Abstract
Nuclear Medicine Technologists (NMTs) are specialized health professionals that cover a wide range of tasks from clinical routine (including image acquisition and processing, radiopharmaceutical dispensing and administration, patient care and radioprotection tasks) to leading clinical research in the field of Nuclear Medicine. As a fundamental concern in all radiation sciences applied to medicine, protection of individuals against the harmful effects of ionizing radiation must be constantly revised and applied by the professionals involved in medical exposures. The acknowledgement that NMTs play a prominent role in patient management and a number of procedural steps both in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine applications, carries the duty to be trained and knowledgeable on the topic of radiation protection and dose optimization. An overview on selected topics related to dose optimization is presented on this article, reflecting the similarities and particularities of dose reduction related principles, initiatives and practicalities from a global perspective.