Contamination monitoring of Na 131 I levels in therapy unit of Research Institute for Nuclear Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences by indirect method (Wipe test)

Contamination with radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear medicine centres in addition to being a health concern requires time consuming decontamination efforts. According to Nuclear Regulatory Commission Contamination should be monitored in nuclear medicine centers where radiopharmaceuticals are prepared and administrated at the end of each working session; otherwise, contamination spread to other areas not only equipment but also personnel and other people will be expected. The wipe test for the presence of radioactivity is accomplished by wiping the surface over an area approximately 100 cm2 with an absorbent paper, then counting it in an appropriate radiation detector. In this study, contamination monitoring of patient's rooms (4 rooms), entrance corridor, patient's corridor, waiting room, control room (nursing station), radiopharmaceutical storage room in therapy unit of Research Institute for Nuclear Medicine, Shariati hospital was performed by indirect method. Based on the results, some areas including storage room were contaminated. There was also a direct relationship between dose administrated and levels of contamination in patient's rooms. Regarding high uptake of iodine by thyroid gland and damaging effects of Na131 I, weekly wipe tests are required to determine the level of contamination. Patient's rooms after discharging the patients and before re hospitalization specially should be checked. If these tests reveal contamination over standard levels, appropriate decontamination procedures should be carried out immediately