ObjectiveTo estimate the radiation dose (RD) to the general public and nuclear medicine technicians from patients undergoing 99mTc-methoxy isobutyl isonitrile (MIBI) myocardial perfusion imaging. MethodsFrom January to June 2015, 55 patients including 30 males and 25 females aged between 25 and 87 years[averaging (63.6±15.1)years] ready to undergo myocardial perfusion scintigraphy with 99mTc-MIBI were prospectively recruited in this study. Approximately at hour 1.5 after injection of 99mTc-MIBI, whole-body dose-equivalent rate was measured with a radiation-survey meter at 0.3 meter and 1.0 meter from the patients. On the basis of human 99mTc-MIBI metabolic rate proposed by the International Commission of Radiological Protection and human social contact model proposed by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, the RDs to the general public from patients who had completed 99mTc-MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging and left nuclear medicine department were calculated. On the assumption that a nuclear medicine technician typically spent 5 minutes at a distance of 0.3 meter for positioning the patient, the technician's RD was also estimated. ResultsThe RD to a family member sleeping with the patient at night was predicted to be 42.88-160.55 μSv, to a family member contacting the patient at daytime 7.50-29.38 μSv, to a colleague 9.89-38.78 μSv and to a nearby passenger 124.48-466.06 μSv. The RD to a technician per 99mTc-MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging procedure was predicted to be 1.72-6.44 μSv. ConclusionThe predicted RDs to the general public and technicians from exposure of patients undergoing 99mTc-MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging are significantly lower than the regulatory dose limits.