Safe Handling of Radioactive Isotopes in Medical Practice

With the growing application of radioactive materials in medical practice, this short book on the safe handling of radioactive isotopes is of great value. Although it is not intended as a complete manual on radiation safety but merely as a supplement to the work of the radiation protection officer, it contains much useful information. After a brief discussion of the nature of radioactivity and radiation, diagnostic and therapeutic uses of radioisotopes are described. This section is followed by a discussion of radiation hazards, maximum permissible doses, monitoring, safety in a "hot laboratory" and hospital, waste disposal, and decontamination. This book was written for technicians, nurses, doctors, or anyone else working with radioisotopes in a hospital or medical setting. It should help to put radiation hazards associated with the medical uses of radioisotopes into proper perspective for radiation workers.