ALARA injection shield

The ALARA « As Low As Reasonably Achievable » precautionary principle is one of the basic principles of protection against ionising radiation. This principle has guided us in the design of this mobile shield model dedicated to PET activity in nuclear medicine.
This “As Low As Reasonably Achievable” precautionary principle perfectly illustrates the optimisation work carried out on this product in order to offer complete full-body radiation protection to our users while preserving easy handling properties.

The ALARA mobile shield is an essential protection accessory for daily activities of any PET service. Whether it is equipped with an automated fractionating unit, or manual radiopharmaceutical dose preparation equipment such as a shielded hot cell.

Multifonctional, the ALARA shield can be used at every stage of patient management during a diagnostic PET examination. Regardless of the radiopharmaceutical used (¹⁸F-FDG, ¹⁸F-CHOLINE, ¹⁸F-DOPA, ¹⁸F-FNa…) and the isotope concerned (¹⁸F, ⁶⁸Ga, ¹³N …).

It will be useful during the manual injection of the radiopharmaceutical, but also during the removal of the peripheral venous catheter from the patient. It is essential for the user during the installation of the patient under the PET-CT camera.

The ALARA shield has a gradual top-to-bottom shield thickness, ranging from 30 mm to 10 mm of lead. It provides for both optimised weight (178 kg) and a significant reduction of user full-body exposure.

ALARA injection shield: essential protection accessory

ALARA injection shield is composed of:

• A wide 316L stainless steel shelf with a rim, which can be positioned at 3 different heights. It can be used to hold a shielded case or a treatment tray for manual injection or catheter removal. Hygiene and decontamination are facilitated and the rim helps to contain any contamination.
• The viewing window (L 310 x H 230 mm) at a 32° angle, made of 72 mm thick lead glass, facilitates precise visual control of any technical action to be performed.
• a retractable step, and can be adapted to all user heights for improved ergonomics.
• two aluminium side handles and four 75 mm diameter castors. Two of which have brakes, to secure the static position of the shield.
• A drip stand is also provided for NaCl perfusion in case of possible rinsing operations after radiopharmaceutical injection for example.

Finally, the innovative geometry of the shield legs allows for optimal manoeuvrability and easy passage under beds and stretchers. Thus maintaining proximity between the healthcare personnel and the patient.