Implications of the ionizing radiations regulations for typical nuclear medicine departments.

The application of the 1985 Ionizing Radiations Regulations and Approved Code of Practice to a typical Nuclear Medicine Department has been considered. References to the Regulations are given so that their implications in a given department may be examined. The radiopharmacy, radioisotope dispensary and injection room will need to be Controlled Areas. It will also be necessary to designate Controlled Areas if radiopharmaceuticals are injected in imaging rooms or on wards. Waiting rooms will need to be Controlled Areas. The area around individual patients will, however, not need to be Controlled except for some patients receiving therapeutic doses of 131I for thyrotoxicosis. It should not generally be necessary to designate employees as Classified persons. Major problems in implementing the Regulations are not envisaged in situations where the previous Code of Practice has been followed.