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Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effective radiation dose of a skeletal survey in children younger than two years evaluated for suspected non-accidental injury. Methods: Skeletal surveys performed in children younger than two years with suspected non-accidental injury between 2015-2023 were retrieved from the radiological database. The effective radiation dose of initial, follow-up and combined skeletal survey was calculated with the aid of VF-SED software. CT brain performed in this study group was used to determine the effective radiation dose of CT brain for comparison. Results: In the studied period, 40 initial and 18 follow-up skeletal surveys were performed in 40 children. The mean effective radiation dose of the initial, follow-up and combined skeletal survey was 0.20 mSv, 0.08 mSv and 0.29 mSv respectively. 32 CT brain studies in 19 children were performed in the same study group. The mean effective radiation dose of CT brain was 1.22 mSv, based on 20 non-contrast standard CT brain studies. Conclusion: The mean effective radiation dose of a combined skeletal survey in a child younger than two years evaluated for suspected non-accidental injury is 0.29 mSv. This is equivalent to approximately one quarter of the effective radiation dose of CT brain or roughly one month of background radiation dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is responsibility of every workplace that utilize ionizing radiation sources under medical exposure to abide the principles of radiation protection, including compliance with the ALARA rule (As Low As Reasonably Achievable). The aim of this thesis was to assess the level of optimization of radiation protection of medical professionals on PET/CT departments with respect to the received personal dose, personal protective aids utilization, construction of the premises and also the experience and skills of the workers. All PET/CT and PET/MR departments in the Czech Republic, including two non-PET sites, were asked to participate in the study by completing two electronic questionnaires and providing other important information. Out of the total number of 22 surveyed departments in the Czech Republic and Slovakia 18 workplaces responded the first questionnaire. The return rate of the questionnaire 2 was 55,6 %. Subsequently, 10 sites were included in the study. Subsequently, the obtained personal dosimetry data (respecting GDPR), information about administered activities, responses to the subjective evaluation of the situation of executives and also received plans of the construction of the premises were processed and compared. A regression analysis was used for statistical assessment. The sets of values were compared by Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric tests. For each worker the average effective and equivalent doses in relation to the applied activity was calculated as well as the collective dose for each workplace. In the next step, the received value of Hp(10) and HT was calculated from 1 GBq per worker (in μSv). The results revealed differences in the level of radiation protection between individual workplaces. Equipment and sufficient staff play a major role. Differences were also found in the dose received on the skin of the hands. The assumption that utilization of positron radiopharmaceuticals is connected to a greater radiation burden has not been confirmed, as well as that the acquisition of automatic delivery systems does not decrease the collective dose automatically. Practical skills and experience of employees are important. Specific recommendations to improve the level of optimization were proposed for individual departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interventional procedures guided by CT are one of the most dangerous from the aspect of radiation protection. The radiologist performing interventional procedures must stand very close to CT scanner. Moreover, during some of the interventional procedures the radiologist has to hold his hand directly in the CT scanner beam. To acquire the radiation dose data needed for radiation protection analysis, various types of detectors and monitoring locations were used. Countermeasures like modifications of exposition parameters, the usage of CT scanner construction as shielding during the CT fluoroscopy, the education of technologists with an emphasis on software protection and others were presented and implemented to optimize the radiation protection of radiologists performing interventional procedures guided by CT fluoroscopy. From the data collected, the efficiency of implemented countermeasures was calculated. The average hand radiation dose during the PRT (L5/S1) intervention of interventional radiologists was decreased by 57% from 41.0 µSv to 17.6 µSv. The average hand radiation dose of interventional radiologists was decreased by 76% from 5.0 µSv to 1.2 µSv. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of optimizing radiation protection in the PET Center was to reduce the dose rate and the risk of application places contamination and contamination during preparation of the radiopharmaceutical, thus reducing the staff radiation exposure. Methods: During 2012, we changed our attitude to the radiation protection at our department and optimized the radiation protection procedures. We have introduced consistent contamination monitoring of surfaces, used aids and waste arising from application; we have changed the timing and frequency of a monitoring measurements from the working day end to several monitoring measurements during a working day; an open dialogue on monitoring and radiation protection has been introduced; and we changed our attitude to radiation protection training and emergency preparedness. Results: There was a significant increase of the number ofdetected contaminations thanksto monitoring ofwork- places every two hours during the routine clinical work (from several contaminations per year to several contaminations per month), which could be cleared away in time. We achieved the reduction of the relative personal collective dose by 28 % and the relative collective dose by 45 % at our department over the past five years. The relative dose on the hands decreased most significantly in the case ofdoctors (up to 54 %). Conclusion: We have succeeded in introducing a new approach to workplace monitoring and staff training to significantly reduce the radiation exposure of our staff without any associated financial costs at the department. The department was equipped with the same technique of shielding equipment throughout the evaluated period; there was no change in the equipment or the change of the radiopharmaceutical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment ofthe thyroid cancer with 1311 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 (Na131l), 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 1311) 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 131l and 9/2014 - 8/2016 capsules with 131l). 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 ofthe 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 ofthe 2nd ward ofthe department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autom atic injection device is currently used for most examinations except immobile patients at PET/CT department in Nový Jičín. Relative average dose of 3.62 -S v/G B q for staff member was measured in the first months o fth e year 2013 before introduction of this device. Dose calculation express a value of personal dose equivalent Hp (10) in relation to 1 GBq injected to patients. Dose was reduced to 1.69 -S v/G B q after introduction of this device still during this year. Relative average dose was further reduced during next two years to 1.35 -S v/G B q in the year 2014 and 1.32 -S v/G B q in the year 2015. Measurements were performed with an electronic dosimeter placed on the left side of the thorax of all staff members who came into contact with a radiopharmaceutical of injected patient. Operational measurement was performed in any person who injected radiopharmaceutical of approximately 300 MBq. 1 -S v was detected in 90 % during one injection while 2 or more -S v were detected during hand-operated injection ofthe same activity. Our optimization also decreased skin dose equivalent normalized to 1 GBq from 278 -S v/G B q to 145 -Sv/GBq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article gives an overview on elaborated problems of the radiation protection of staff at the nuclear medicine department. In the introduction, there is presented the current number of PET scanners in the Czech Republic as well as geographically processed data on the total number of PET examinations at the workplaces of our country from 1999 to the 2014. In addition to the already eight existing institues there are another six new PET/CT scanners approved in the Czech Republic. The level of radiation protection at work when applied open radionuclide sources was already detected in abroad in many studies. In Poland they examined the influence of IR on DNA. In Ireland, they measured the dose to the eye lens by special dosimeter in order to compare the readings with the value of newly proposed limit for the eye lens of 20 mSv. In Spain they assessed various workflows and also other countries conducted optimization based on the studies. In the Czech Republic we held a retrospective study, especially in workplaces where there are beds for 131I therapy and there was an increase in processed annual activity, for example at 99mTc. ORAMED project, which took place within 32 European countries and was aimed at radionuklides 99mTc, 90Y and 18F. The result of the measurement of the exposed skin on hands at various locations was the recommendation to change the position of the finger dosimeter and to use a correction factor to calculate the dose on the skin of hand. It was found that the highest dose was measured at the tip of the index finger, while the finger dosimeter is worn at the base of the II., III. or IV. finger of more used hand. According to the recommendations, the calculation of the dose with using correction factor would come out from the measurements at the base index finger. This project also results in work that is focused on local irradiation of skin on workers' hands at the departments of nuclear medicine in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nowadays, about dozen radiopharmaceuticals labeled with technetium (99m Tc) and only one radiopharmaceutical OctreoScan labeled with 111In are prepared for diagnostic investigation. Every individual kit for radiopharmaceutical preparation has very strict storage conditions either in a refrigerator (2-8 °C) or room temperature (between 15-25 °C). The following preparation of particular radiopharmaceuticals proceeds differently. Main dissimilarities are in the added activity of 99mTc, the period of incubation, a necessity of boiling or heating, time and the system of cooling, the adjustment of final volume, checking of radiochemical purity and measuring of total activity. Methods and controls: From Monday to Wednesday, there is possibility to prepare radiopharmaceuticals with greater demand on activity, e.g. 99mTc-8-MDP (Monday, Tuesday) and 99mTc-CARDIO-SPECT (Wednesday). Some preparations of radiopharmaceuticals with requested smaller activity are performed in the rest of the week. Quality controls are performed with paper chromatography or thin layer chromatography, liquid extractions are applied only for two methods. Conclusion: Only qualified, trained and skilled persons can prepare so special medication as the radiopharmaceuticals are. They have to follow all rules in the preparation of aseptic drugs in connection with radiation protection, the operation has to be quick but very precise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]