Assessment of occupational exposure from PET and PET/CT scanning in Saudi Arabia

Nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures such as positron emission tomography (PET) scans and hybrid imaging using a combination of PET and computed tomography (CT), commonly referred to as PET-CT scanning. Hybrid imaging, which allows accurate visualization of internal anatomical structure and the co...

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Main Authors: Omer, Hiba, Salah, H., Tamam, N., Mahgoub, Omer, Sulieman, A., Ahmed, Rufida, Abuzaid, M., Saad, Ibrahim E., Almogren, Kholoud S., Bradley, D.A. *
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Published: Elsevier 2023
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Online Access:http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2228/
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author Omer, Hiba
Salah, H.
Tamam, N.
Mahgoub, Omer
Sulieman, A.
Ahmed, Rufida
Abuzaid, M.
Saad, Ibrahim E.
Almogren, Kholoud S.
Bradley, D.A. *
author_facet Omer, Hiba
Salah, H.
Tamam, N.
Mahgoub, Omer
Sulieman, A.
Ahmed, Rufida
Abuzaid, M.
Saad, Ibrahim E.
Almogren, Kholoud S.
Bradley, D.A. *
author_sort Omer, Hiba
building SU Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures such as positron emission tomography (PET) scans and hybrid imaging using a combination of PET and computed tomography (CT), commonly referred to as PET-CT scanning. Hybrid imaging, which allows accurate visualization of internal anatomical structure and the consequent physiological processes simultaneously, is extensively used in oncology and other departments. Nevertheless, this exposes patients and medical personnel in such departments to significant doses of ionizing radiation, especially in hybrid imaging, where two sources of radiation (the radiopharmaceutical infusion and the CT scanner) are used. This necessitates strict compliance with international guidelines and regulations on radiation protection. Recent reports showed that occupational staff exposure might exceed the annual dose limits. This study evaluated occupational exposure associated with diagnostic hybrid PET-CT imaging and the consequent risks. Twenty medical personnel: 5 physicists, ten technologists, two medical doctors, and three nurses are included in this study. The assessment includes measuring occupational ambient doses using calibrated optical stimulating-luminescent dosimeters (OSL)(Al2O3:C). These badges were read using an automatic OSL reader. The results, displayed as (mean ± standard deviation): (range) of the effective dose (mSv) for the different personnel, can be summarized as follows(mean standard deviation and range). Physicists 0.72 ± 0.14 (0.49–0.83) mSv in 2019 and 0.67 ± 0.07 (0.59–0.78) in 2020; technologist 1.4 ± 0.96 (0–3.27) mSv in 2019 and 1.395 ± 1.27 (0.64–4.36) mSv; medical doctors 0.445 ± 0.42 (0.15–0.74) mSv in 2019 and 0.70 ± 0.04 (0.67–0.73) in 2020; and nurses 1.38 ± 0.25 (1.21–1.66) mSv in 2019 and 1.41 ± 0.17 (1.23–1.55) in 2020. The tube voltage of the scanner used in this study had a constant value of 120 kVp for all patients. Staff working in PET or PET-CT departments receive significant doses from the radiopharmaceuticals and the energetic gamma rays from the CT scanners. Hence, optimizing the CT acquisition parameter is necessary to optimize the occupational doses and restrict them to acceptable dose limits.
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spelling sunway-22282023-06-08T14:13:38Z http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2228/ Assessment of occupational exposure from PET and PET/CT scanning in Saudi Arabia Omer, Hiba Salah, H. Tamam, N. Mahgoub, Omer Sulieman, A. Ahmed, Rufida Abuzaid, M. Saad, Ibrahim E. Almogren, Kholoud S. Bradley, D.A. * R Medicine (General) RA Public aspects of medicine RC Internal medicine Nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures such as positron emission tomography (PET) scans and hybrid imaging using a combination of PET and computed tomography (CT), commonly referred to as PET-CT scanning. Hybrid imaging, which allows accurate visualization of internal anatomical structure and the consequent physiological processes simultaneously, is extensively used in oncology and other departments. Nevertheless, this exposes patients and medical personnel in such departments to significant doses of ionizing radiation, especially in hybrid imaging, where two sources of radiation (the radiopharmaceutical infusion and the CT scanner) are used. This necessitates strict compliance with international guidelines and regulations on radiation protection. Recent reports showed that occupational staff exposure might exceed the annual dose limits. This study evaluated occupational exposure associated with diagnostic hybrid PET-CT imaging and the consequent risks. Twenty medical personnel: 5 physicists, ten technologists, two medical doctors, and three nurses are included in this study. The assessment includes measuring occupational ambient doses using calibrated optical stimulating-luminescent dosimeters (OSL)(Al2O3:C). These badges were read using an automatic OSL reader. The results, displayed as (mean ± standard deviation): (range) of the effective dose (mSv) for the different personnel, can be summarized as follows(mean standard deviation and range). Physicists 0.72 ± 0.14 (0.49–0.83) mSv in 2019 and 0.67 ± 0.07 (0.59–0.78) in 2020; technologist 1.4 ± 0.96 (0–3.27) mSv in 2019 and 1.395 ± 1.27 (0.64–4.36) mSv; medical doctors 0.445 ± 0.42 (0.15–0.74) mSv in 2019 and 0.70 ± 0.04 (0.67–0.73) in 2020; and nurses 1.38 ± 0.25 (1.21–1.66) mSv in 2019 and 1.41 ± 0.17 (1.23–1.55) in 2020. The tube voltage of the scanner used in this study had a constant value of 120 kVp for all patients. Staff working in PET or PET-CT departments receive significant doses from the radiopharmaceuticals and the energetic gamma rays from the CT scanners. Hence, optimizing the CT acquisition parameter is necessary to optimize the occupational doses and restrict them to acceptable dose limits. Elsevier 2023-03 Article PeerReviewed Omer, Hiba and Salah, H. and Tamam, N. and Mahgoub, Omer and Sulieman, A. and Ahmed, Rufida and Abuzaid, M. and Saad, Ibrahim E. and Almogren, Kholoud S. and Bradley, D.A. * (2023) Assessment of occupational exposure from PET and PET/CT scanning in Saudi Arabia. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 204. ISSN 0969-806X https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radphyschem.2022.110642 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2022.110642
spellingShingle R Medicine (General)
RA Public aspects of medicine
RC Internal medicine
Omer, Hiba
Salah, H.
Tamam, N.
Mahgoub, Omer
Sulieman, A.
Ahmed, Rufida
Abuzaid, M.
Saad, Ibrahim E.
Almogren, Kholoud S.
Bradley, D.A. *
Assessment of occupational exposure from PET and PET/CT scanning in Saudi Arabia
title Assessment of occupational exposure from PET and PET/CT scanning in Saudi Arabia
title_full Assessment of occupational exposure from PET and PET/CT scanning in Saudi Arabia
title_fullStr Assessment of occupational exposure from PET and PET/CT scanning in Saudi Arabia
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of occupational exposure from PET and PET/CT scanning in Saudi Arabia
title_short Assessment of occupational exposure from PET and PET/CT scanning in Saudi Arabia
title_sort assessment of occupational exposure from pet and pet/ct scanning in saudi arabia
topic R Medicine (General)
RA Public aspects of medicine
RC Internal medicine
url http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2228/
http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2228/
http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2228/