Description After some therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures with unsealed radionuclides, precautions may be needed to limit doses to others, but
this is rarely the case after diagnostic procedures. Iodine-131 results in the most dose to medical staff, public, caregivers, and family
members. Other radionuclides used in therapy are usually simple beta emitters (e.g. 32P, 89Sr, 90Y) that pose much less hazard. Dose
limits apply to the exposure of the public and medical staff from patients. Prior ICRP recommendations are that no dose limit but a source-related
dose constraint for optimisation of a few mSv per episode applies to the family, visitors, and caregivers at home. Here, it is recommended
that young children and infants, as well as visitors not engaged in direct care or comforting, be treated as members of the public (i.e.,
be subject to the public dose limit).
