title: PET/CT-guided interventions: personnel radiation dose.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify radiation exposure to the primary operator and staff during PET/CT-guided interventional procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study, 12 patients underwent PET/CT-guided interventions over a 6 month period. Radiation exposure was measured for the primary operator, the radiology technologist, and the nurse anesthetist by means of optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters. Radiation exposure was correlated with the procedure time and the use of in-room image guidance (CT fluoroscopy or ultrasound).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median effective dose was 0.02 (range 0-0.13) mSv for the primary operator, 0.01 (range 0-0.05) mSv for the nurse anesthetist, and 0.02 (range 0-0.05) mSv for the radiology technologist. The median extremity dose equivalent for the operator was 0.05 (range 0-0.62) mSv. Radiation exposure correlated with procedure duration and with the use of in-room image guidance. The median operator effective dose for the procedure was 0.015 mSv when conventional biopsy mode CT was used, compared to 0.06 mSv for in-room image guidance, although this did not achieve statistical significance as a result of the small sample size (p = 0.06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The operator dose from PET/CT-guided procedures is not significantly different than typical doses from fluoroscopically guided procedures. The major determinant of radiation exposure to the operator from PET/CT-guided interventional procedures is time spent in close proximity to the patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, Suite H118, New York, NY 10065, USA. ronan@ronanryan.com
authors.forename: E Ronan
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: Constantinos T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Sofocleous
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Erinjeri
authors.forename: Meier
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: Lawrence T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Dauer
authors.forename: Stephen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Solomon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D059232:Laboratory Personnel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013679:Technology, Radiologic; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods