Estimation of the Public Radiation Dose from ¹⁷⁷Lu in Wastewater Discharged by Nuclear Medicine Centers in Tehran, Iran

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics Department, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Iran

2 Nuclear Medicine Department, Shohada Tajrish Hospital, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

10.22038/aojnmb.2026.89390.1648

Abstract

Introduction: Currently, the treatment of prostate and endocrine cancers with radiopharmaceuticals derived from lutetium-177 is the focus of many radionuclide therapy centers. One of the reasons for turning to lutetium radiopharmaceuticals is their favorable dosimetry and stability. Directly excreting the urine of patients treated with these radiopharmaceuticals into the hospital's waste water and consequently into the city's waste water and finally into agricultural fields causes indirect radiation exposure. This study aims to calculate the radiation exposure of people in Tehran due to the presence of this radioactive material in the wastewater of urban areas. Materials and methods: First, the activity concentration in wastewater was estimated, and then, the dose received by people was estimated via a mathematical model. Results: The amount of public dose of lutetium in wastewater from nuclear medicine centers in Tehran is 8712.9 nSV/year. Conclusion: The direct release of patients' urine into the wastewater of nuclear medicine centers in Tehran does not have a significant effect on the radiation exposure of people, and septic tanks are not necessary for these radiopharmaceuticals.

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Asia Oceania Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Biology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 21 February 2026

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