Exposure of persons accompanying patients in nuclear medicine departments.

Patient who receives a radiopharmaceutical remains radioactive for hours or even days and so represents a potential hazard to other individuals. Thus, in nuclear medicine departments, apart from the personnel who are occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation, protection rules must be observed for members of the public, in particular persons accompanying patients. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the absorbed dose levels, which persons accompanying patients are exposed to. Integral dose studies were carried out in three nuclear medicine departments, in Brazil. Dose levels are presented, and issues are discussed with regard to the presence of members of the public in waiting areas of such departments.