HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Browning, E. J. Articles by Reisinger, W. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Browning, E. J. Articles by Reisinger, W. E., Jr.

Airborne Concentration of I-131 in a Nuclear Medicine Laboratory

Monongahela Valley Hospital, Inc., North Charleroi, Pennsylvania

Correspondence: For reprints contact: William E. Reisinger, Jr., Director of Radiology, Monongahela Valley Hospital, Inc., Charleroi Div., North Charleroi, PA 15022.

ABSTRACT

This study measures the airborne radioactivity during the handling of millicurie quantities of I-131 in the liquid and capsule form. The data indicate there is significant airborne activity when bottles containing 100–145 mCi of liquid I-131 are opened, and that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission level for airborne activity of I-131 in restricted areas (9 x 10^–9 µCi/ml) is exceeded. However, the airborne activity of I-131 is below the Nuclear Regulatory Commission level for restricted areas when 100-mCi quantities of I-131 in the capsule form are used, or during handling of liquid I-131 in the 20- to 30-mCi range. Thyroid counting is a better method than film badge for monitoring the personnel.