Dose rate measurements from radiopharmaceuticals: Implications for nuclearmedicine staff and for children with radioactive parents

Following the introduction of a number of radiopharmaceuticals, we assessed the dose received by staff working in the nuclear medicine department and also by children who may be in close contact with a radioactive parent. We measured departure dose rates (mu Sv.h(-1)) at distances of 0.1, 0.5 and 1. 0 m from the skin surface at the level of the thyroid, chest and bladder of patients undergoing the following nuclear medicine procedures: MUGA scans using Tc-99(m)-labelled red blood cells, myocardial perfusion scans using T c-99(m)-labelled radiopharmaceuticals, lymphoscintigraphy using colloidal T c-99(m) (Re) sulphide, bone scans using Tc-99(m)-labelled oxidronate, In-11 1-octreotide scans, In-111-labelled leukocyte studies and cardiac reinjecti on studies using Tl-201. The maximum dose rates at 0.1 m were those from MU GA studies (167.3 mu Sv.h(-1)) and myocardial perfusion studies (one-day pr otocol = 391.7 mu Sv.h(-1), two-day protocol = 121.8 mu Sv.h(-1)). The impl ications of these dose rates on both technical and nursing staff are assess ed. Also, the dose received by an infant in close contact with a parent fol lowing a nuclear medicine investigation was estimated. ((C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins).