Evaluation of Radiation Protection in Nuclear Medicine Department in Namazi Hospital According to Global Accepted Standards

Background & Objective: In the recent years, nuclear medicine has enjoyed remarkable growth thanks to such novel technologies as SPECT-CT and PET, which are utilized for the recognition of new detectable molecules and radiopharmaceutical medicines. Therefore, the current regulations on radiation protection require revision. Namazi Hospital of Shiraz is one of the first nuclear medicine centers in Iran. Many patients visit this hospital every year consequently, radiation protection must be screened and evaluated regularly. Radiation protection in the nuclear medicine department has not been assessed in detail yet, so we sought to conduct the first general radiation protection study. Materials & Methods: The radiation dose in each zone was measured and regulated according to the International Commission on Radiological Protection. To this end, measurements were performed over a three-day period, five times a day. Results: The maximum and minimum doses in the nuclear medicine center in Namazi Hospital were 25µSv/h and 0.13µSv/h, respectively. The maximum dose was measured in the SPECT room next to the patient's bed during infusion. The minimum dose was measured behind the SPECT room wall next to the reception. In terms of quality assessment, there are several major environmental problems such as lack of suitable warning signs and sufficient ventilation however, the main problem is the absence of routine periodical radiation protection studies. Conclusion: The results of these experiments revealed that the radiation protection in the nuclear department of Namazi Hospital met the international standards.