A System for the automatic monitoring and safe disposal of short-lived radioactive gaseous compounds from hot-cells in a PET facility

A novel automated system for the detection and disposal of radioactive gases emitted within the walls of a hot-cell is described. The system has been designed and installed at the Nuclear Medicine Divisionʹs FET Unit of the National Cancer Institute of Milan (Italy). Basically, a radiation detector monitors the air exhausted from the hot-cell, which is normally released through the hospital main chimmey. Beyond a selected threshold of radioactivity concentration, the air flow is automatically conveyed to a buffer tank. A set of measures to ensure radiation safety to the chemist is also reported.