Experimental determination of the radionuclide calibrator setting for Technesium-99m, by using a primary standardisation method.

Background: A new 99mTc national standard has been developed at the Italian National Metrology Institute for Ionizing Radiation quantities of ENEA (ENEA-INMRI).

Methods: The stock radioactive solution was prepared at the Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù (OPBG) and standardized at the ENEA-INMRI by using the 4pigamma absolute measurement method. The new standard was used to calibrate the dose calibrator of the OPBG Nuclear Medicine Unit (NMU) and the ENEA-INMRI portable ionization chamber which was employed as the secondary standard measurement system to calibrate the dose calibrator of another Italian nuclear medicine unit.