This poster is published under an
open license. Please read the
disclaimer for further details.
Keywords:
Radiation physics, Radioprotection / Radiation dose, Interventional vascular, Experimental, Dosimetry, Technical aspects, Radioembolisation, Dosimetric comparison, Occupational / Environmental hazards
Authors:
M. W. M. Law, K. K. Wong, W. K. Tso, H. F. V. Lee, M. Y. Luk; Hong Kong/HK
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2015/B-1248
Methods and materials
Y90 is pure β-emitting isotope of average energy of 0.9 MeV,
a maximum radiation range of 11 mm in tissue and of half life of 64 hours.
Following treatment of 90Y microspheres,
patients become a source of radiation that could potentially affect other persons around them via Bremsstrahlung emission [4].
Therefore safety precautions must be considered to keep the dose to other individuals as low as reasonably achievable.
Because Bremsstrahlu`ng emission is in the form of γ-radiation,
lead apron type blanket is useful to reduce the bremsstrahlung radiation.
A lead lined blanket of size 60 cm x 64 cm,
weight 4 kg and of lead equivalence of 0.5 mm has been routinely used to cover the patient abdomen and thorax region after radioembolization procedure in our institution.
Patients were tolerable to the size and weight of the blanket.
This kind of blanket is commercially available and as presented in this report,
it was made from a retired lead apron.
The blanket is warped with sterilized plastic bag and its weight is tolerable to patient.
Radiation dose rates at 10 cm above patient abdomen surface and at the position of interventional radiologist pressing the puncture site were measured with a calibrated radiation survey meter (Fluke,
model 451P,
OH,
USA) with and without the blanket in place (Table 1).
Wilcoxon’ t-test for paired samples was used to compare the difference in the measured dose rates when using the lead lined blanket or not.
The software used was Statistica version xx (StatSoft,
Tulsa,
OK,
USA).
Values of p ≤ 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant