Nuclear Medicine & Radiation Therapy

Abstract

Sarepaka V Ramana Murthy*

Introduction: Technologists working in Nuclear Medicine are exposed to radiation when doing tasks such as labeling/synthesis of radiopharmaceuticals, radiopharmaceutical administration, scan acquisition, and radiation survey. When working with therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, the radiation dose could be significantly higher. The radiation dosage to the technologist in this study involved synthesis of Lu-177-DOTATATE (DOTA-Tyr3-octreotate) and PSMA-617(Prostate specific membrane Antigen) was estimated.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to calculate the whole-body radiation dose to a technologist who is involved in the labelling of two different Lu-177 labelled compounds, namely Lu-177 DOTATATE and Lu-177- PSMA, and to compare the occupational burden to the dose limits recommended by India's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.

Materials and methods: A survey meter cum contamination monitor was used to detect radiation levels before the start of the labelling in the Hot lab by maintaining it at the area where the technologist generally stands during synthesis. An instant personal monitoring device like electronic pocket dosimeter was used by the technologist at chest level, performing the labelling of Lu177 (135mci to 520mci) received fortnightly by our department. Data were collected for 16 syntheses of Lu-177 DOTATATE and13 syntheses of Lu-177 PSMA-617 followed by the quality control. Mean time required to complete synthesis of Lu-177 DOTATATE and Lu-177 PSMA-617 was 52.68min and 52.39min respectively. Mean whole body radiation dose was 0.041 ± 0.004 mSv and 0.037±0.002mSv. Higher dose was obtained during the synthesis of Lu-177 DOTATATE.

Conclusion: Data suggest that during the manual radio labelling of Lu -177 compounds, the whole-body radiation exposure to technologist is within the limits prescribed by AERB.