Radiation Protection Sub-module 2.2: Exposure from unsealed Sources and

Module 2: Radiation Protection Sub-module 2.2: Exposure from unsealed Sources and

the Risk of Contamination

Objective

To demonstrate knowledge on the reduction of exposure from unsealed sources and how to handle spills and accidents

Pre Requisites

Awareness of the local regulatory guideline on radiation protection in nuclear medicine Sub-module 1.1 Clinical Awareness

Competencies

An understanding of methods to reduce exposure.

Addressed

The ability to

(a) safely handle unsealed radioactive sources. (b) handle accidents and spills

Core Knowledge • Identify locations or practices where radiation exposure could

reasonably be reduced. • Estimate dose rates near patients and influence of patterns of close

contact. • Implement measures to reduce non-essential contact with radioactive

patients and other sources. • Decontaminate staff, machine and premises after a spill of radioactive

material. • Estimate organ doses after contamination • Assess the level of contamination remaining after decontamination. • Implement measures to reduce exposure due to residual contamination. • Analyse misadministrations, make estimates of absorbed dose and

provide guidance on improvement of practices. • Generate a written incident report. • Read, and be reasonably familiar with, the resource material

Recommended

• Make recommendations for assessment of staff following a spill.

Elements of

• Design training for staff, so that they act appropriately in the event of a

Training

spill.

• Review the workflow of the Department from a radiation safety point

of view. This should include:

o receipt, storage and disposal of radioactive material o preparation and dispensing of radiopharmaceuticals o patient injection or administration procedures o patient movements before and after injection o patient scanning procedures

• Conduct a radiation survey of the various areas in the Department (hot lab, patient waiting areas, scanning rooms etc.), noting in particular:

o the availability and use of shields o whether the layout allows adequate distance from sources o whether work procedures allow minimal time near sources

• Propose and justify reasonable changes to procedures, layout or shielding to reduce the radiation dose to staff, patients or members of the public.

• Prepare general instructions for Department staff for contaminating and decontaminating following a spill. Describe additional tasks to assess residual contamination and formulate recommendations for remedial action (e.g. taping plastic over the contaminated floor area, replacing contaminated equipment etc.).

• Review literature on procedures to estimate organ doses from

contamination. • Note radiopharmaceuticals for which extra steps would be required,

because of long half-life, increased likelihood of uptake or adverse biological characteristics. In each case, specify and justify the required steps.

• Devise a system for maintaining an overview of spill incidents, including contributing factors and measures to prevent further incidents

• Prepare a hypothetical incident report for: a major spill of iodine in the Hot Lab; a minor spill of gallium in a camera room.

Knowledge

[1] CEMBER, H., JOHNSON, T.A., Introduction to Health Physics,

Sources

4th edn, McGraw-Hill, New York (2008).

[2] DELACROIX, D., GUERRE, J.P., LEBLANC, P., HICKMAN, C., Radionuclide and radiation protection data handbook 2nd edition (2002), Radiat Prot Dosimetry 98 1 (2002) 9-168.

[3] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Nuclear Medicine Resources Manual, IAEA, Vienna (2006). http://www- pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1198_web.pdf.

[4] Radiation Safety and Protection Plan (Manual) of the trainee’s institution and the national regulations on radiation protection

[5] STABIN, M.G., Radiation Protection and Dosimetry: An Introduction to Health Physics, Springer, New York, NY (2007). http://opac.library.usyd.edu.au/record=3563832.