Personnel Dose Assessment during Commissioning of the First Hospital-Based PET Radiopharmaceutical Cyclotron in Greece

The role of FDG in PET imaging is well established in the diagnosis and management of cancer patients. Small footprint cyclotrons that can be installed on-site are becoming popular worldwide and are an efficient solution for medium-size facilities. The dose-on-Demand Biomarker Generator (BG-75) was installed at Metaxa Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece, in May 2021 and is the first hospital-based PET radiopharmaceutical cyclotron in the country. The system consists of an accelerator used in conjunction with a Chemistry Production Module (CPM). In the commissioning process, it was necessary to establish the expected external dose to personnel; internal exposure is not expected under normal conditions. Personnel includes operators (technologists), a radiochemist, and medical physicists. Among these groups, the highest exposure is expected in the operators' group. All personnel have been assigned TLD whole body and extremity dosimeters and have completed relevant radiation safety training.