scholarly journals Diagnostic nuclear medicine in pediatric oncology-what we should know before scanning?

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 139-142
Author(s):  
Marina Vlajkovic ◽  
Milovan Matovic

Cancer is second only to trauma as a cause of death in children, accounting for approximately 10% of all childhood deaths. The application of radioisotopes in the treatment of malignant diseases in children consists of detecting and estimating the degree of tumour spread by application of tumour-specific and non-specific radiopharmaceuticals, as well as the treatment of some malignant diseases. Paramount to any successful nuclear medicine examination is the establishment of acquisition protocols that allow high quality images to be obtained while ALARA principles are followed. Pediatric-specific issues should be anticipated and addressed in the planning of the studies to maximize the utility of the technique in this challenging group of patients, so the goal of this article is to summarize general prerequisites for the application of nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures in pediatric oncology patients.

2009 ◽  
Vol 48 (01) ◽  
pp. 10-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.A. Nekolla ◽  
D. Noßke ◽  
J. Griebel ◽  
G. Brix ◽  
V. Minkov

Summary Aim: To estimate and evaluate the risks for the offspring due to the administration of radiopharmaceuticals to women during the first pregnancy weeks after conception (weeks p.c.). Methods: The in-utero exposition of the embryo due to diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures, for which diagnostic reference levels (DRL) are specified, as well as due to radio iodine therapy (RIT) was determined. To this end, it is assumed that the activity of the diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals administered to the mother corresponds with the DRL and amounts to 600 MBq or 4 GBq 131I for RIT of benign or malignant thyroid disease, respectively. Based on these data, the radiation risk for the offspring was assessed and compared with the spontaneous risks (R0). Results: The dose for the offspring does not exceed 7.8 mSv for the diagnostic procedures considered, resulting in an excess risk for the offspring of less than 0.12% (R0 ~ 25%) to die from cancer during life, of less than 0.07% (R0 ~ 0.2%) to develop cancer up to the age of 15 years, and of less than 0.16% (R0 ~ 2%) for hereditary effects. RIT during the first 8 weeks p.c. results in doses for the offspring of about 100–460 mSv, resulting in an excess risk for malformations of the child of 3.4%–22% (R0 ~6%). Conclusions: The risk of stochastic radiation effects for the offspring due to a diagnostic nuclear medicine procedure of the mother during the first 8 weeks p.c. is – compared with the spontaneous risks – very small; deterministic effects are unlikely. In contrast, deterministic effects for the offspring may occur following RIT. In order to decide on a possibly indicated abortion after RIT, an individual risk assessment is mandatory.


2020 ◽  
pp. 20200072
Author(s):  
Glenn Flux ◽  
Iain Murray ◽  
Dominic Rushforth ◽  
Paul Gape ◽  
Carla Abreu ◽  
...  

There is continuing debate concerning the risks of secondary malignancies from low levels of radiation exposure. The current model used for radiation protection is predicated on the assumption that even very low levels of exposure may entail risk. This has profound implications for medical procedures involving ionising radiation as radiation doses must be carefully monitored, and for diagnostic procedures are minimised as far as possible. This incurs considerable expense. The SOLLID study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03580161) aims to develop the methodology to enable a large-scale epidemiological investigation of the effect of radiopharmaceutical administrations to patients undergoing diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures. Patients will undergo a series of scans in addition to that acquired as standard of care to enable the radiation doses delivered to healthy organs to be accurately calculated. Detailed analysis will be performed to determine the uncertainty in the radiation dose calculations as a function of the number and type of scans acquired. It is intended that this will inform a subsequent long-term multicentre epidemiological study that would address the question definitively. Secondary aims of the study are to evaluate the range of absorbed doses that are delivered from diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures and to use current risk models to ascertain the relative risks from these administrations.


2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina K. Hardy ◽  
Melanie J. Bonner ◽  
Katherine C. Hutchinson ◽  
Victoria W. Willard

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen R. Lassen ◽  
Brent Collett ◽  
Stan Whitsett ◽  
Debra Friedman

2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (04) ◽  
pp. 294-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lutz S. Freudenberg ◽  
Ulf Dittmer ◽  
Ken Herrmann

Abstract Introduction Preparations of health systems to accommodate large number of severely ill COVID-19 patients in March/April 2020 has a significant impact on nuclear medicine departments. Materials and Methods A web-based questionnaire was designed to differentiate the impact of the pandemic on inpatient and outpatient nuclear medicine operations and on public versus private health systems, respectively. Questions were addressing the following issues: impact on nuclear medicine diagnostics and therapy, use of recommendations, personal protective equipment, and organizational adaptations. The survey was available for 6 days and closed on April 20, 2020. Results 113 complete responses were recorded. Nearly all participants (97 %) report a decline of nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures. The mean reduction in the last three weeks for PET/CT, scintigraphies of bone, myocardium, lung thyroid, sentinel lymph-node are –14.4 %, –47.2 %, –47.5 %, –40.7 %, –58.4 %, and –25.2 % respectively. Furthermore, 76 % of the participants report a reduction in therapies especially for benign thyroid disease (-41.8 %) and radiosynoviorthesis (–53.8 %) while tumor therapies remained mainly stable. 48 % of the participants report a shortage of personal protective equipment. Conclusions Nuclear medicine services are notably reduced 3 weeks after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic reached Germany, Austria and Switzerland on a large scale. We must be aware that the current crisis will also have a significant economic impact on the healthcare system. As the survey cannot adapt to daily dynamic changes in priorities, it serves as a first snapshot requiring follow-up studies and comparisons with other countries and regions.


1982 ◽  
Vol 21 (03) ◽  
pp. 85-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Poppitz

Um die Strahlenexposition und das Strahlenrisiko für die Bevölkerung durch die nuklearmedizinische Diagnostik in Bulgarien zu ermitteln, wurde eine Erhebung für das Jahr 1980 über die Arten und Anzahl der Applikationen von Radiopharmaka, über die verwendeten Aktivitäten und über die Geschlechts- und Altersverteilung der untersuchten Patienten durchgeführt. Die Gesamtzahl diagnostischer in vivo Applikationen betrug 116418 (davon 40,5% bei Männern und 59,5% bei Frauen), d.h. 13,1 Applikationen per 1000 Einwohner. Die applizierte Gesamtaktivität aller 44 verwendeter Radiopharmaka betrug ca. 2,1 TBq (56 Ci). Die Geschlechts- und Altersverteilung der untersuchten Patienten war ähnlich jener in anderen Ländern: nur 17,4% aller Patienten waren im reproduktionsfähigen Alter, 52,7% waren über 45 Jahre alt. Im Vergleich zu anderen entwickelten Ländern war in Bulgarien im Jahr 1980 der Anteil der 131J-Jodid-Untersuchungen verhältnismäßig hoch.


2008 ◽  
Vol 47 (06) ◽  
pp. 267-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Boldt ◽  
C. Kobe ◽  
W. Eschner ◽  
H. Schicha ◽  
F. Sudbrock

Summary Aim: After application of radiopharmaceuticals the patient becomes a radioactive source which leads to radiation exposure in the proximity. The photon dose rates after administration of different radiopharmaceuticals used in diagnostic nuclear medicine were measured at several distances and different time intervals. These data are of importance for estimating the exposure of technologists and members of the public. Patients, method: In this study dose rates were measured for 67 patients after application of the following radiopharmaceuticals: 99mTc-HDP as well as 99mTcpertechnetate, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose, 111In-Octreotid and Zevalin® and 123I-mIBG in addition to 123I-NaI. The dose rates were measured immediately following application at six different distances to the patient. After two hours the measurements were repeated and – whenever possible – after 24 hours and seven days. Results: Immediately following application the highest dose rates were below 1 mSv / h: with a maximum at 780 μSv/h for 18F (370 MBq), 250 μSv/h for 99mTc (700 MBq), 150 μSv/h for 111In (185 MBq) and 132 μSv/ h for 123I (370 MBq). At a distance of 0.5 m the values decrease significantly by an order of magnitude. Two hours after application the values are diminished to 1/3 (99mTc, 18F), to nearly ½ (123I) but remain in the same order of magnitude for the longer-lived 111In radiopharmaceuticals. Conclusion: For greater distances the doses remain below the limits outlined in the national legislation.


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