DETECTION AND DETERMINATION OF RADIOACTIVE SURFACE CONTAMINATION WITH THE USE OF GAMMA CAMERA
Keywords:
gamma camera, nuclear medicine, surface contamination, wipe test, I-131Abstract
Introduction: In the nuclear medicine departments, the risk of radioactive contamination is significantly higher compared to other medical facilities. Although the gamma camera is used to scan patients who have been administered certain amounts of radioactive materials for medical purposes, this paper presents the possibility of using the gamma camera to detect and determine radioactive surface contamination.
Material and methods: For the purposes of this paper, an indirect method was used to determine the surface contamination, by taking wipe tests. These wipe tests were taken from a room where patients who are treated with I-131 therapy stay. The wipes were then measured using Gamma Camera – SoloMobile (DDD-Diagnostic) and an instrument for detection and measurement of radiation from the wipe tests FHZ 732 GM – Pancake (Thermo Electron).
Results and Conclusion: After the readings, the values of surface contamination (Sc) were calculated for both the gamma camera and the standardized instrument for determining surface contamination. After comparing the obtained results, the conclusion is that the gamma camera - SoloMobile can be used to detect surface contamination caused by gamma emitters. Notably, for Sc values greater than 1Bq/cm2, satisfactory results were obtained, while for Sc values below 1Bq/cm2, significant deviations were observed compared to those obtained with the standard instrument for detection of surface contamination.
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