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Radiation Safety in Nuclear Medicine

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Basic Sciences of Nuclear Medicine

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Abstract

Introduction on the need of radiation safety regulations is highlighted in the beginning of the chapter. The linear non-threshold (LNT) model is given in brief while explaining the difference between stochastic and deterministic effects followed by the objective of radiation protection. The units of radiation dose (both SI and traditional) used in radiation safety are mentioned. After explaining the system of dose limitation, the annual dose limits for the occupational staff and public as recommended by ICRP (2007) are given in tabular form. The chapter deals with radiation safety in nuclear medicine in detail. Safety requirements and procedures in diagnostic (both conventional and PET) and therapeutic nuclear medicine have been described in detail. Radiation safety of staff, parents and public has been adequately covered. Emphasis has been given to good working habits (practice) for the staff while handling radioactivity in hot laboratory, injection site, imaging rooms, etc. The misadministration of radiopharmaceuticals to the patients and their avoidance has been appropriately described. Further the radiation emergencies in nuclear medicine and their management have also been included adequately. The text finally describes the management of radioactive waste in general and the waste generated in radioiodine therapy in particular.

Most of the text in this chapter has been reproduced from my book ‘Introduction to Basic Sciences of Nuclear Medicine’, Himalaya Publishing House, Mumbai, India, 2020 (under printing).

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References

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Further Reading

  • International Atomic Energy Agency. Applying radiation safety standards in nuclear medicine. Safety Reports Series No. 40. Jointly sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency, International Labour Office, International Organisation for Medical Physics, Pan American Health Organisation, World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology and World Health Organisation. Vienna: IAEA; 2005.

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  • Nagaratnam A. Radiological protection: a summary handbook of ICRP publications and recommendations. New Delhi: DRDO, Min of Defence; 1995.

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  • Pant GS. Radiation safety for unsealed sources. 2nd ed. Mumbai: Himalaya Publishing House; 2000.

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  • Radiological protection of patients in diagnostic and interventional radiology, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy. In: Proceedings of Int conf, Spain. Vienna: IAEA; 2001.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India

    Gauri Shankar Pant

Authors
  1. Gauri Shankar Pant
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt

    Magdy M. Khalil

Appendices

Annexure 1: Radiation Weighting Factors

Radiation type

Radiation weighting factor, WR (ICRP 60)

Radiation weighting factor, WR (ICRP 103)

Photons

1

1

Electronsa and muons

1

1

Protons and charged pions

5

2

Alpha particles, fission fragments, heavy ions

20

20

Neutrons, energy <10 keV

5

A continuous function of neutron energy

 10–100 keV

10

 >100 keV to 2 MeV

20

 > 2–20 MeV

10

 >20 MeV

5

  1. aElectrons excluding the Auger electrons

Annexure 2: Tissue Weighting Factors (WT)

Organ/tissue

ICRP-60 (1991)

ICRP-103 (2007)

Bladder

0.05

0.04

Bone

0.01

0.01

Brain

–

0.01

Breasts

0.05

0.12

Colon

–

0.12

Oesophagus

0.05

0.04

Liver

0.05

0.04

Lower large intestine

0.12

–

Lungs

0.12

0.12

Ovaries/testes

0.20

0.08

Red marrow

0.12

0.12

Salivary glands

–

0.01

Skin

0.01

0.01

Stomach

0.12

0.12

Thyroid

0.05

0.04

Remainder tissues

0.05

0.12

  1. Remainder tissues as per ICRP 103 are adipose tissue, adrenals, extrathoracic (ET) region, gallbladder, heart wall, lymphatic nodes, muscle, oral mucosa, pancreas, prostate, small intestine wall, spleen, thymus, uterus/cervix

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Pant, G.S. (2021). Radiation Safety in Nuclear Medicine. In: Khalil, M.M. (eds) Basic Sciences of Nuclear Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65245-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65245-6_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-65244-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-65245-6

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