Re: Children: rad exposure from Nuc Med patients

["J. J. Rozental" <josrozen@netmedia.net.il>]

At 02:09 AM 1/20/98 -0600, you wrote:

>This is a very nice example for the ALARA principle - it is easy and does
>not cost anything, to advise patients not to take children with them.........
>
>Franz
>Franz Schoenhofer
>Federal Institute for Food Control and Research
>Department for Radiochemistry and Radioactivity of Food
>Kinderspitalg. 15
>A-1095 Vienna
>AUSTRIA
>tel.: +43-1-40491-520
>fax.: +43-1-40491-540
>

Dear Franz, 

You are perfectly correct. In case of usual Nuclear Medicine diagnostic
examination, it is elementary radiation protection principle to forbid
children (and even adult who accompanies patients who have been injected)
being around  patients in waiting areas. Unless necessary,  due patient's
health condition, the IAEA Basic Safety Standards, Safety Series 115, Ed.
1996, page 93, II-9  recommend the following about dose limitation for
comforters and visitors of patients, including children:

"The dose limits set out in this part shall not apply to comforters of
patients, i.e., to individuals knowingly exposed while voluntarily helping
(other than in their employment or occupation) in the care, support and
comfort of patients undergoing medical diagnosis or treatment, or to
visitors of such patients. However the dose of any such comforter or visitor
of patients shall be constrained so that it is unlike that his or her dose
will exceed 5 mSv during the period of a patient's diagnostic examination or
treatment. The dose to children visiting patients who have ingested
radioactive materials should be similarly constrained to less than 1 mSv."

Best Regards,

J. J. Rozental <josrozen@netmedia.net.il>
Israel