APEX Radiation Monitoring Integrated Solution Case Study 2 — Hospital Nuclear Medicine Department

1. Scope and Integrated-Solution Approach

This case study shows how APEX converts a facility's workflow, licensed isotope inventory and room zoning into one engineered, interoperable radiation-monitoring package — selected from the APEX Measurement and Monitoring Catalogue rather than assembled as isolated instruments. Every monitoring slot below is matched to a specific APEX AP-series model (or flagged as a service/accessory where the catalogue offers no dedicated instrument), so the configuration reads as a single bill of materials supported by one engineering, calibration, training and after-sales relationship.

1.1 APEX product families referenced in this study

APEX supplies complementary AP-series instrument classes that map directly onto the six-layer monitoring architecture:

Fixed / networked — AP1100C central host, AP1100Med-G/-P and AP1100Med-G Pro/-P Pro area monitors, and the integrated monitoring platform software.

Portable survey — AP3100AB-15 multifunctional meter, AP3100G-P scintillation survey meter, AP3100G-X low-energy/pulsed γ rate meter, AP3200M / AP4005 portable neutron survey meters.

Contamination — AP170 surface contamination monitor, AP4000 / AP4000-T hand-foot personnel frisker.

Personal dosimetry — AP3800G-G / AP3800G-C active personal dosimeter.

Metrology — AP4300-R radioactivity (dose) calibrator, AP4200-HPGe high-purity germanium γ spectrometer.

1.2 The common six-layer monitoring framework

Table 1. Six functional layers and the APEX catalogue models that realise them.

Layer	Purpose	APEX function & catalog model	Selection basis
L1 Fixed area / environmental	Continuous gamma (and neutron where required) dose-rate monitoring with alarm; networked to a central station	AP1100Med-G / -P fixed X,γ monitors (-G Pro / -P Pro premium concealed-wiring versions) as field detectors, aggregated by the AP1100C multi-probe network host	Every controlled room, cell, waste store and boundary point
L2 Contamination control	Removable/fixed surface and personnel (hand-foot) contamination screening before exit	AP170 handheld surface contamination monitor; AP4000 / AP4000-T hand-foot personnel frisker	Exit station, hot workbench, hot-cell and therapy-room exit
L3 Portable survey	Routine room surveys, spill response, source location and leak testing	AP3100AB-15 multifunctional α/β/X/γ meter (end-window GM); AP3100G-P scintillation γ survey meter; AP3100G-X low-energy/pulsed γ rate meter	At least one per active department plus spare; task-specific probes
L4 Personal dosimetry	Measure and alarm individual worker exposure and extremity dose	AP3800G-G / AP3800G-C active electronic personal dosimeter with tri-mode alarm; passive whole-body and ring service (external accredited provider)	One EPD/badge per worker; rings for hands-on tasks
L5 Metrology & QC	Measure activity, verify QC / radiochemical purity	AP4300-R re-entrant ion-chamber radioactivity (dose) calibrator; AP4200-HPGe γ spectrometer for radionuclide ID and nuclear-purity assay	Mandatory wherever doses are dispensed or QC is required
L6 Data, records & QA	Alarm annunciation, data archive, trend analysis and compliance records	AP1100C/D central monitoring host with integrated platform software (real-time display, data query, alarm management, user/device management)	Scaled from a small logging panel to a facility network

2. Department Profile and Representative Clinical Workflows

A hospital nuclear-medicine department concentrates radioactive material in a smaller footprint than a production plant: a hot lab / radiopharmacy for receipt, dispensing and compounding; tracer injection and administration rooms; SPECT and PET/CT imaging suites; I-131 therapy capsule preparation and, where offered, isolated therapy wards; patient waiting and post-administration release areas; hot-waste storage; and a staff dosimetry and QC point. Common clinical isotopes may include Tc-99m, F-18/FDG, Ga-68 and I-131, depending on the hospital licence; cyclotron production is usually off-site and material arrives as delivered doses or generators. The monitoring programme protects technologists, radiopharmacists, nurses and admitted patients, controls contamination, and supports clinical metrology and medical-licence inspection.

3. Clinical and Regulatory Drivers

Per-dose activity measured and recorded before administration (AP4300-R programme: daily constancy and periodic accuracy checks).

Worker dose control during repeated syringe manipulation, where extremity (finger) dose often exceeds whole-body dose and justifies ring dosimetry.

Surface & hand contamination control in the hot lab, injection rooms and therapy areas, with wipe/frisk surveys after spills and between procedures.

Iodine-131 intake & airborne control in capsule handling and therapy settings; thyroid bioassay and room/air monitoring where the licence requires.

Dose-rate awareness for high-activity PET work; patient-room and release surveys; waste decay and record keeping.

Calibrated, traceable instrumentation — survey meters calibrated before first use, annually and after relevant repair; metrology records maintained for the radiation-safety committee.

4. Hazard-by-Zone Monitoring Matrix

Table 2. Clinical nuclear-medicine zones, monitored quantity and the APEX model assigned to each zone.

Zone	Principal hazard	Monitored quantity	APEX model(s)	Layer
H1 Hot lab / dispensing	External γ, hand & bench contamination	Local dose rate, hand/bench contamination, dispensed activity	AP4300-R · AP1100Med-G · AP170	L1,L2,L5
H2 Injection / administration	Staff extremity dose, hand & surface contamination	Worker extremity/whole-body dose, room surface contamination	AP3800G-G/C · AP170	L2,L4
H3 SPECT / gamma-camera suite	Residual room dose, patient-related contamination	Room ambient trend, post-procedure surface checks	AP3100G-P · AP1100Med-G (optional)	L1,L3
H4 PET/CT suite	Elevated dose rate in uptake phase, short turnaround	Local/room dose rate, real-time worker alarm, release surveys	AP1100Med-G/-P · AP3800G · AP3100G-X	L1,L3,L4
H5 I-131 therapy / ward	Airborne iodine, internal intake, room contamination & waste	Air activity, staff thyroid count, room dose & contamination	AP170 · AP3800G · (thyroid/CAM on request)	L2,L4,L5
H6 Waiting / release area	Patient-boundary dose, visitor exposure awareness	Periodic ambient dose survey, release-condition check	AP3100G-P	L3
H7 Hot waste / isotope store	Stored γ, contamination on containers	Storage dose rate, item surface survey	AP1100Med-G · AP3100AB-15	L1,L3
H8 Staff dosimetry station	Cumulative worker-dose management	Personal dose records, EPD download	AP3800G · AP1100C	L4,L6
H9 Public corridor / boundary	Background & boundary dose assurance	Periodic boundary survey, fixed alarm indication	AP1100Med-G · AP3100G-P	L1,L3

5. APEX Integrated Configuration by Six Layers

Table 3. Clinical nuclear-medicine package, deliberately proportioned to clinical throughput rather than production volumes.

Layer	What it measures and why	APEX model(s)	Quantity basis
L1 Fixed area	Continuous awareness where syringes are prepared; trend data for the radiation-safety officer	AP1100Med-G (energy-compensated GM) in hot lab and high-activity PET/therapy room; boundary survey by portable meter	Hot lab plus one high-activity room; expandable to other suites
L2 Contamination	Detect removable contamination on hands, gloves, benches and patients' belongings; verify room cleanliness	AP170 handheld hand/surface monitor; optional AP4000-T hand-foot unit at exit; wipe support	One hot-lab unit; optional exit station
L3 Portable survey	Room and boundary surveys, spill response, package-receipt checks and sealed-source leak tests	AP3100AB-15 (GM β/γ); AP3100G-P / AP3100G-X low-level & pulsed source locator; backup unit	≥ one survey meter per active department plus backup
L4 Personal dosimetry	Cumulative whole-body and hand dose; real-time alert on PET shifts; intake screening for I-131 staff	AP3800G-G / AP3800G-C EPD for high-dose PET shifts; passive badge + ring service (external); thyroid monitoring (on request)	One badge per staff; rings for frequent handlers; EPD on justified tasks
L5 Metrology & QC	Accurate per-dose activity and QC; low-level sample counting	AP4300-R dose calibrator with constancy check source; AP4200-HPGe for radionuclide ID/purity	One dose calibrator per dispensing point
L6 Data & QA	Auditable medical-licence file: QC, survey, dosimetry and training records	AP1100C / AP1100C-D compact logging panel with platform software; calibration/QC schedule; technologist SOPs	Scaled to department size; one responsible programme file

6. Zone-Level Configuration Rationale

H1 Hot lab — AP4300-R as the mandatory metrology anchor; AP1100Med-G fixed monitor near the dispensing shield; AP170 handheld contamination check after preparation; rings for dispensing staff.

H2 Injection rooms — AP3800G EPD and passive/ring badges capture extremity and whole-body dose; AP170 frisk checks after glove removal; bench survey between patients when contamination is suspected.

H3 SPECT suites — routine AP3100G-P survey between studies; fixed AP1100Med-G optional by workload; records support room release for non-radioactive use.

H4 PET/CT — AP3800G personal dosimeter during high-activity preparations; AP1100Med fixed/portable dose-rate awareness; AP3100G-X for the short-lived F-18 field; patient-release and room surveys timed around the short half-life.

H5 I-131 therapy — thyroid monitoring for exposed staff (available on request); AP170 room contamination survey on discharge; iodine-air monitoring and therapy-ward waste controls where required by the licence.

H6–H9 Waiting, waste, dosimetry & boundary — AP3100G-P/AB-15 portable surveys, AP1100Med-G waste-store monitoring and AP1100C badge records maintain the supervised/controlled separation.

7. Clinical Quality Control and Records

AP4300-R dose calibrator: daily constancy check at the start of each working day; accuracy on installation and at intervals set by the medical licence; geometry and linearity checks documented.

Per-dose activity measured and recorded before administration; survey instruments (AP3100 series, AP170) calibrated before first use, annually and after relevant repair; sealed-source leak tests on schedule.

Dosimetry cycle and ring assignment maintained for all radiation workers; thyroid bioassay for iodine-exposed staff; contamination wipe and spill records retained for the radiation-safety committee.

Operator training covering instrument use, alarm response, contamination control and emergency procedures; a single current AP1100C-held SOP set avoids inconsistent practice across shifts.

8. Indicative Clinical Package Tiers

Table 4. Tiered clinical scope sized to common service lines; quantities finalised after room and patient-flow survey.

Tier	Representative scope (APEX models)	Quantity logic
Mandatory clinical minimum	AP4300-R dose calibrator with QC source; AP3100AB-15 GM survey meter; AP170 contamination/frisk monitor; AP3800G + passive badge & ring service; AP1100C records & calibration programme	Required for routine diagnostic nuclear medicine and medical-licence inspection
Recommended service expansion	AP1100Med-G fixed monitor in hot lab; AP3800G-C EPD for PET shifts; AP4200-HPGe for sample QC; AP3100G-P low-level locator; backup survey meter	Added with PET, thyroid therapy or higher throughput
Optional specialty items	AP4000-T hand-foot exit frisker; under-apron badge programme; thyroid/neck monitor and iodine-air CAM (available on request); spare probes & service contract	Selected by licence conditions and hospital policy

9. APEX Model-Mapping Worksheet

Slots used in the clinical configuration are resolved against the APEX Measurement and Monitoring Catalogue below. Items flagged as service/accessory or available-on-request have no dedicated catalogue instrument.

Table 5. Functional slots resolved to APEX catalogue models (hospital use).

Slot	Functional family	APEX catalogue model	Status
M1	Fixed gamma area monitor (networked)	AP1100Med-G / -G Pro (energy-compensated GM) or AP1100Med-P / -P Pro (plastic scintillator, high range); hosted by AP1100C	In catalogue
M3	Personnel frisker / hand-foot monitor	AP4000 (4 hand + 2 foot paddles) or AP4000-T	In catalogue
M4	Surface / hand contamination monitor (handheld)	AP170 (α/β, optional γ)	In catalogue
M5	GM β-γ survey meter	AP3100AB-15 multifunctional end-window GM meter	In catalogue
M6	Scintillation γ survey / source locator	AP3100G-P; low-energy / pulsed option AP3100G-X	In catalogue
M7	Active electronic personal dosimeter (EPD)	AP3800G-G (GM) / AP3800G-C (CsI)	In catalogue
M10	Dose / activity calibrator	AP4300-R deep-well ionization chamber	In catalogue
M16	Central RMS software / data acquisition	AP1100C / AP1100C-D host + monitoring platform software	In catalogue
M15	Neutron area / survey monitor	AP4005 (³He) or AP3200M portable; fixed neutron channel via AP1100C	In catalogue (portable)
M2	Environmental / perimeter outdoor γ probe	AP1100Med-G deployed outdoors on the AP1100C network (weather-rated enclosure per site)	Configured — no dedicated outdoor SKU
M11	Well counter / sample & wipe counting	No dedicated catalogue item; γ QC served by AP4200-HPGe	Available on request
M12	Thyroid / neck uptake monitor	Not in the current monitoring catalogue	Available on request
M13	Continuous air monitor (particulate + iodine)	Not in the current monitoring catalogue	Available on request
M14	Gaseous / stack effluent monitor	Not in the current monitoring catalogue	Available on request
M8	Passive whole-body dosimetry	Accredited external service (no APEX instrument)	Service / accessory
M9	Extremity / ring dosimeter	Accredited external service (no APEX instrument)	Service / accessory
M17	QC check sources & leak-test kit	Accessories / long-lived sealed check sources	Service / accessory

10. Regulatory Basis and Complementary Shielding / PPE

Programme logic aligns with IAEA workplace-monitoring guidance and the ALARA framework; U.S. NRC 10 CFR Part 20 (occupational monitoring) and Part 35 (medical use — §35.50 dose-calibrator checks, §35.61 survey-instrument calibration, §35.63 activity measurement before administration); and, where applicable, GBZ 120—2020 (radiation-protection requirements for nuclear medicine). Precise thresholds, action levels and frequencies are governed by the operating licence.

Monitoring is paired with verified APEX shielding and PPE — lead/tungsten vial shields, syringe shields and injection workstation, dose-calibrator dipper accessories, radioactive-waste containers, and lead apron, cap, collar, glasses and gloves — which reduce dose (ALARA) alongside, but never in place of, the dosimetry above.

APEX Radiation Monitoring Integrated Solution Case Study 2 — Hospital Nuclear Medicine Department

Scope of Supply

Outcome