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

2. 14% 14% 50% RADIATION IS AROUND US ALL THE TIME Cosmic 10%
Ground and buildings
14%
14%
50%
Medical
Radon gas from the ground

4. 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

5. 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

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

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

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

9. 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

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

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

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

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

14. 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

16. X RAYS AND RADIOTHERAPY
SOURCE OF
RADIATION

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

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

19. 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

20. 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

23. 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

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

25. NUCLEAR MEDICINE PATIENT
 rays
SOURCE OF RADIATION

26. 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.

27. 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

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

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

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

31. NUCLEAR MEDICINE 90Y THERAPY PATIENT
Blood Supply of Liver Cancer

32. SIR-Spheres in Liver Cancer

33. 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

34. -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

35. 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

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

37. 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

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

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

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

41. PRESENT DAY RADIATION EXPERTS

42. Any Questions ?