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Safety Radiation | Safety of PET Scan | Radiation Safety for Patients

Radiation Safety for Patients | Safety Profile


Radiation and safety

  • What is radiation?

    • Radiation is simply a type of energy. The most familiar form of radiation is visible light, like that produced from the sun or a light bulb. Other form of radiation are x- ray and gamma rays. In nuclear medicine , radiation emitted from radioactive atoms is used for imaging and therapy.

  • What is radioactivity ?

    • This is process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is considered radioactive. In simple terms radioactive material keeps on decaying over period of time.

      Depending on its characteristic half life, it gets decayed over few hours to few days and after four half lives it almost vanishes from body.

  • Do we encounter radiation outside nuclear medicine field?

    • We are constantly exposed to radiation from variety of sources . Medical imaging slightly adds to total exposure:

      • Natural radiation exposure comes from the earth in rocks and soil and from outer space in the form of cosmic rays.
      • A small amount of radioactive material even exists naturally in our bodies.
      • Person is exposed to radiation from household smoke detectors and color television sets.
      • Air travel increases exposure to cosmic radiation due to the higher altitudes and less atmospheric shielding.

      Radiation doses from various activities are as

      Everyday Activities Radiation Doses
      Watching television .01 mSv/year
      Average annual exposure from breathing radon gas 2 mSv
      Tobacco products (amount for a smoker's lungs from 20 cigarettes a day) 53mSv/year
      Medical Imaging
      Medical chest X-ray (one film) 0.1mSv
      Nuclear medicine thyroid scan 0.14 mSv
      Full set of dental X-rays 0.4 mSv/year
      Nuclear medicine lung scan 2 mSv/
  • Is Nuclear medicine safe for patients?

    • Yes We use ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) to carefully select the minimum amount of radiopharmaceutical that will provide an accurate test with the least amount of radiation exposure to the patient.

      • They are neither dangerous nor painful.
      • No after effects or long term side effects are expected.
      • Allergic reactions are very rare and normally mild.
      • The exposure doses to the patient are so low that very sophisticated equipmentare used even for its detection.
      • Radioactive material (dye) are used in very small quantity and potential benefits far exceed any minor risk.
      • The average exposure to radiation from a nuclear medicine examination corresponds to the radiation dosage a person receives from the environment over the course of a year
      • The scan radiation dose is often less than that of a CT Scan.
      • Radioactive iodine, for example, has been used in medical treatment for over 60 years without any evidence of side effects during this long period
  • Are nuclear medicine studies safe for children?

    • Yes Nuclear medicine studies have been performed on babies and children of all ages for more than 40 years without any known adverse effects. As low radiation doses are used for patients

  • Are nuclear medicine studies safe for pregnant women?

    • Nuclear medicine studies are generally avoided in pregnant females to prevent radiation exposure to fetus. Some radiopharmaceuticals get excreted into breast milk. So breastfeeding has to be stopped temporarily ( few hours) or permanently ( in radioiodine scan) depending on test being performed.

Safety in the time of COVID-19

  • All the guidelines have been formulated to keep you safe during this time of corona pandemic and as per government advisories.
  • For all nuclear medicine scans prior appointment is compulsory.
  • Patient having cold, cough and fever will have to undergo covid testing and nuclear medicine scans will have to be postponed till the results are out. Patients having flu symptoms are advised to go to PGIMS/designated Covid hospitals for Covid testing and it is compulsory as per government directives. RNM center does not do covid testing.
  • Patients are advised to bring their AADHAR CARD COPY as identification proof.
  • Patient should come alone of testing, if possible. In case patient needs help only one attendant is allowed. Attendant also should not have any fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath.
  • Every patient will be booked for specific time slot to maintain social distancing even for all patients.
  • As nuclear medicine scans take long time around 4-5 hours, patients are advised to bring their own water bottle, glass, biscuits for duration of tests.
  • Patient will be allowed to go as soon as patient scan is finished and report will be sent on mobile . Patient wishing to collect hard copy can collect report next day 12 pm from center.
  • Patients and attendants not following guidelines and those violating protocols such as refusing to be scanned and/or putting staff or other patients at risk will be notified to appropriate authorities for necessary actions.