title: Radiation safety of outpatient 177Lu-octreotate radiopeptide therapy of neuroendocrine tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the safety of outpatient 7.8 GBq (177)Lu-DOTA-tyr(3)-octreotate radiopeptide therapy of neuroendocrine tumors by measurement of radiation exposures of hospital personnel, carers and members of the public.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-six patients with progressive, metastatic neuroendocrine tumors each received four cycles of prescribed activity of 7.8 GBq (177)Lu-octreotate at 8-week intervals, as an outpatient procedure. Cohorts comprising four patients were treated in one room, each patient remaining in hospital until radiation exposure from them was below the release limit of 25 μSv h(-1) at 1 m. On occasion, a single patient was treated in a single room. Radiation exposures of hospital staff and patient carers were monitored by personal dosimeter, and nearby areas monitored with a survey meter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean whole-body radiation exposures per therapy day ranged from 8 μSv (physicist) to 33 μSv (nurse), with exposures to personnel, carers and members of the public well within the limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Patients excreted a mean of 46 % of the total administered activity of (177)Lu-octreotate within 4 h of therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lutetium-177-octreotate radiopeptide therapy of neuroendocrine tumors can be safely performed as an outpatient treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Fremantle Hospital, The University of Western Australia, Alma Street, Fremantle, WA, 6160, Australia.
authors.forename: Phillipe J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Calais
authors.forename: J Harvey
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D017028:Caregivers; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008187:Lutetium / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000652:urine; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D015282:Octreotide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010045:Outpatients; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011874:Radiometry
chemical_list: C554548:177Lu-octreotate; D011868:Radioisotopes; D008187:Lutetium; D015282:Octreotide