Radiation Levels from Toilets Used By Patients Injected with ^sup 99m^Tc-based Radiopharmaceuticals in Ibadan/Ibadan'da ^sup 99m^Tc Bazli Radyofarmasötikler Enjekte Edilmis Hastalarin Kullandigi Tuvaletlerdeki Radyasyon Düzeyleri

• Published in: Molecular imaging and radionuclide therapy Vol. 23; no. 2; p. 60
• Main Authors: Ejeh, John Enyi, Abiodun, Tolulope Hadrat, Adedapo, Kayode Solomon, Onimode, Yetunde Ajoke, Ayeni, Olusegun Akinwale
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ankara Galenos Publishing House 01-06-2014
• EISSN: 2147-1959
• ISSN: 2146-1414

In this paper, the authors set out to survey the toilets used by patients in hospital for radiation levels to know the radiation risk posed by the 'radioactive urine' of the patients to the general public and radiation workers, respectively. A portable digital radiation survey meter was used for measurement of radioactivity in toilets used by a total number of 202 patients injected with ^sup 99m^Tc-based radiopharmaceuticals over a period of 60 days for the level of radioactivity. The minimum background radiation level measured was 0.18 μSv/h while the maximum was 0.44 μSv/h and the mean background reading was 0.28 μSv/h. The readings recorded for the male toilets were: 0.1 μSv/h minimum, 5.62 μSv/h maximum with a mean of 0.52 μSv/h while those for the female patients were 0.19 μSv/h minimum, 21.73 μSv/h maximum and a mean of 3.3 μSv/h. In conclusion, the radiation levels from toilets used by patients injected with ^sup 99m^Tc-based radiopharmaceuticals were within reasonable and acceptable limits and do not pose significant radiation risk.