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An investigation on the performance of dose calibrators in nuclear medicine centers in Iran
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H. Zamani Zeinali   , N. Alirezazadeh , F. Atabi |
| , nalirezazadeh@hotmail.com |
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Abstract: (9663 Views) |
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Background: To investigate the status of the
nuclear medicine (NM) centers in Iran for the
performance of dose calibrators, 18 out of 54
centers providing NM services in Iran were randomly
selected and inspected in 1997. In the first phase
of the study the selected centers were inspected for
performing of quality control (QC) tests of dose
calibrators. The linearity of the activity response,
precision, accuracy, and the physical functions of
the instruments, were studied. In the second phase
of the study, carried out in 2006, 28 out of 75 NM
centers were investigated for QC tests performance.
Materials and Methods: The QC tests were
performed by using standardized radio nuclides of
Tc-99m and Cs-137 in the first phase, and Tc-99m
and I-131 in the second phase of the studies.
Standard procedures were used for carrying out the
tests. Results: According to the obtained results in
the first phase of the study, 10 centers were found
to be in unacceptable situation. Following this study,
all the concerned NM centers were informed about
the results, and at the same time the repair and
adjustment of the dose calibrators were requested.
In addition, the appropriate training courses along
with the QC testing manuals were provided to the
centers. Based on the data of the second phase of
the study, only 6 NM centers were in unacceptable
situation. The results indicated the effectiveness of
the improvements carried out in the working
procedures of the centers during interval between
the two phases of investigation. |
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| Keywords: Nuclear medicine centers, quality control, dose calibrator. |
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Full-Text [PDF 270 kb]
(4422 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Original Research |
Subject:
Radiation Biology
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