Exposure of veterinary personnel to ionising radiation during bone scanning of horses by nuclear scintigraphy with 99mtechnetium methylene diphosphonate.
Authors: Gatherer M E, Faulkner J, Voûte L C
Journal: The Veterinary record
Summary
# Editorial Summary Nuclear scintigraphy with 99mTechnetium methylene diphosphonate is a valuable diagnostic tool for investigating equine lameness, but the ionising radiation exposure to veterinary personnel involved in these procedures remains poorly characterised. Gatherer, Faulkner and Vôute measured radiation doses received by staff using electronic dosimeters during nine equine bone scans, comparing doses across three roles: those preparing and administering the radiopharmaceutical, equipment operators, and handlers restraining horses. Approximately 90% of total radiation exposure occurred during the image acquisition phase rather than the preparation and injection phase, and whilst the person administering the drug received similar doses to the handler, the handler received roughly double the dose received by the equipment operator during scanning. These findings have important implications for clinical protocols: rotation of personnel restraint duties, increased distance from the patient during acquisition, and consideration of alternative restraint methods (such as stocks or sedation to eliminate the need for manual handling) could substantially reduce occupational radiation exposure without compromising diagnostic image quality. Practitioners utilising nuclear scintigraphy should review their current practices against these data to ensure adequate protection for staff involved in what appears to be a higher-risk role than previously appreciated.
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Practical Takeaways
- •If your horse requires scintigraphic lameness investigation, understand that handlers receive substantially higher radiation exposure during scanning than technical staff—consider requesting lead aprons or other protective measures for handlers
- •Most radiation exposure occurs during the image acquisition phase (90%), not during injection, so protective strategies should prioritize the scanning period
- •Veterinary clinics performing routine nuclear scintigraphy should implement rotation of handler duties and ensure proper dosimetry monitoring for staff safety during these procedures
Key Findings
- •90% of total radiation doses were received during image acquisition rather than radiopharmaceutical administration
- •No significant difference in radiation dose between personnel drawing up/injecting radiopharmaceutical and those restraining horses during administration
- •Personnel restraining horses during image acquisition received approximately twice the radiation dose compared to equipment operators