Abstract:
The increasing numbers of 18F-FDG PET/CT studies in routine clinical practice may pose risk of higher radiation exposure to medical staff. The aim of this study is to estimate the whole-body and finger radiation doses per study received by nuclear medicine staff involved in dispensing, administration of 18F-FDG and interacting with radioactive patients during PET/CT imaging procedures in a PET/CT facility. The whole-body doses received by radiopharmacists (n=2), technologists (n=9), and nurses (n=2) were measured by electronic dosimeter and the finger doses by ring dosimeter during a period of 4 months. Time spent with 18F-FDG was recorded. In 70 PET/CT studies, the mean effective whole-body dose per study to radiopharmacists, technologists, and nurses were 1.07±0.09, 1.77±0.46, μSv, and was not detectable respectively. The mean finger doses per study received by radiopharmacists, technologists, and nurses were 265.65±107.55, 4.84±1.08 and 19.22±2.59 μSv, respectively. The average time in contact with 18F-FDG was 5.88±0.03, 39.06±1.89 and 1.21±0.02 minutes per study for radiopharmacists, technologists and nurses respectively. Technologists received the highest mean effective whole-body dose per study and radiopharmacists received the highest finger dose per study. When compared with the ICRP dose limit, each individual worker can work with many more 18F-FDG PET/CT studies for a whole year without exceeding the occupational dose limits. This study confirmed that low levels of radiation doses are received by our medical personnel involved in 18F-FDG PET/CT procedures.