Radiation Protection in Nuclear Medicine in Eastern Province, KSA

In nuclear medicine, radiopharmaceuticals are administered to the patient either for the production of diagnostic images orwith the intention to treat using the emitted radiation from the radiopharmaceutical. The increased use of PET-imaging causesa need for new planning of radiation protection. In radionuclide therapy, the activities are higher and the radionuclides usedare often different from those used in diagnostic nuclear medicine and constitute a greater radiation protection problem. In bothdiagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine, the patient becomes a source of radiation not only for him/herself but also for staff,caregivers and the general public. All categories of staff members involved in nuclear medicine must have good knowledge ofradiation protection. This is vital for patient safety as well as for the staff's own security, for caregivers and the general public.