Author(s):
1. Bojan Pavičar, Affidea, Internacionalni medicinski centar, Centar za Radioterapiju, Dvanaest beba bb, Banja Luka, Pr, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2. Jasna Davidović, University of Belgrade School of Electrical Engineering, Belgrade, Serbia 7University Clinical Centr, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
3. Biljana Petrović, Public Health Institute of the Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
4. Goran Vuleta, University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Department of Medical Physics and Radiation Pr, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
5. Saša Trivić, University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Department of Medical Physics and Radiation Pr, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
6. Vlatko Šajinović, University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Thyroid Dis, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
7. Nataša Egeljić-Mihailović, University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Thyroid Dis, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
8. Nataša Todorović, University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Novi Sad, Serbia , Serbia
9. Branko Predojević, University of Banja Luka Faculty of Natural Sciences, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina , Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract:
Radiation doses to four technologists and two nurses performing routine diagnostic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) at the University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska Department of Nuclear Medicine and Thyroid Disorders were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The objective of the study was to find out how that Department compares to the other PET/CT centers worldwide in terms of annual numbers of procedures, exposure limits and personal dosimetry readouts, and whether there could be room for further improvements in local radiation protection. In our study, passive TLDs of the the MTS-N (LiF, Ti) type were used. Data analysis included monthly staff exposure for seven consecutive months (June-December 2018) quantified in terms of normalized whole body dose [Hp(10)] and dominant hand dose [Hp(0.07)], as well as the intercomparison of the dose readouts among each staff member and between the two groups (technologists and nurses). Mean individual whole body exposure dose per GBq of injected 18F-FDG activity [Hp(10)/A] was found to be 18.55 µSv/GBq for the four technologists and 15.61 µSv/GBq for the two nurses. Mean dominant-hand exposure dose per GBq of injected 18F-FDG activity [Hp(0.07)/A] was 16.99 µSv/GBq and 25.44 µSv/GBq for the two groups, respectively. The average annual cumulative dose for all staff was (1.06±0.29) mSv for Hp(10) and (1.15±0.32) mSv for Hp(0.07). These results are consistent with the data from similar studies. All the staff doses were found to be well below the legally prescribed annual limits. The nurses received slightly higher extremity doses than the technologists. In view of the increasing trends in the number of PET/CT patient examinations, and having in mind continuous introduction of novel radiopharmaceuticals as well as diagnostic and therapeutic NM procedures into clinical practice, staff dose monitoring should be continued and improved with every means possible in order to identify exposure hotspots in space and time, and maintain occupational doses as low as possible.

Key words:
nuclear medicine (NM),18F-fluorodeoxyglucose,ALARA principle,automated dispensing systems,occupational dose,whole-body dose,extremity dose,positron emission tomography-computed tomography,thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD)

Thematic field:
SYMPOSIUM B - Biomaterials and nanomedicine

Date of abstract submission:
05.08.2022.

Conference:
Contemporary Materials 2022 - Savremeni materijali

Abstract