Fernanda Carla Lima Ferreira

Aceitabilidade de um futuro banco de objetos simuladores para controle de qualidade em medicina nuclear

OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed at determining the acceptability of a national or regional phantoms bank to be deployed in Brazil for shared use in quality control activities by nuclear medicine centers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors analyzed the answers to a questionnaire applied to medical physicists and radioprotection supervisors in Brazilian nuclear medicine centers. Initially, the questionnaire was validated by professionals in the city of Aracaju, SE, which is located in the Northeast region. The present study sample was geographically distributed as follows: the Northeast region, with answers from 13 professionals of nuclear medicine centers; the North region, with 2 professionals; the South region, with 7 professionals; the Southeast region, with 43 professionals; and the Midwest region, with 2 professionals. RESULTS: According to the data analyzed, 82% of the respondents consider that the implementation of a phantoms bank would be a suitable alternative for improving nuclear medicine quality control. The interest in sharing the bank was reported by 87% of the respondents. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated the motivation for a shared use of a future phantoms bank.

Análise da Qualidade de Imagem e da Radioproteção em Radiodiagnóstico Odontológico na Cidade de Sobral

O processamento radiografico e uma das etapas para a aquisicao de imagens radiograficas e exige controle de qualidade adequado. A imagem deve permitir um diagnostico preciso e evitar repeticoes dos exames, estando de acordo com os principios de radioprotecao. Esse trabalho objetivou verificar a qualidade de processamento de imagens radiograficas periapicais e averiguar a adequacao dos equipamentos de raios X odontologico quanto aos principios de radioprotecao estabelecidos pela Portaria 453/98 do ministerio da saude, atraves da aplicacao de teste de campo de radiacao e aplicacao de questionarios aos profissionais odontologos. Os resultados mostraram que e preciso maior cuidado dos profissionais quanto ao tratamento radiografico e radioprotecao, sendo necessario que orgaos de fiscalizacao exijam o cumprimento das normas para que haja manutencao da qualidade dos servicos de radiodiagnostico odontologicos.

Renal Dynamic Phantom for Use in SPECT

Quality control of nuclear medicine is performed through the use of phantoms during the processes necessary for consummation of quality control tests. Ideally, a specific phantom is employed for each type of procedure. Dynamic renal scintigraphy using DTPA (diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid) is labeled with technetium-99m. This renal radiopharmaceutical tracer allows evaluation of the dynamics of renal blood flow and its symmetry, the topography and morphology of the kidneys, and the passage of the radiopharmaceutical through the urinary tract to the bladder until arrival. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate the performance of a renal dynamic phantom, for use in SPECT. An adult human kidney was used for making the mold, ensuring phantom geometry. It was used alginate for the manufacture of the shaped form of the kidneys. Following preparation, the acrylic kidney was connected to the top of each kidney with one injection pump connected to a reservoir. To perform the flow, the phantom is controlled with injection pumps. The electrical system controls how long each pump is in operation. Changes of the operating time of the pump at different flow rates imply elimination of the radioisotope, allowing it obtain various forms of disposal. The renal dynamic phantom was constructed of acrylic and included injection pumps to simulate renal dynamics in scintigraphy with 99mTc-DTPA. This phantom was scanned with a dynamic protocol and compared with clinical data. Using this phantom it is possible to acquire similar renal images as in clinical scintigraphy, including the response of the imaging system to the form of a renogram with normal renal scintigraphic appearance. Moreover, it is expected to perform intercomparisons between different renograms scintillation cameras and nuclear medicine clinics. Therefore, the dynamic renal phantoms can be very effective for use in the quality control of renal scintigraphy and image processing systems.