Deb LeMay with IU Environmental Health and Safety performs a radiation safety facility inspection at the Biotechnology and Research Training Center at IU Indianapolis. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana UniversityWhen it comes to the cutting-edge research and innovative medical care offered by a world-class higher education institution like Indiana University, radiation protection requires a skilled team of professionals.
Christopher Harvey, radiation safety officer for IU, IU Health and Eskenazi Health, leads the largest team of highly trained radiation safety personnel in Indiana from IU Environmental Health and Safety, part of IU Public Safety. It is one of five programs in the Midwest of its size. Their job is to keep every individual - from the clinical setting to the research lab to the hospital bed - safe from exposure to materials deemed radioactive by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Tim Kleyn, with IU Environmental Health and Safety, performs a radiation safety facility inspection inside the Biotechnology and Research Training Center at IU Indianapolis. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University
"It's very satisfying and very challenging work," Harvey said.
Harvey's team ensures the safety of everyone involved in an X-ray, CT scan, nuclear medicine or PET scan across eight hospitals in Bloomington and Indianapolis. Team members are in research labs where radioactive drugs, or radiopharmaceuticals, are being tested and developed to treat diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer. They are available around the clock, 365 days a year, to respond to the needs of IU doctors, researchers, nurses, lab technicians and anyone else who may interact with radioactive materials.
The work of Tim Kleyn, radiation safety manager, and Deb LeMay, assistant radiation safety officer, requires that they go beyond the doors with bright yellow signs that read "Caution: Radioactive Materials." They must don protective equipment, including white coats, rubber gloves and a dosimeter, which measures radiation exposure. They must test themselves before they leave to be sure they aren't contaminated.
At the Biotechnology Research and Training Center at IU Indianapolis, Kleyn and LeMay placed tiny vials of radioactive material inside a lead cup. They were checking an instrument's calibration by seeing how long it takes a dose of radiopharmaceuticals to decay and verifying that the instrument correctly detects the decay rate.
Radioactive materials are chemicals made up of atoms with an unstable nucleus that loses energy as emitted radiation. The radiation emitted during this decay process can't be seen, felt or smelled, yet it can be hazardous.
But because they understand the benefits and how to use radioactive materials safely, the team members said they find the work fulfilling.
Geiger counters measure radioactivity and emit a clicking sound that intensifies depending on the amount of radiation in an area. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University
"It's fun every day because there are so many different ways people use radioactive material," Kleyn said. "It's rewarding because of the variety and the proximity to patient care."
Working alongside Kleyn and LeMay was Andy Ritacco, assistant radiation safety officer, who checked Geiger counters to make sure they were working properly. When a Geiger counter gets closer to radioactive materials, its clicking sounds intensify, and then it screeches. The Geiger counters are also connected to red lights that flash to alert everyone inside the room of the potential for contamination or high exposure.
Once the Geiger counters are checked, Ritacco wipes tiny pieces of paper along areas like walls, floors, sinks, countertops and trash cans. Those papers will be checked later in a machine that measure radioactive material contamination.
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After leaving Kleyn and LeMay to finish their work, Ritacco performed a similar audit in the nuclear medicine wing of Eskenazi Hospital. He also checked the medical personnel's records to ensure they were following all requirements for working with radiopharmaceuticals, and made sure everyone was wearing personal dosimeters.
"People who work in nuclear medicine run a pretty tight ship," he said. "The best days are when people don't need you."
While there is potential harm associated with radiation, the small amount used to detect and treat cancer, Alzheimer's and other diseases has an overall net benefit.
Andy Ritacco, assistant radiation safety officer, checks to see if radioactive waste is safely stored and labeled. Photo by Liz Kaye, Indiana University
"Our goal is ultimately to make a difference in someone's life," said Paul R. Territo, a professor of medicine who uses radioactive drugs to study the progression of diseases like Alzheimer's and better understand treatment options for varying stages of the disease process.
"The goal is to understand the disease first and then use that diagnostic to pair with an appropriate pharmaceutical to intervene," he said.
According to Mark A. Green, professor of radiology and imaging sciences, most radiopharmaceuticals are employed in diagnostic imaging.
Green is a chemist involved in research to design, synthesize, test and validate new radiopharmaceuticals, primarily focusing on agents for imaging by positron emission tomography. Using radioactive drugs with PET scans provide images that track the drug's distribution in the body to evaluate organs or tumors. Radiopharmaceuticals can also deposit large radiation doses in small volumes to intentionally destroy tumor tissue, he said.
"The biggest strength of the IU radiation safety team is that they successfully navigate assurance of regulatory compliance and safety without losing sight of the end user's need to get things accomplished in an efficient and timely manner," Green said.
The radiation safety team also supports discovery, Territo said.
"It's the perfect balance between regulatory oversight, ensuring safety and enabling innovation in just the right way," he said. "They are wanting to help you do the best science and do it safely. That's distinct here at IU from other institutions."
The radiation safety team also supports the proper disposal and storage of radioactive waste. Depending on its level of radioactivity, some materials can be stored in a plastic bag, while others must be kept in lead. Then, time does the work of allowing the materials to decay and stabilize. Careful labeling and documentation ensures the materials are disposed of when they no longer pose a danger.
"Radiation safety personnel who work within Environmental Health and Safety are committed to ensuring a safe work environment and reducing occupational hazards," Harvey said.
