title: Deriving staff and public doses in a PET/CT facility from measured radiation levels using thermoluminescent dosimetry.
abstract: The introduction of PET/CT at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre for whole body and brain imaging has become favourable for diagnosis of cancer. There is no data available on the PET/CT dose to staff and members of the public for different activities of (18)F [fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)] and for longer patient holding time. The study aims to determine and evaluate staff and public doses by using thermoluminescent dosemeters monthly readings for a 7-month deployment period and by using direct measurements of dose rates at 30 cm and 1 m distances from the patients after injection. The whole body doses per procedure and per administered activity of (18)F (FDG) were estimated. A dose map inside the PET/CT was generated to provide information of the dose levels in different locations. The Pearson correlation showed a strong correlation (r(2) = 0.71) between the dose per activity and the number of patients. Optimisation of radiation protection of staff and members of the public was investigated and recommendations were given.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Physics Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. abdal@kfshrc.edu.sa
authors.forename: Abdalla N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Al-Haj
authors.forename: Aida M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lobriguito
authors.forename: Ahnaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arafah
authors.forename: Ruchana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002138:Calibration; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011786:Quality Control; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D051598:Whole Body Imaging
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18