Comparison of staff irradiation after replacing ¹³¹I solution with capsules

Overview

The treatment of the thyroid cancer with ¹³¹I radioiodine is a medical method proven during tens of years. This method is prone to risk of external as well as internal irradiation for the staff of any department. The risk is from a direct contact with a radiopharmaceutical (Na¹³¹I), with an injected patient or with a waste. External and also internal irradiation can occur during routine work. The staff of radio pharmacy is placed at risk of direct contact because the radiopharmaceutical is prepared and the radioactive waste is processed here.

Comparison of radiation burden of the staff during the change of medical form (from solution to capsules of ¹³¹I) was done based on the assessment of whole body and finger dosimeters and values acquired from the measurement of internal contamination of the thyroid gland. We chose a time interval from September 2012 to the end of August 2016 (9/2012 – 8/2014 solution of ¹³¹I and 9/2014 – 8/2016 capsules with ¹³¹I). The dosimetric results were also assessed in relation to injected radioactivity in these periods.

Four radiographers and one radiological technician working in the Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrinology of the University hospital Motol were chosen to assess radiation burden. Contamination of the thyroid gland and also dose equivalent decreased in order of tens percents in these staffers after a shift of medical form to capsules. There was no significant change of radiation burden in other staff of the 2^nd ward of the department.

Key Words:
¹³¹I, radioiodine, personnel dosimetry, internal contamination, thyroid gland, radiation protection