Evaluation of the influence of work conditions on the ionization radiation exposure in case of personnel of Department of Nuclear Medicine

The occupation exposure of the personnel of the Department of Nuclear Medicine depends on the type of isotopes used, their radioactivity, the equipment quality and the proper work organization, as well as on the appropriate measurement and control methods.
Due to the development and modernization of the Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrinology of the Institute of Oncology in Gliwice the bed resources increased threefold and the average activity applied per week raised up to ca. 3 Ci. The following question were answered here:
- will the larger number of patients and the activity used cause the proportional increase in the absorbed doses and uptekes,
- will the better equipment of the Department (the measurement, dosimetric and protective equipment, one- and two-person rooms with their own sanitary unit, under-pressure system of radioactive wastes decontamination) balance the increase in activity enabling the absorbed dose to stay at the same level.
The measurements and the results analysis revealed that, the absorbed doses and uptakes increased slightly, however their increase is less pronounced than that of the activity itself.
Owning to the improvement of department equipment the impact of the increased number of patients treated and the greater activity applied was balanced and the doses absorbed by the personnel remained at the same level.