Radiation doses to staff in a department of nuclear medicine.

A survey of data concerning radiation protection of staff working in the Nuclear Medicine Department and associated sections of the Physics Department at the Royal Marsden Hospital (Surrey Branch) is given for the period 1972 to 1975 inclusive. Results of routine film monitoring and whole-body counting are presented. Additional film monitors were used to check working areas, finger doses and any discrepancies between doses to the upper and lower trunk of personnel. In general, exposure to staff in the Nuclear Medicine Department is below 220 mrad per person per year, and below 1,000 mrad per person per year in the Radioisotope Dispensary. The dose received by radiographers is primarily due to spending time close to patients. Since about 5,000 intravenous injections of radionuclides are given each year in our department, the resulting finger doses to the staff involved may give rise to concern unless the task is shared.