Radioisotopes in Medical Cardiac Testing

["Pollan, Paul B." <PBPOLLAN@southernco.com>]

Greetings colleagues.   I would like to ask the medical and Nuclear Plant
people out there about workers that have cardiac testing with radioisotopes;
specifically, Tl-201 or Tc-99m.  Several people in the plant recently had
cardiac testing performed with Tl-201.  This essentially eliminates them for
any work inside the Radiation Controlled Area for approximately 21 days
before the personnel contamination monitors will allow them to clear.

We try to make it clear in our Radiation Worker Training to notify Health
Physics or Dosimetry if a cardiac test involving radioisotopes is to be
performed, and to turn in their dosimetry prior to the testing.  Many times,
those performing the testing will not admit they injected the individual
with a radioisotope.  One Sr. Health Physics Technician was with Tl-201
after he/she was told that they were going to be given "Cardio-lite"
(Tc-99m).  This individual raised enough of a fuss to get the hospital to
place a sign that stated "IF YOU WORK AT XXX Nuclear Plant, PLEASE INFORM
THE RECEPTIONIST PRIOR TO REGISTERING".  I wish more medical facilities that
use in-vitro radioisotopes in their diagnostic procedures would post a
similar sign if there are laboratories/plants, etc. in the area that handle
or work around radioactive material as an occupation.

I wish to ask the medical people out there:

1) Is there a distinct advantage of one isotope over the other with respect
to picture quality, and
 2) Do physicians or the Radiopharmeceutical Technicians let the patients
know what they are being given if the patient works with radioactive
materials?  
3) What is the average TEDE for a cardiac test involving the above mentioned
radioisotopes (naturally given age/weight factors, there cannot be any
consistent numbers).

I wish to ask the Nuclear Power plant people as well as others that work
with radioactive materials:

1) How do you handle personnel that have had a medical procedure involving
radioisotopes and need access to the radiation controlled area?
2) Are your people asked to ask if radioisotopes are involved in a
procedure?
3) Does Management have any control regarding medical procedures involving
radioisotopes?

  I ask this since a frisker (Eberline RM-20) upscaled into alarm (200cpm)
from a worker from approximately 10 feet away from the frisker. The
individual had entered the Radiation Controlled Area and was unaware that
he/she had been injected with a diagnostic radioisotope.  He/she had been
given the injection during a cardiac test 3 days earlier.  Co-workers were
not particularly pleased since they worked with the person in the "clean"
shop.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Paul B Pollan, RRPT
Southern Nuclear Operating Co.
pbpollan@southernco.com

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