The interference of medical radionuclides with occupational in vivo gamma spectrometry.
Radiation workers undergo routine monitoring for the evaluation of external and internal radiation exposures. The monitoring of internal exposures involves gamma spectrometry of the whole body (whole body counting) and measurements of excreta samples. Medical procedures involving internal administration of radioactive radionuclides are widely and commonly used. Medical radionuclides are typically short-lived, but high activities are generally administered, whereas occupational radionuclides are mostly long-lived and, if present, are found generally in relatively smaller quantities. The aim of the present work was to study the interference of some common medical radionuclides (201Tl, 9mTc, 57Co, and 131I) with the detection of internal occupational exposures to natural uranium and to 137Cs. Workers having undergone a medical procedure with one of the radionuclides mentioned above were asked to give frequent urine samples and to undergo whole body and thyroid counting with phoswich detectors operated at the Nuclear Research Center Negev. Urine and whole body counting monitoring were continued as long as radioactivity was detectable by gamma spectrometry. The results indicate that the activity of medical radionuclides may interfere with interpretation of occupational intakes for months after administration.
Kol
R
R
Nuclear Research Center Negev (NRCN), Health Physics Department, PO Box 9001, Beer-Sheva 84190, Israel. kol@netvision.net.il
Pelled
O
O
Canfi
A
A
Gilad
Y
Y
German
U
U
Laichter
Y
Y
Lantsberg
S
S
Fuksbrauner
R
R
Gold
B
B
D016477:Artifacts; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000379:methods; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011786:Quality Control; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma / Q000379:methods*; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis; D014915:Whole-Body Counting / Q000379:methods*
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D011868:Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014501:Uranium