The body monitoring service at the Public Health England Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards (PHE CRCE) has a range of systems to measure radionuclides within the body using detectors positioned outside the body. Radionuclides may enter the body by inhalation, ingestion or contamination of a wound.

PHE systems are suitable for measurement of radionuclides which emit low energy as well as higher energy photons (for example, americium-241, caesium-137, or cobalt-60).

Types of monitoring offered include the following.

• Standard whole body monitoring following a suspected intake of a radioactive substance.
• Before and after whole body monitoring, for instances where there is a known potential for exposure. The before measurement acts as a baseline against which the after measurement can be compared.
• Specific organ monitoring, eg lungs or liver.
• Bespoke wound monitoring.

 

Body monitoring at PHE CRCE, Chilton

The PHE body monitoring service is not an Approved Dosimetry Service (ADS). However, the team providing the service has over 30 years’ experience of measuring internal contamination in people.

Transportable measurement system

Potential users are encouraged to contact the team to discuss the best monitoring method.

• Enquiries from industry are welcome.
• Requests from private individuals will be considered, but only after referral by a GP or hospital consultant.

For more information on body monitoring services at PHE please email body.monitoring@phe.gov.uk.