Conventional diagnostic nuclear medicine applications have been continuously increasing in most nuclear medicine departments in Turkey, but to our knowledge no one has studied the doses to ...technologists who perform nuclear medicine procedures. Most nuclear medicine laboratories do not have separate control rooms for technologists, who are quite close to the patient during data acquisition. Technologists must therefore stay behind lead shields while performing their task if they are to reduce the radiation dose received. The aim of this study was to determine external radiation doses to technologists during nuclear medicine procedures with and without a lead shield. Another aim was to investigate the occupational annual external radiation doses to Turkish technologists.
This study used a Geiger-Müller detector to measure dose rates to technologists at various distances from patients (0.25, 0.50, 1, and 2 m and behind a lead shield) and determined the average time spent by technologists at these distances. Deep-dose equivalents to technologists were obtained. The following conventional nuclear medicine procedures were considered: thyroid scintigraphy performed using (99m)Tc pertechnetate, whole-body bone scanning performed using (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate, myocardial perfusion scanning performed using (99m)Tc-methoxyisobutyl isonitrile, and (201)Tl (thallous chloride) and renal scanning performed using (99m)Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid.
The measured deep-dose equivalent to technologists per procedure was within the range of 0.13 ± 0.05 to 0.43 ± 0.17 μSv using a lead shield and 0.21 ± 0.07 to 1.01 ± 0.46 μSv without a lead shield. Also, the annual individual dose to a technologist performing only a particular scintigraphic procedure throughout a year was estimated.
For a total of 95 clinical cases (71 patients), effective external radiation doses to technologists were found to be within the permissible levels. This study showed that a 2-mm lead shield markedly reduced the external dose to technologists. The doses to technologists varied significantly for different diagnostic applications. Consequently, the estimated annual dose to a technologist performing only a particular scintigraphic procedure is very different from one type of procedure to another. The results of this study should help in determining the rotation time of technologists in different procedures and differences in their individual techniques.
OBJECTIVESNuclear medicine (NM) is a rapidly developing field. In Portugal, no occupational study has been conducted yet that characterizes the professional profile of NM technologists (NMTs). We ...investigated the clinical tasks performed by NMTs in Portugal, analysing their practices with regard to radiation protection matters and their compliance with established international guidelines for best practice.
METHODSA questionnaire targeted at NMTs was constructed and distributed among 105 NMTs working in Portugal (an estimated 88% of the NMT population in Portugal). Questions addressed the demographic profile, academic background and professional profile of NMTs, with emphasis on practices adopted in NM tasks and radiation protection.
RESULTSIn all, 51.4% of the 105 NMTs responded. The majority (70.4%) of the NMTs studied were women, with an average age of 34.3 (±10.4) years and 11.6 (±10.6) years of professional experience. The reported NM tasks included radiopharmaceutical preparation (96.3%), PET (44.4%), intravenous administration (74.1%), administration with dose containers (97.7%) and administration with syringe shields (76.9%). The use of a protective lead apron was rare (2.7%). The average individual dose recorded was 3.8 (±2.7%) mSv/year.
CONCLUSIONNMTs in Portugal are generally young women with specialized academic education, consistent with the developments in NM technology and education in Portugal since the past decade. The majority of NMT activities are focused on conventional NM. The estimated annual average individual dose is below the established legal limit. However, radiation protection practices related to staff protection are not harmonized, revealing key aspects to be considered in future education and training.
Administration of radiopharmaceuticals through intravenous and oral routes is the major source of radiation exposure to nuclear medicine (NM) technologists. Adopting new strategies to minimize ...radiation exposure is an important step toward safe practice in nuclear pharmacy.
We have indigenously developed a relatively close delivery system for oral administration of radioiodine-131 ((131)I) to minimize radiation exposure to the technologists.
The efficacy of this indigenously developed close system was assessed upon 23 patients who were given (131)I therapies for benign (13 patients) and malignant thyroid disorders (10 patients). There was 64 ± 6% (P < 0.05) reduction in exposure rate using indigenously developed delivery system.
The cost involved in developing this system was very nominal, but efficacy in terms of radiation safety and confidence of our technologists were phenomenal.
BACKGROUNDNuclear medicine in Australia has encountered significant change over the past 30 years, with a move to privately owned practices, technological advances and the transfer of education of ...the nuclear medicine technologist (NMT) from technical college apprenticeships to university degrees. Currently, shortages of nuclear medicine technologists are reported in some states of Australia. It is not known whether changes in NMT practice or the type of centre in which an NMT works have an influence on retention of staff.
AIMThe primary objective of this survey was to establish a profile of NMT practice in Australia, with the aim of producing baseline data that could be used in further research to establish levels of retention and job satisfaction.
METHODSChief technologists in three states of Australia were invited to respond to a written questionnaire. The questionnaire included data about staffing levels, imaging modalities, procedures performed, and movement of staff. Findings presented will relate to the profile of practice data only.
RESULTSForty-eight (54%) chief technologists responded to the questionnaire with 73% working in privately owned practices. The majority of centres employ up to two full-time equivalent nuclear medicine technologists and have two gamma cameras and one full-time equivalent nuclear medicine physician. Most centres perform a limited range of studies with bone scans predominating. More than half the centres make some use of a centralized radiopharmacy service.
CONCLUSIONFurther research is required to determine how these changes may impact on workplace satisfaction and in turn, on retention.
Objectives: Nuclear medicine has changed rapidly as a result of technological developments. Very little is reported on the effects these developments may have on technologist productivity. This study ...aims to determine whether advances have created a workplace where more patient studies can be performed with fewer technologists. The level of change in automation or time taken to perform a routine task by the nuclear medicine technologist as a result of technological development over the past decade is reported. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using Embase.com, Medline, INSPEC, and Cinahl. Two authors reviewed each article for eligibility. Technological developments in routine areas over the past decade were reviewed. The resultant automation or time effects on data acquisition, data processing, and image processing were summarized. Results: Sixteen articles were included in the areas of myocardial perfusion, information technology, and positron emission tomography (PET). Gamma camera design has halved the acquisition time for myocardial perfusion studies, automated analysis requires little manual intervention and information technologies and filmless departments are more efficient. Developments in PET have reduced acquisition to almost one-fifth of the time. Conclusions: Substantial efficiencies have occurred over the decade thereby increasing productivity, but whether staffing levels are appropriate for safe, high quality practice is unclear. Future staffing adequacy is of concern given the anticipated increasing service needs.
Improvements in imaging technologies are contributing to increases in the demand for radiology services. Efforts to match this rising demand are limited by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ...Services cap on resident positions and the challenges in obtaining appropriate visas and medical licenses for international medical graduates. This rising gap in the demand for and capacity to deliver radiology services has created a need for radiologist extenders. A variety of roles have been developed for these radiologist extenders, depending on the skills of the individuals and the subspecialty areas in which they work. Prominent among these are radiologist assistants, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, dosimetrists, and advanced-practice nuclear medicine technologists. Quality patient care is best accomplished when radiologist extenders function under the guidance of qualified radiologists, nuclear physicians, or radiation oncologists.
Experimental results show, that a junior NMT may spend on average 52% of the close contact time (<2 m) with the patient when administering an FDG dose compared to 36% of that time for the senior NMT.
The use of PET radiopharmaceuticals is regulated for both pharmaceutical quality as well as radiation exposure. In the USA, the pharmaceutical quality (e.g., stability, biological safety, efficacy, ...etc.) of PET radiopharmaceuticals is regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), whereas the radiation aspects are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The following is a brief description of different regulations that affect the use of PET radiopharmaceuticals. Only the important points of the regulations are presented.
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