Abstract

The Myocardial Perfusion Imaging study, whether performed in a single-day or dual-day protocol, is a potential source of radiation exposure to radiation health workers carrying out the procedure. In this study, we tried to compare and find out which protocol results in lesser radiation exposure to RHW keeping in mind the principle of as low as reasonably achievable and hence can be the preferred one in routine clinical practice. A total of 53 patients participated in the study. It was divided into two different groups: Group A comprising 34 patients undergoing dual-day protocol and Group B comprising 19 patients undergoing single-day protocol respectively. The radiation exposure rate was recorded at 30cm, 50cm, and 100cm immediately post-injection and at a distance of 100cm at 1hour and 2hour post-injection using an ionization-based survey meter. Results: We observed that radiation health worker carrying out the procedure receives lesser radiation exposure in the dual-day protocol setting as compared to the single-day protocol setting. If single-day protocol is performed then the stress part should be performed first because it gives a lesser radiation exposure rate. This is more so pertinent in the case of performing pharmacological stress myocardial perfusion imaging, where the distance between radiation health worker and patient is relatively less when compared to the physical stress setting done on a treadmill. Conclusion: Furthermore, the significance of a reduction in radiation exposure rate with time and distance is reinforced as a key radiation safety principle

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