Exposure of veterinary personnel to ionising radiation during bone scanning of horses by nuclear scintigraphy with 99mtechnetium methylene diphosphonate.

The aim of this study was to compare the radiation doses received by the personnel drawing up and injecting the radiopharmaceutical and operating the nuclear scintigraphy equipment, and those restraining nine horses while they were being scanned during scintigraphic investigations of lameness. Sensitive electronic dosimeters were worn by the personnel and the doses they received during the administration of the radiopharmaceutical and during the period of image acquisition were recorded at intervals. On average, 90 per cent of the total doses were received during the period of image acquisition. There was no significant difference between the total dose received by the person who drew up and injected the radiopharmaceutical, and the person restraining the horse during its administration. However, the person holding the horse received approximately twice the dose received by the person operating the equipment during the period of image acquisition.