RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Calculation of Minimal Detectable Activity for Scintillation Detection Systems JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology JO J. Nucl. Med. Technol. FD Society of Nuclear Medicine SP 5 OP 7 VO 15 IS 1 A1 Blue, Peter W. A1 Brown, Paul H. A1 Manier, Stephen M. A1 Ghaed, Nasser YR 1987 UL http://tech.snmjournals.org/content/15/1/5.abstract AB This paper analyzes the statistical approach to the determination of minimum detectable radioactivity for nuclear medicine counting data. Based upon measurements of the background level and detector counting efficiency this method allows calculation of the counting time necessary to detect a specified minimum amount of radioactivity. This method is important both in the application of bioassay measurements of radiation workers for measuring thyroid burden and in the measurement of radioactive wipe test samples.