TY - JOUR
T1 - Extremity exposure with99mtc-labelled radiopharmaceuticals in diagnostic nuclear medicine
AU - Nyathi, Mpumelelo
AU - Moeng, Thabiso Maria
AU - Maboe, Doctor Paul A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Bentham Science Publishers.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Background: Extremity exposures may raise the risk of cancer induction among radiog-raphers involved in the preparation and administration of technetium-99m labelled radiopharmaceu-ticals. Objective: To estimate finger doses on radiographers at a South African tertiary hospital. Methods: Adhesive tape was used to securely fix a calibrated thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) on fingertips and bases of ring and index fingers of both hands of five radiographers who prepared and administered technetium-99m labelled radiopharmaceuticals. Rubber gloves were worn to avoid TLD contamination. TLDs doses were read with a Harsaw TLD Reader (Model 3500) after a week. Results: Five radiographers prepared and administered technitium-99m labelled radiopharmaceuti-cals (activity range; 78.20 GBq-132.78 GBq during a one-week measurement period). A radiogra-pher handling 132.78 GBq received 4.74±0.52 mSv on both hands; 5.52, 4.55, 5.11 and 4.60 mSv on the fingertip of the index finger of the dominant hand (FIDH), fingertip of the ring finger of the dominant hand (FRDH), fingertip of the index finger of the non-dominant hand (FINDH) and fingertip of the ring finger of the non-dominant hand (FRNDH), respectively. The respective doses received on the finger bases were 4.50 mSv, 4.60, 4.21 and 3.48 mSv. The radiographer handling 78.20 GBq received 0.85±0.18 mSv on both hands, 1.04, 1.17, 0.77 and 1 mSv for the FIDH, FRDH, FINDH and FRNDH, respectively, while respective doses for the bases were 0.8, 0.9, 0.6 and 0.8 mSv. Conclusion: The extremity exposures were below the annual limit (500 mSv). However, the use of syringe shields could still reduce the finger doses further.
AB - Background: Extremity exposures may raise the risk of cancer induction among radiog-raphers involved in the preparation and administration of technetium-99m labelled radiopharmaceu-ticals. Objective: To estimate finger doses on radiographers at a South African tertiary hospital. Methods: Adhesive tape was used to securely fix a calibrated thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) on fingertips and bases of ring and index fingers of both hands of five radiographers who prepared and administered technetium-99m labelled radiopharmaceuticals. Rubber gloves were worn to avoid TLD contamination. TLDs doses were read with a Harsaw TLD Reader (Model 3500) after a week. Results: Five radiographers prepared and administered technitium-99m labelled radiopharmaceuti-cals (activity range; 78.20 GBq-132.78 GBq during a one-week measurement period). A radiogra-pher handling 132.78 GBq received 4.74±0.52 mSv on both hands; 5.52, 4.55, 5.11 and 4.60 mSv on the fingertip of the index finger of the dominant hand (FIDH), fingertip of the ring finger of the dominant hand (FRDH), fingertip of the index finger of the non-dominant hand (FINDH) and fingertip of the ring finger of the non-dominant hand (FRNDH), respectively. The respective doses received on the finger bases were 4.50 mSv, 4.60, 4.21 and 3.48 mSv. The radiographer handling 78.20 GBq received 0.85±0.18 mSv on both hands, 1.04, 1.17, 0.77 and 1 mSv for the FIDH, FRDH, FINDH and FRNDH, respectively, while respective doses for the bases were 0.8, 0.9, 0.6 and 0.8 mSv. Conclusion: The extremity exposures were below the annual limit (500 mSv). However, the use of syringe shields could still reduce the finger doses further.
KW - Finger doses
KW - Nuclear medicine
KW - Technetium-99m labelled radiopharmaceuticals
KW - Thermoluminescent dosimeters
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103992773&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2174/1874471013999200727205451
DO - 10.2174/1874471013999200727205451
M3 - Article
C2 - 32720609
AN - SCOPUS:85103992773
SN - 1874-4710
VL - 14
SP - 57
EP - 63
JO - Current Radiopharmaceuticals
JF - Current Radiopharmaceuticals
IS - 1
ER -