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In the present study, we investigated the radiation doses received by the positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) staff in three different diagnostic centers in Egypt. The whole-body effective dose measured by thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) for staff working in PET and the effective dose per study received by physicist, technician, and nurse were measured by an electronic pocket dosimeter (EPD) during a period of 6 months. Statistical analysis was held between the measurements of the TLDs as well as for the EPD for the three studied PET-CT centers. After combining TLD and EPD prospective annual scores for the three studied categories in the three centers, the one-way ANOVA test results have shown that there were statistically significant differences between group means with respect to their TLD mean score (P = 0.041). The mean nurse group TLD score, across the three centers, appeared to be the lowest scoring 3.83 (standard deviation [SD] 0.012) compared to the physicist and technician who measured 4.62 (SD 0.231) and 6.92 (SD 0.018), respectively. Scheffe's test for complex comparisons revealed a significant difference between nurse group and technologist group (P = 0.001). Regarding the annual combined EPD scores, the post hoc test, namely Scheffe's test for complex comparisons, revealed a significant difference between nurse group and technologist group (P = 0.001). This was measured after the one-way ANOVA test results have shown that there were statistically significant differences between annual group EPD means (P = 0.032). Finally, there was no recorded significance for the studied categories across the three centers between their annual TLD and EPD dose scores (P = 0.072). Technicians group received the highest mean effective whole-body doses when compared with the International Commission on Radiological Protection dose limit, each individual worker can work with many more 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT studies for a (period time) without exceeding the occupational dose limits if the average received effective dose continues with the same rate. The study also confirmed that low levels of radiation dose are received by medical personnel involved in 18F-FDG PET/CT procedures in those centers due to implementing radiation protection measures and procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In dynamic renal scans, 99mTc-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) is copiously used and it yields information about the renal blood-flow and the excretory capacity. 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is used for static renal imaging and can likewise uncover the renal cortical structure. This work was intended to evaluate whether DMSA can be declared as a radiopharmaceutical in dynamic renal scans or not. It also aimed at comparing the outcomes procured from DMSA and with DTPA examinations. Materials and Methods: A comparison of the information gained from the renograms of 47 subjects (normal subjects and subjects with abnormal renal function having: obstructive nephropathy, bilateral nephropathy, hydronephrosis, reduced or non-function kidney, and/or atrophic kidney) who had 99mTc-DMSA and 99mTc-DTPA dynamic scintigraphies utilizing the same protocol. Results: A strong positive correlation had come in view on the evaluation of the left kidney, right kidney, and total glomerular filtration rate (GFR) from 99mTc-DTPA and 99mTc-DMSA renograms. In addition, the estimation of the time of the peak height from 99mTc-DTPA and 99mTc-DMSA renograms for the right and left kidneys demonstrated as non-significant varieties and a strong positive correlation for both the normal subjects and subjects with kidney abnormalities. Conclusion: In the light of the outcomes gained from the present investigation, it could be prescribed that 99mTc-DMSA can favorably replace 99mTc-DTPA in dynamic renograms in the case of the renal conditions that had been examined in the present work. As scheduled, this will be cost-effective and time saving and will decrease the radiation dose administered to the subjects. Also, the same qualities of results are accomplished with both radiopharmaceuticals in normal subjects and subjects with abnormal renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]