Omar Ziad Mohammad Obeidat (1), Hashem Khaled Omar Shajrawi (2), Salem Jarir Salem Al Rabadi (3), Ra'id Majed Ali Abu Alkishek (4), Bara'a Khalid Abdulhadi Khlaifat (5)
Nuclear medicine plays a critical role in diagnosing and managing various medical conditions by using radiopharmaceuticals for functional imaging. While these procedures are generally safe for the general population, using them during pregnancy presents unique clinical challenges. The physiological changes that occur during pregnancy can alter the pharmacokinetics of radiotracers, which complicates image interpretation and dose estimation. Additionally, the potential for ionizing radiation to affect fetal development raises serious ethical and medical concerns. To systematically examine the diagnostic challenges and safety considerations associated with the use of nuclear medicine during pregnancy, this article conducts a narrative review of peer-reviewed literature, clinical guidelines, and expert consensus protocols. A qualitative narrative review approach was employed using medical databases such as PubMed, SciSpace, and Google Scholar. Relevant studies were identified using the following terms: “nuclear medicine,” “pregnancy,” “radiological safety,” “radiopharmaceuticals,” and “fetal exposure.” Current evidence suggests that most nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures result in fetal doses below 20 mSv, which is below the threshold associated with deterministic effects. The safe practice of nuclear medicine during pregnancy requires striking a careful balance between the clinical needs of the mother and the protection of the fetus. This requires adhering to the ALARA principle and using modern dosimetry methods.
Highlights
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