Re: Bioassay for Nuc Med Techs

[Chris Alston <alstonc@odrge.odr.georgetown.edu>]

>Reply-To: "David J. Keys" <davek@MED-PHYS.COM>
>
>The bad news is that the NRC issued a statement in the June-July '98 NMSS
Licensee Newsletter which states 
>
>"The purpose of this article is to alert licensees and their radiation
safety personnel to the fact that, although some of their occupational
workers may not be required to be included in a bioassay program under 10
CFR part35, they may still be required to be minitorred for intakes under
10 CFR part 20" (.1502)
>
>20.1502 contains the key words "may receive in 1 year an excess of 10% of
the applicable ALI."
>
>So it all depends on how you and the inspector interpret the word "may".
>
>Dave Keys
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: Jerry White <gaw@USA.NET>
>To: <MEDPHYS@LISTS.WAYNE.EDU>
>Sent: Monday, February 07, 2000 2:49 PM
>Subject: Re: Bioassay for Nuc Med Techs
>
>
>> 22 years experience in Colorado and have never seen a positive assay. We
tried to amend our license to avoid the test, but the state would not allow
it (they cited NRC requirements).
>> 
>> I say -- attach a CPT code to it and bill!
>> 
>> Jerry White
>> 
>> Scott Dube wrote:
>> 
>> > 10 CFR 35.315(a)(8) requires a bioassay within 3 days for any nuclear
medicine technologist administering I-131 to a patient hospitalized for
receiving a dose in excess of 30 mCi.  As I understand it, there is no
bioassay requirement for outpatient procedures.
>> >
>> > That makes me question the bioassay requirement.  In the past 20
years, I cannot recall a single bioassay result above background.  So why
do we need to continue with this inconvenient ritual?  Has anyone out there
amended their license to discontinue this requirement?
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