Impact of the Frequency and Type of Procedures Performed in Nuclear Medicine Units on the Expected Radiological Hazard

Katarzyna Matusiak (), Justyna Wolna, Aleksandra Jung, Leszek Sadowski and Jolanta Pawlus
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Katarzyna Matusiak: Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, Av. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Justyna Wolna: Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, Av. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Aleksandra Jung: Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH University of Science and Technology, Av. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Leszek Sadowski: Department of Nuclear Medicine, 5th Military Hospital, ul. Wroclawska 1-3, 30-901 Krakow, Poland
Jolanta Pawlus: Department of Nuclear Medicine, 5th Military Hospital, ul. Wroclawska 1-3, 30-901 Krakow, Poland

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 6, 1-11

Abstract: Nuclear medicine procedures play an important role in medical diagnostics and therapy. They are related to the use of ionizing radiation, which affects the radiological exposure of all of the persons involved in their performance. The goal of the study was to estimate the doses associated with the performance of various nuclear medicine procedures in order to optimize workload management. The analysis was performed for 158 myocardial perfusion scintigraphy procedures, 24 bone scintigraphies, 9 thyroid scintigraphies (6 with use of 131 I and 3 with 99m Tc), 5 parathyroid glands and 5 renal scintigraphies. In this evaluation, two possible locations of thermoluminescent detectors, used for measurements, were taken into consideration: in the control room and directly next to the patient. It was shown how the radiological exposure varies depending on the performed procedure. For high activity procedures, ambient dose equivalent registered in the control room reached the level over 50% of allowed dose limit. For example, ambient dose equivalent obtained in control room when performing bone scintigraphy only was 1.13 ± 0.3 mSv. It is 68% of calculated dose limit in the examined time span. It has been shown that risk associated with nuclear medicine procedures is influenced not only by the type of procedure, but also by the frequency of their performance and compliance with the ALARA principle. Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy accounted for 79% of all evaluated procedures. The use of radiation shielding reduced the obtained doses from 14.7 ± 2.1 mSv in patient’s vicinity to 1.47 ± 0.6 mSv behind the shielding. By comparing the results obtained for procedures and dose limits established by Polish Ministry of Health, it is possible to estimate what should be the optimal division of duties between staff, so that everyone receives similar doses.

Keywords: TLD; dose estimation; nuclear medicine procedures; medical staff radiological exposure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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