Occupational radiation safety and sustainable workforce management in PET/CT practice: a pilot study of healthcare professionals in a newly established cyclotron-based nuclear medicine center

Background The working environment of nuclear medicine staff is a critical factor in occupational sustainability, particularly in newly established clinical services where safety systems and workflows are still developing. Objectives This study examined the relationship between quality of work life (QWL), job satisfaction, and occupational radiation exposure among healthcare professionals in a newly established cyclotron and molecular imaging nuclear medicine center equipped with a PET/CT facility that has been operational for less than 5 years. Methods A mixed-methods design was applied, integrating a cross-sectional assessment of QWL and job satisfaction with environmental radiation monitoring and personal dose mapping associated with 18 F-FDG procedures. Participants included radiochemists, nurses, radiological technologists, and support staff. Results Qualitative findings indicated strong theoretical knowledge of radiation protection principles following structured training; however, early-stage operational barriers such as limited access to protective equipment, lack of real-time dosimetry, and workflow pressures often hindered consistent safety compliance. These issues motivated a quantitative evaluation of occupational dose distribution across different body regions. Environmental dose mapping and extremity dosimetry revealed significant variation in exposure among professional groups, with radiochemists demonstrating the highest extremity doses, particularly at the right thumb, index finger, and palm ( p < 0.05), reflecting direct manual handling during radiopharmaceutical synthesis and dispensing. Despite moderate overall job satisfaction, safety training improved radiation safety awareness by approximately 80% and increased adherence to radiation protection protocols from 14.29% to 87%. Conclusion The findings suggest that while education may enhance radiation safety awareness, early-stage workflow constraints and manual handling tasks may remain important contributors to occupational exposure. These results emphasize the potential importance of integrating accurate dose monitoring, ergonomic workflow design, and continuous education during the early development of nuclear medicine services to help maintain exposures within ALARA limits and support a resilient and sustainable healthcare workforce. Furthermore, the findings indicate that combining objective radiation monitoring with organizational and psychosocial assessment may help inform proactive occupational health planning in newly established nuclear medicine centers.