Radiation surveillance in and around cyclotron facility

The cyclotron is the most widely used particle accelerator for producing medically important radio nuclides. Many medical centers in India have installed compact medical cyclotrons for on-site production of short-lived positron-emitting radio nuclides such as (18)F, (13)N, and (11)C. A mandatory requirement for cyclotron installation is radiation control permit from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. Cyclotron radiation survey is an integral part of the overall radiation safety in the cyclotron facility. Radiation surveillance in and around a newly installed cyclotron was performed using ionization chamber counter and Geiger Muller counter before, during and after operating the cyclotron. The readings were recorded at various locations where a high radiation field was expected. The results were recorded, tabulated and analyzed. The highest exposure level (0.93 μSv) was found at the back wall of the radiochemistry lab facing the cyclotron vault. Reason for the high exposure of 0.93 μSv/h: Synthesis of (18)F-Fluoro-Deoxy-Glucose ((18)F-FDG) was going in the synthesis module and activity ((18)F) was present in the synthesis module when reading was taken. All other values were found to be below the recommended levels of exposure.