Estimation of fetal dose during diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures especially in child bearing Greek women

• Published in: Hellenic journal of nuclear medicine Vol. 13; no. 3; pp. 303 - 306
• Main Authors: Ordoulides, Socrates El-Mantani, Siabanopoulou, Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Greek
• Published: Greece 01-09-2010
• Subjects: Diagnostic Imaging - methods; Female; Fetus - radiation effects; Greece; Humans; Nuclear Medicine - methods; Pregnancy; Radiation Dosage; Greece
• ISSN: 1790-5427

Medical uses of radiation have grown rapidly over the past decade in Hellas. A part of these may concern Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine procedures implemented in pregnant patients. The potential detriment from ionizing radiation to embryo/fetus is related to the fetal dose and the stage of pregnancy at which exposure occurs. The purpose of this review is to inform about the risk from radiation to the embryo/fetus, to provide a data base of fetal doses in early pregnancy for nuclear medicine procedures in Hellas which are determined by National and European protocols and laws and to suggest actions that should be considered in order to optimize the diagnostic procedure keeping the fetal dose as low as reasonably achievable maintaining a good diagnostic result for the pregnant. Average fetal dose for most nuclear medicine procedures in Hellas varies between 0,3 and 18 mGy doses which can not justify the termination of pregnancy.