%0 Journal Article %A Makoto Hosono %A Yoshihiro Komeya %A Sung-Woon Im %A K. Hamahata %A S. Okada %A K. Yamamoto %A M. Migita %A K. Hanaoka %A K. Hanada %A K. Usami %A Y. Takada %A K. Sakaguchi %A M. Okada %A N. Tsuichiya %T Radiation safety in PET/CT practices: Justification and optimization for patients and personnel %D 2007 %J Journal of Nuclear Medicine %P 209P-209P %V 48 %N supplement 2 %X 1006 Learning Objectives: A PET/CT scanner produces fused images, incorporating the benefits of PET and CT, and may require radiation safety standards of both techniques. Quality assurance in image acquisition is a key for good practice and radiation protection is of concern for medical and co-medical workers who care patients administered with positron pharmaceuticals and then a radiation source themselves. We have designed and constructed a PET/CT facility compatible with the most updated justification and optimization standards proposed by ICRP and IAEA. Abstract Body: In October 2005, a PET facility equipped with a cyclotron and three scanners was inaugurated in Kinki University Hospital, Japan. Automated injector of FDG (Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Japan) was installed to reduce radiation exposure of personnel when injecting FDG. For a PET/CT scanner (biograph, Siemens) with sensitive LSO detectors, FDG dose to a patient was optimized by considering image quality and determined at 3 MBq/kg, which lowered radiation exposure of patients and workers. The CT component had the CareDose system reducing X-ray dose as possible. Prior to administration of FDG, patients received a friendly orientation on what instructions to follow after injection. Lead shields were covered with quality wood boards in patients' waiting rooms in order to avoid any sense of isolation for patients. Estimated effective dose for a patient was 10 mSv per study (3 and 7 mSv for PET and CT, respectively). Impact of FDG PET/CT on management of cancer patients was considerable, as already established, and justification and optimization balancing with patients' benefit were achieved. At the opening of the facility, a nurse in charge of FDG administration and patient care received 2.0 µSv per one patient, which was already quite low as compared to PET facilities without adequate radiation protection measures. Now the exposure of a nurse per one patient has been reduced to 0.9 µSv by adding shields and improving procedures in handling patients. In conclusion, on the basis of justification and optimization standards, radiation exposure of patients and workers was well managed, and workers feel easy in facing patients given FDG, which leads to good patient care. %U