Measurement and evaluation of personal radiation dose during ~(18)F-FDG PET imaging

Objective To measure and evaluate the personal radiation dose for medical staff and patient accompanying persons in PET imaging, in order to offer the reference data for clinical radiation protection. Methods Analysis of γ-ray radiation dose rate was performed on 30 medical staff members by using radiation dose meter during each medical procedure in injection room and scanning room, and the instantaneous, 1 and 2 h dose rate at 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 m from the mid-thorax of the patient received injection of the isotope were also measured. Then the mean dose per medical procedure per person and the assuming annual dose at different working sites were all calculated. Results The mean personal doses per procedure were: left hand (30.0±8.0) μSv, right hand (6.0±1.5) μSv, whole-body (0.5±0.1) μSv for syringe preparation; hand (3.00±0.75) μSv, whole-body (1.27±0.20) μSv for injection; (9.9±1.4) μSv for imaging operation; (310±91) μSv for close contact accompanying persons. Annual dose for staff members working in different sites were: left hand (16.63±4.41) mSv, right hand (6.45±1.23) mSv, whole-body (1.18±0.15) mSv in the injection room; whole-body (4.99±0.70) mSv in the imaging room. Conclusion Under the normal operational conditions, the dose received by staff members and accompanying persons do not exceed the annual limit for professional and non-professional persons that has published as GuoBiao safe standard (GBSS).