Spatial distribution of beta extremity doses in nuclear medicine: a feasibility study with thin alpha-Al2O3:C TLDs.
Exposures to the extremities have increased due to new therapeutic protocols involving beta sources. In this study, thermoluminescent dosimeters based on alpha-Al(2)O(3):C were used to map the dose distribution to the extremities of physicians and paramedical personnel handling beta emitters. The results showed a strong inhomogeneous dose distribution between different phalanxes, fingers and hands of all the investigated subjects, without an indication of systematic trends in the dose patterns. Consequently, conventional dosimetric practices, based on the use of wrist or ring dosimeters, may be not suitable for providing reliable assessments of the inhomogeneous doses received at the fingertip.
Università degli Studi di Milano, Physics Department, INFN Sezione di Milano, Milano, Italy.
Pietro
P
Mancosu
Marie Claire
MC
Cantone
Ivan
I
Veronese
Augusto
A
Giussani
D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D001610:Beta Particles; D017554:Carbon Compounds, Inorganic; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005385:Fingers; D006225:Hand; D006283:Health Physics; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010820:Physicians; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry / Q000295:instrumentation*
D017554:Carbon Compounds, Inorganic; D000537:Aluminum Oxide