Determination of Radiation Exposure of Individuals in the Population by Patients after Radioiodine Therapy – Comparison of two Measurement Systems

Abstract

According to the requirements of radiation protection legislation, patients may only be discharged from the nuclear medicine therapy ward if it is ensured that the cumulative radiation exposure of the population is below 1 mSv per year. In the present study, dose measurements of patients after radioiodine therapy (RIT) and their relatives are to be used to prove that the radiation exposure resulting from the medical application is low and that the legal framework conditions are complied with. Furthermore, the results allow conclusions to be drawn about the measurement accuracy of the dosimeters used.Methods: In 147 patients after RIT and their relatives, the dosage was measured over 14 days with different measuring systems. Finger ring dosimeters (FRD) were worn during the whole day, furthermore the dose was determined by non-official OSL and TLD dosimeters during the sleep phase.Results: 88 data sets were used for the final analysis. With the FRD, dose values between 0.1–50 mSv were determined for the patients. As expected, the finger ring dose of the relatives was significantly lower, averaging 0.75 mSv compared to 10 mSv for the patient. For the TLD and OSL used in the sleep phase, the measured values were in the same range. The reproducibility of the measurement results was significantly better for the OSL than for the TLD.Conclusion: Despite method-related measurement uncertainties, it can be concluded that the exposure dose of patients’ relatives after radioiodine therapy is low and that the legal requirements are met. Moreover, the now official OSL dosimeters represent a more accurate and for the chosen measurement task better suited measurement system than the TLD. Key Points:  Citation Format