To evaluate the advantages of PET automatic drug infusion system in nuclear medicine nursing by comparing radiation dose and precision injection between artificial injection and automatic injection.

From August 2021 to September 2021, 40 patients (27 males, 13 females, average age: 59.6 years) were divided into two groups (20 patients in each group) for the injection of ¹⁸F-FDG by artificial injection and automatic injection in Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Portable radiation detector was used to measure the peak values of dose-equivalent rate in the arm and trunk of the nurse during the administration. The duration of administration process was recorded and the annual radiation doses were estimated and compared between the two injection methods. Independent-sample t test was used to compare the differences of injection parameters between two methods.

Based on 5 000 patients injected annually by artificial injection, the estimated annual radiation doses were about 220.19 mSv in the arm and 2.09 mSv in the trunk, while the radiation doses were approximately 0.19 and 0.08 mSv by automatic administration, respectively. Compared with the artificial injection, the automatic drug infusion system could reduce by 99% and 95% of equivalent doses in the arm and trunk, respectively. The significant difference was found in the empty needle activity between artificial injection and automatic drug infusion system ((18.87±7.77) and (0.22±0.19) MBq; t=10.65, P<0.001), while there were no statistical differences in full needle activity, injection activity and injection/prescription activity ratio (t values: from -0.03 to 1.37, all P>0.05).

PET automatic drug infusion system provides better radiation protection for nuclear medicine nursing.

Medication systems; Nursing care; Radiation protection; Radiation dosage; Positron-emission tomography; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18