RADIATION SAFETY Phil Facey Lead Superintendent Radiographer Nuclear Medicine and PET University Hospital of Wales Honorary Lecturer University of the South West of England

14% 14% 50% RADIATION IS AROUND US ALL THE TIME Cosmic 10% Ground and buildings 14% 14% 50% Medical Radon gas from the ground

Medical Radiation Ionizing radiation even at low doses is potentially capable of causing serious and lasting biological damage There is great care to control the amount of radioactivity used in diagnostic imaging

1 in a Million 1 chest x-ray 1 in a million chance of radiation induced cancer Equivalent fatal risks (1 in a million) 1.5 cigarettes (lung cancer) 300miles in a car (fatal accident) 10 miles on a bike (fatal accident) 6 minutes in a canoe (fatal accident) 1000miles in an aeroplane (fatal accident) NRCP 1978

Units Absorbed dose – Gray (Gy) Dose Equivalent – Sievert (Sv) Radioactivity - Becquerel (Bq)

Radiology Department Diagnostic Radiology X-Rays Fluoroscopy – Barium Studies, Interventional Procedures Nuclear Medicine V/Q scans, Bone scans, Renograms, Therapy

Radiology Department Nuclear Medicine Department split into 2 Areas Supervised Area – may or may not contain radioactivity Controlled Area – contains a radioactive source

Radiology Department You should never walk through a Nuclear Medicine Department as a short cut to other departments You can enter only under instructions from staff

Radiology Department Radiation Protection Supervisors Supervise radiation in their own department Their names will be displayed on the doors marked with radiation signs

Medical Radiation Radiation could be present in rooms marked with warning signs

Medical Radiation Or by illuminated signs over doors If the words DO NOT ENTER are lit DO NOT ENTER under any circumstances

Medical Radiation Problems working in Radiation areas can be split into 2 categories Due external radiation Due to contamination

Medical Radiation In the X Ray rooms and Radiotherapy rooms The problem is due to External Radiation The rooms are not left radioactive and neither is the patient

X RAYS AND RADIOTHERAPY SOURCE OF RADIATION

Medical Radiation Nuclear Medicine Rooms Problems can be due to: External Radiation Contamination The room can be radioactive even when empty

Medical Radiation Radiation Hazards on the Ward Portable Radiography Nuclear Medicine Patients

Medical Radiation Portable Radiography X Ray examinations performed outside the department on wards/theatre Radiation only produced when Radiographer presses exposure button Always follow instructions Keep a safe distance Wear lead protection if involved in holding patients

Medical Radiation Nuclear Medicine Patients returning to the ward after being administered with a radiopharmaceutical Ward information sheet only given when a patient has been administered with a dose above

Medical Radiation Nuclear Medicine patients are given a) an injection of radioactivity or b) asked to breathe in a gas or c) asked to eat prepared food

Medical Radiation RADIONUCLIDES Maximum Energy Half Life (T1/2) 99mTc (Technetium) 140KeV T1/2 - 6 hours

NUCLEAR MEDICINE PATIENT  rays SOURCE OF RADIATION

BUT AS WELL AS THE EXTERNAL RADIATION THERE IS ALSO A RISK OF CONTAMINATION The main way the radioactivity leaves the body is in the urine. Hence a spill of urine can make the room radioactive. A spilt vial in the Nuclear Medicine labs can make the room radioactive.

NUCLEAR MEDICINE THERAPY PATIENT An additional problem, ONLY for the in-patients treated with high amounts of radioactivity for Radiotherapy, is that the radioactive contamination can come from their sweat as well as their urine. Hence anything they touch or anywhere they walk can become radioactive

NUCLEAR MEDICINE THERAPY PATIENT wardrobe  rays SOURCE OF RADIATION NOT CONTAMINATING THINGS IN ROOM

NUCLEAR MEDICINE THERAPY PATIENT wardrobe  rays SOURCE OF RADIATION NOT CONTAMINATING THINGS IN ROOM

NUCLEAR MEDICINE I THERAPY PATIENT wardrobe  rays SOURCE OF RADIATION CONTAMINATING THINGS IN ROOM

NUCLEAR MEDICINE 90Y THERAPY PATIENT Blood Supply of Liver Cancer

SIR-Spheres in Liver Cancer

NUCLEAR MEDICINE THERAPY PATIENT This is why patients are admitted so that they do NOT contaminate their own home. Even when they leave, the rooms will be radioactive. It is not safe for people to go into these rooms unless they know what they are doing or until notified by the Nuclear Medicine Department

-KEEP AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE There are 3 basic steps you can take to ensure the Radiation dose you receive while working is as low as possible TIME near a radiation source -KEEP AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE DISTANCE near a radiation source -KEEP AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE SHIELDING near a radiation source -USE IF ADVISED TO DO SO

You may also be advised to wear Protective clothing Gloves, Plastic apron, Overshoes, Lead apron This will prevent the radioactive material from getting on your skin or clothes or radiation from reaching your body

Personal Radiation Monitoring Film Badges You may be required to wear a film badge. It is important you wear it throughout the examination

Personal Radiation Monitoring Film Badges Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 You can be prosecuted if you fail to wear, look after or return your film badge

Personal Radiation Monitoring Finger Badges Records radiation dose to hand and fingers

Personal Radiation Monitoring Personal Dosimeters Give an immediate dose reading and alerts you to high radioactivity

Radiation Safety Always follow instructions Observe and take note of door signs Time Distance Shielding Wear Personal Radiation Monitors if required

PRESENT DAY RADIATION EXPERTS

Any Questions ?