Radiation Exposure of Medical Staff due to 131I Therapy of Hyperthyroidism and Thyroid Cancer*
Andor Kerekes1, Sándor Szakács1, Teréz Séra2, István
Sinkovics3, Sándor Pellet1, and László Pávics2
1 Frédéric Joliot-Curie National Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene,
József Fodor National Center for Public Health, Budapest, Hungary
2 Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
3 National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary
Corresponding author: Dr. Andor Kerekes
National Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene
P.O.B. 101
H-1775 Budapest, Hungary
Telephone: (36-1) 229-1931
Fax number: (36-1) 229-1931
E-mail: kerekesa@okk.antsz.hu
CEJOEM 2004, Vol.10. No.3.: 246–251
* Edited version of the paper delivered at the 33th Annual Meeting
of the European Society for Radiation Biology, Budapest, August 25–28, 2004
Key words:
131I radionuclide, external exposure, internal radiation burden, hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer
Abstract:
131I therapy of hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer displays an increasing tendency in Hungary. Because of the high
radionuclide activities administered and the high number of treatments per year, we investigated the radiation exposure of the
medical staff. The external doses were measured by thermoluminescent and electronic personal dosimeters, while the estimation of
internal doses was based on the measurement of radioiodine air activity concentration. The annual effective external doses received
by the medical staff were below 1 mSv both at the diagnostic investigation and therapy of hyperthyroidism. The annual external
doses to the hands and fingers of the staff did not exceed 6 mSv. The internal radiation burden of the staff was expected to remain
below an annual dose of 0.005 mSv. The external effective annual dose to the medical staff was 0.3 mSv both for diagnostic
investigation and therapy of thyroid cancer. The annual external dose to the hands and fingers was estimated as 20 mSv per
diagnostic and therapeutic application, too. The annual internal radiation burden of the staff was estimated as 0.03 and 1.1 mSv
for the diagnostic and therapeutic practice, respectively. The doses to the medical staff due to the therapeutic use
of 131I radionuclide remained well below the Hungarian annual dose limits.
Received: 4 January 2005
Accepted: 24 January 2005
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