Re: medical isotopes - patient expense

["Celia Rajkovich, RRPT" <celiar@andrew.cmu.edu>]

It is stated as 150 mCi "or" be 12 mrem/h @1M. I was in excess of 

12mrem/h@1M-they would not know that because they don't survey people 

before they leave. They of course meaning the facility where I was, not a 

reference made to all clinics.



--On Monday, November 24, 2003 1:30 PM -0800 John Jacobus 

<crispy_bird@yahoo.com> wrote:



> Since you received a diagnostic Tc-99m scan, you would

> not receive any instructions on precautions to members

> of the public, baby or otherwise.  Instructions are

> required if the dose was 150 mCi.  Requirements for

> release of patients are found in Appendix U of

> http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1556/v9/

>

> Note that there is no requirement to provide a note to

> security personnel informing them that you have had a

> nuclear medicine test.

>

> The problem with patients not being informed that they

> are getting a medical test involving x-ray exposure or

> the injection of radionuclides is not a new one.  The

> issue is getting patients in and out of the clinic,

> not education.  Sorry.  That is life in the medical

> world.

>

> --- "Celia Rajkovich, RRPT" <celiar@andrew.cmu.edu>

> wrote:

>> How much more could it possibly cost an institution

>> to type up instructions

>> for each radioisotope test they provide, run them

>> off (bulk)and hand them

>> out to the patients along with the discharge

>> instructions.

>> The hospitals in my area do not tell you the

>> "details" of your

>> "radioisotope procedure" nor do they provide

>> discharge instructions

>> pertaining to the rad part of the procedure.

>> I know this because I had a thyroid scan last year.

>> I received no details

>> before I arrived at the hospital and I was not asked

>> any questions at the

>> hospital. I asked the technician what the activity

>> of the Tc-99m was right

>> before he injected me.(Boy was he surprised!). Yes,

>> I asked him to please

>> check that the activity was correct.

>> Following the test,the supervisor brought the film

>> in for me to view. It

>> turned in to a field trip.

>> I was a walking high rad area when I got home. If I

>> were not a HP I would

>> never have known. Some might say that if we don't

>> know we are better off

>> (stress etc.)I'm not buying that! I could have went

>> home to a baby, been

>> pregnant or maybe I worked in a nursery/daycare and

>> was going to work

>> afterwards.

>> I think a little extra effort from the nuc med staff

>> is needed.

>>

>>

> . . .

>

> =====

> +++++++++++++++++++

> "Eternal vigilance by the people is the price of liberty and . . . you

> must pay the price if you wish to secure the blessing." Andrew Jackson

>

> -- John

> John Jacobus, MS

> Certified Health Physicist

> e-mail:  crispy_bird@yahoo.com

>

> __________________________________

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>







Celia Rajkovich, RRPT

Carnegie Mellon University

EH&S - Radiation Safety

Mellon Institute 313 Box 90

Pittsburgh Pa. 15213

Phone 268-7502  Fax 268-1736

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