title: Investigation of radiation protection of medical staff performing medical diagnostic examinations by using PET/CT technique.
abstract: Positron emission tomography (PET) is now one of the most important methods in the diagnosis of cancer diseases. Due to the rapid growth of PET/CT centres in Poland in less than a decade, radiation protection and, consequently, the assessment of worker exposure to ionising radiation, emitted mainly by the isotope (18)F, have become essential issues. The main aim of the study was to analyse the doses received by workers employed in the Medical Diagnostic Centre. The analysis comprises a physicist, three nurses, three physicians, three technicians, as well as two administrative staff employees. High-sensitivity thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs) were used to measure the doses for medical staff. The personnel was classified into categories, among them employees having direct contact with the 'source of radiation'-(18)FDG. The TLDs were placed on the fingertips of both hands and they were also attached at the level of eye lenses, thyroid and gonads depending on the assigned category. The highest dose of radiation was observed during the administration of the (18)FDG to the patients. In the case of the physicist, the highest dose was recorded during preparation of the radiopharmaceutical-(18)FDG. The body parts most exposed to ionizing radiation are the fingertips of the thumb, index and middle finger.
authors: Department of Nuclear Physics and Radiation Safety, Faculty of Physics and Applied Informatics, University of Lodz, Pomorska 149/153, 90-236 Lodz, Poland.
authors: Małgorzata
authors: M
authors: Wrzesień
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Napolska
mesh_terms: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000032:analysis*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000032:analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014915:Whole-Body Counting / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18