Effective use of a new quality and safety checklist for the steady and safe supply of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose for positron emission tomography/computed tomography.

Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG ) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with the in-hospital synthesis of (18)F-FDG was initiated in our hospital on April 1, 2010. We aim to perform stable supply of (18)F-FDG for patients and to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure due to mis-preparation of (18)F-FDG. Pharmacists perform quality control tests to determine whether (18)F-FDG meets official regulations. After the quality control test, we give (18)F-FDG that conforms to these standards to patients to conduct (18)F-FDG PET/CT. After a quality control test is initiated, various problems can occur including leakage and staff radiation exposure. We recorded daily radiation exposure in the hot lab and calculated the average daily radiation exposure on a monthly basis for a period of one year. We developed a checklist to safely and quickly synthesize(18)F-FDG for patients. The total radiation exposure of the three pharmacists was 394, 180, and 214μSv/y and overall lower than the occupational maximum values (≤50mSv/year and ≤100mSv/5years for males). In conclusion, using the new checklist, pharmacists and the operator of the Sumitomo Heavy Industries Accelerator service Co., Ltd. were able to practice their daily work effectively during the synthesis and quality control testing of (18)F-FDG. Notably the usual radiation exposure reported in the present study was quite lower than the allowable maximum.