Veterinary Technician-Led Team Advances Radiation-Safety Research
A recent publication in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association marks an important contribution to radiation-safety understanding in veterinary imaging. The lead author of the review is Lisa Carstens, a registered veterinary technician at UC Davis. Alongside co-authors including registered veterinary technician and school librarian Erik Fausak and board-certified veterinary radiologist Mathieu Spriet, Carstens examined decades of published literature on occupational radiation exposure during PET/CT imaging with the radiotracer 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose in PET (positive emission tomography) scans.
Their article, “A scoping review measuring occupational exposure for personnel conducting whole-body scans in small animal veterinary practice and human medical practice using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and computed tomography,” screened 643 studies, ultimately narrowing to 32 that met stringent inclusion criteria—five of which involved veterinary patients. This significant lack of veterinary-specific data highlights the need for clearer safety guidance for staff working with PET/CT technology in animal hospitals.
“As veterinary medicine embraces advanced imaging modalities such as PET/CT, we have a responsibility—not only to our patients, but to our colleagues—to ensure that radiation exposure remains as low as reasonably achievable,” said Carstens. “This review shows that veterinary technicians are most often the ones at the front lines of imaging procedures. By recognizing and measuring our exposure, we can advocate for safer workflows, improved protocols, and appropriate protections for everyone involved.”
Occupational radiation doses reported across studies—both human and veterinary—fell within U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission limits. However, because veterinary patients typically require sedation or general anesthesia, personnel often spend more time in close contact with them before and after radiotracer administration than in human medicine. The review notes that this difference alone may increase occupational exposure for veterinary personnel, particularly technicians. They often receive the highest exposure because they are responsible for preparing and administering radiopharmaceuticals and for handling animals throughout the procedure.
Large amounts and frequencies of radiation exposure can be harmful because they can damage DNA within cells, leading to mutations that may result in cancer or other serious health conditions.
As PET/CT becomes increasingly available in specialty veterinary environments, including at UC Davis, understanding occupational risk is essential. The review reinforces the value of applying ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principles, protocol optimization, minimizing unnecessary handling, and adopting appropriate shielding and workflow strategies whenever feasible, and notes that one of the studies included in the study noted that radiographers sometimes do not follow ALARA guidelines closely.
The authors call for future research that directly measures radiation exposure in real-world veterinary PET/CT settings to better understand the risks and opportunities related to radiation exposure for imaging personnel.
Author: Tom Hinds
Source: https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/
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