7/28/2019 Importance of Bladder RadIoactIvIty for RadIatIon Safety in Nuclear MedIcIne

1/1

AIM

Most of the radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine is

excreted via urinary system. Aim of this study was to evaluate the

amount of reduction of the radioactivity in bladder after voiding and

the importance of radiation safety.

Salih Sinan GLTEKNSalih Sinan GLTEKN11, Turan AHMARAN, Turan AHMARAN11

1 Dkap Yldrm Beyazt Training and Research Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ankara, TURKEY

REFERENCES

1. Lundberg TM, Gray PJ, Bartlett ML. Measuring and minimizing the radiationdose to nuclear medicine technologists. J Nucl Med Technol. 2002;30:2530.

2. Smart R. Task-specific monitoring of nuclear medicine technologistsradiation exposure. Radiat Prot Dosimetry 2004;109:201209.

3. WY Ho, KK Wong, YL Leung, KC Cheng, FTH Ho. Radiation Doses toStaff in a Nuclear Medicine Department. J HK Coll Radiol 2002;5:24-28.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Study group consists of 135 patients conducted several organ

scintigraphies [40/135; thyroid scintigraphy (TS), 30/135; whole

body bone scintigraphy (WBS), 35/135; myocardial perfusion

scintigraphy (MPS) and 30/135; renal scintigraphy (RS)] by a

technician within 1 month. After the routine imaging, for bladder

radioactivity in full and empty conditions, static scintigraphic imagesand external dose rate (EDR) measurements (at 0,25, 0,50, 1, 1,5

ve 2 m, Table 1) were obtained simultaneously. Decline ratios after

voiding were calculated over the measurements obtained from

Gamma camera and Geiger counter. Additionally, an average

monthly radiation dose (RD) exposed to the technician per type of

scintigraphy was calculated by taking into account of the EDR and

technician's time spent with patient.

RESULTS

For TS, WBS, MPS, RS and average total, decline ratios in

bladder radioactivity after voiding were found to be 52%, 55%, 53%,

55% and 54% by scintigraphic measurements and 49%, 51%, 49%,

50% and 50% by Geiger counter measurements, respectively

(Table 2). At 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 m distances, cumulative RDsexposed to the technician were respectively calculated to be 0.877,

0.527, 0.322, 0.197 and 0.115 mSv in full bladder and 0.464, 0.271,

0.164, 0.095 ve 0.055 mSv in empty bladder.

Table-1: Monthly external radiation doses exposed to the technician a0.5, 1, 1.5 ve 2 m distances per the scintigraphic test and in tota

calculations were made by taking into account of the dose rate measu

and the spending time in the certain distances from patients for the f

empty bladder conditions.

CONCLUSION

Reduction in the bladder radioactivity after voiding is a

practise that can provide a significant decrease in radiation

exposure to the technician and patients' nearby. Patients should

encourage go to the toilet for micturition after the scintigraphic

tests. Technicians shouldnt spend unnecessary time at