Automated Injectors versus Manual Administration: A Comparative Analysis of Radiation Exposure Reduction in 18F-FDG Delivery

<b>Background</b> Despite the presence of safety protocols, the manual manipulation of radiopharmaceuticals continues to pose a significant occupational radiation risk. Health care professionals in nuclear medicine are at risk of radiation exposure, particularly to their hands and eyes. Despite existing protective measures, manual handling of radiopharmaceuticals remains a significant source of occupational radiation. <b>Objective</b> This study evaluates the effectiveness of automated injectors in reducing radiation exposure among health care workers during fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose ( ¹⁸ F-FDG) administrations, compared with traditional manual injection methods. <b>Methods</b> We assessed radiation exposure levels associated with manual versus automated ¹⁸ F-FDG injection techniques using specialized dosimeters. Measurements focused on whole-body, extremity, and eye-lens radiation doses to evaluate the potential benefits of automation in minimizing exposure. <b>Results</b> Findings reveal that automated injectors significantly reduce radiation exposure, with decreases of 97.97 and 98.96% in left- and right-hand extremity doses, respectively, 43.24% in eye-lens dose, and 91.66% in whole-body dose compared with manual methods. <b>Conclusion</b> Automated injection systems offer considerable advantages in reducing health care worker radiation exposure in nuclear medicine. The substantial reduction in staff doses underscores the necessity of transitioning to such technology to promote safer clinical environments. This study highlights the critical role of automation in enhancing occupational safety standards within diagnostic radiology settings.