Exposure to Nuclear Medicine Personnel

[Jon Rubenstein <rubenstj@odrge.odr.georgetown.edu>]

Hello Radsafe Members:

Our institution maintains a busy Nuclear Medicine Department (As described
by our technologists).  Recent personnel cutbacks have caused an increase in
the radiation exposure received by the remaining workers.  I would like to
compare our occupational radiation exposure with that received (both
individual and collective) at similar institutions.  

Our Nuclear Medicine facility employs 6 technologists and a nurse.  They
perform studies on 6500 patients/year, including 2000 cardiac studies.  We
purchase most of our radioisotope in unit-dose form, as we do not have a
radio-pharmacy on site.  The exception is our Tc-99m generator, which is
utilized for 400 multi-gated heart studies per year, the procedures
performed after hours and on most stat patients.  There are approximately 25
I-131 therapies performed annually at our institution.  The remainder of the
procedures performed are routine studies utilizing standard nuclear medicine
protocols and radioisotopes (Ga-67, Tl-201, I-125 etc).     

Standard nuclear medicine radiological work practices are in place.
Radioisotopes are stored behind shielding and maintained in shielded
containers. Syringe shields are utilized during dose administrations.
Radioactive waste is removed from the facility daily.

The 1997 exposure average for our Nuclear Medicine Technical staff is:

        Whole Body:      -   5.9 mSv/year ( 590 mRem/year)
        Ring Dosimeter:  -  20.5 mSv/year (2050 mRem/year) 

I would like to compare the occupational exposure from our department to
that of other similar programs.  Please E-mail me directly with your
statistics (average whole body and extremity exposure, the number of
technical staff involved directly with the administration of
radio-pharmaceuticals, and the approximate number of nuclear medicine
patients per year) and I will post a summary to the list.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of this matter.


Jon Rubenstein, Health Physicist
Geargetown University
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
3900 Reservoir Road, N.W.
Washington, D. C. 20007
(202) 687-4712
rubenstj@odrge.odr.georgetown.edu