from 20 adult patients during the
procedure and just before they left the nuclear medicine department after
undergoing the whole body bone scan and renal scans using Tc 99m.
Results & Conclusions
The maximum departure dose rates at these distances of 150, 30 and 7.3
microSv h-1 were greater than those found in similar published studies of adult
and paediatric patients. It is unlikely that a ward nurse will receive a dose of 60
microSv in a working day if caring for just one radioactive adult patient, unless
the patient is classified as totally helpless and has undergone a Tc 99m bone
scan. The data and revised calculations of effective exposure times based on a
total close contact time of 8 h in every 24 h period should allow worst case
estimates of radiation dose to be made and recommendations to be formulated
for other circumstances, including any future legislative changes in dose limits or
derived levels.