title: Radiation dose produced by patients during radiopharmaceutical incorporation in nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the dose received by members of the public due to close contact with patients undergoing nuclear medicine procedures during radiopharmaceutical incorporation, and comparing it with the emitted radiation dose when the test was complete, in order to establish recommendations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was conducted on 194 patients. H*(10) dose rates were measured at 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0m after the radiopharmaceutical administration, before the image acquisition, and at the end of the nuclear medicine procedure. Effective dose for different close contact scenarios were calculated, according to 95th percentile value (bone scans) and the maximum value (remaining tests).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the radiopharmaceutical incorporation, a person who stays with another injected patient in the same waiting room may receive up to 0.59 mSv. If the patient had a medical appointment, or went to a restaurant or a coffee shop, members of the public could receive 23, 43, and 22 μSv, respectively. After finishing the procedure, these doses are reduced by a factor 3. In most of the studies, the use of private instead of public transport may reduce the dose by more than a factor 6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is recommended to increase the distance between the patients during the radiopharmaceutical incorporation and to distribute them according to the diagnostic procedure. Patients should be encouraged to use private instead of public transport. Depending on the number of nuclear medicine outpatients per year attended by a physician, it could be necessary to apply restrictions.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Radiofísica y Protección Radiológica, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Morán
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Radiofísica y Protección Radiológica, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IDISNA), Pamplona, España.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: García-García
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Radiofísica y Protección Radiológica, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IDISNA), Pamplona, España.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barbés
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ribelles
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IDISNA), Pamplona, España; Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España.
authors.forename: J Á
authors.initials: JÁ
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Radiofísica y Protección Radiológica, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IDISNA), Pamplona, España. Electronic address: jmmartic@unav.es.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martí-Climent
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009683:Nuclear Medicine; D010356:Patient Isolation / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
keywords: Diagnostic procedure; Dose to members of the public; Dosis al público; Incorporación del radiofármaco; Medicina nuclear; Nuclear medicine; Procedimiento diagnóstico; Protección radiológica; Radiation protection; Radiopharmaceutical incorporation