[ RadSafe ] Re: radsafe Digest, Vol 181, Issue 3

[North, David]

Some medical radionuclides do have short half-lives. However, thallium-201 is sometimes used for the cardiac imaging, and has a half-life of a bit over 3 days. Plus, it tends to be excreted relatively slowly. If you friend had a technetium-99m radiopharmaceutical for the exam (half-life about 6 hours), I don't know what the answer might be.

David L. North, Sc.M., DABR
Associate Physicist
Medical Physics
Main Bldg. Rm 317
Rhode Island Hospital
593 Eddy St.
Providence, RI 02903
(401)444-5961
fax: (401)444-4446
dnorth at lifespan.org



> ----------
> From: 	radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl on behalf of al at solidsurfacealliance.org
> Sent: 	Friday, January 23, 2009 19:30
> To: 	radsafe at radlab.nl
> Subject: 	[ RadSafe ] Re: radsafe Digest, Vol 181, Issue 3
> 
> 
> 
> Hi All,
>  
> I friend of mine had a stress test on Tuesday, heart patient, had some stents installed a few weeks back.   About a foot away from his chest, my PM 1703 Gamma Scintillator was reading over 2,500 uR/hr.   This was Saturday night, at least four full days after the procedure.
>  
> Is this unusual?  I thought most of those medical isotopes had very short half lives.
>  
> Thanks,
>  
> Al
>  
> _______________________________________________
> You are currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list
> 
> Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood the RadSafe rules. These can be found at: http://radlab.nl/radsafe/radsaferules.html
> 
> For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings visit: http://radlab.nl/radsafe/
> 
>