PET Radiation Safety

Course overview

This tutorial covers PET Radiation Safety and gives an overview of its role in Nuclear Medicine. At the conclusion of this presentation, attendees should be able to 1.explain that all of the radionuclides used in PET laboratories emit positrons and produce the resultant annihilation radiation 2.explain why additional radiation safety precautions must be taken into consideration when using PET radiopharmaceuticals 3.explain the importance of the TDS method for controlling external radiation exposure 4.explain why the exposure rate of F-18 is approximately six times greater than that of Tc-99m at a distance of approximately 8 inches 5.know that for PET, barriers, partitions, and shielding must be specially designed to protect personnel, other equipment, and public areas from sources of radioactivity 6.identify all possible sources of annihilation photons in a PET imaging laboratory 7.state specific things that a NMT can do to minimize his dose, that of other staff members, and patients 8.state how Technologists should receive, calibrate, and inject PET radiotracers 9.state how to dispose of residual activity in specially designed waste bins.