Surgical staff doses during liver transplantation on a patient undergoing Lu-177-DOTATATE radioligand therapy

Abstract

The radiation doses received by the surgical staff during a lifesaving liver transplantation on a female patient, who had received the third cycle of Lu-177-DOTATATE 6 days prior to the surgery, are presented. Thermoluminescent personal dosemeters (TLDs), calibrated in Hp (10) and Hp (0.07), were distributed among the surgical team to assess the effective doses. Finger TLDs, calibrated in Hp (0.07), were specifically provided to the surgeons for hand dose assessment. Ambient dose equivalent rates in air were measured at various distances from the patient, both before and after the liver removal. The results indicate that the overall personal doses were below the minimum detectable dose, with the exception of the first surgeon's finger dose. Additionally, the activity of the liver lesion was measured using a germanium solid-state detector to determine the total activity in the organ at the time of surgery.