Impact of radiation protection means on the dose to the lens of the eye while handling radionuclides in nuclear medicine.
The human eye lens appears to be more radiosensitive than previously assumed. The reduction of the limit for the dose to the lens of the eye to 20 mSv per year has been passed in the current Euratom Directives (2013). Therefore, in this work the impact of laboratory glasses and X-ray protective goggles was investigated and reciprocal attenuation factors (i.e. transmission factors) for different nuclides (Tc-99m, I-131, Y-90, F-18 and Ga-68) were determined. The radionuclides in typical geometry (syringe, applicator) were positioned at a distance of 50 cm to the eyes of four Alderson-Head-Phantoms. Different dosemeters measuring Hp(3) respective Hp(0.07) were fixed to the eyes of the phantoms, either behind the glasses or without any protection means, respectively. The mean reciprocal attenuation factors were determined to be between unity for F-18 and I-131 using laboratory glasses (no attenuation effect) and < 0.01 for Y-90 using X-ray protective goggles. All other results were between these extremes. It has been shown, that prospective doses to the lens of the eye can be reduced significantly by using appropriate radiation protection means, especially for those dose-relevant beta radiation emitting nuclides such as Y-90.
Department for Radiation Protection and Medical Physics, Medical School Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover. Electronic address: Bruchmann.Iris@mh-hannover.de.
Iris
I
Bruchmann
Department for Radiation Protection and Medical Physics, Medical School Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover.
Bastian
B
Szermerski
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Bundesallee 100, 38116 Braunschweig.
Rolf
R
Behrens
Department for Radiation Protection and Medical Physics, Medical School Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover.
Lilli
L
Geworski
D065638:Absorption, Radiation; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000293:injuries / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009683:Nuclear Medicine / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D011868:Radioisotopes
Augenlinse; Katarakt; Nuklearmedizin; Ocular lens; Strahlenschutzmittel; cataract; nuclear medicine; radiation protection means