[ RadSafe ] Radioactive deceased person

Nielsen, Erik NielseEC at nv.doe.gov
Mon Feb 7 21:45:20 CET 2005


I received a request for assistance on this subject which is outside my area
of expertise. 

What NRC regulations cover disposition of a deceased person who contains
radioactivity?  Three different scenarios come to mind:  Nuclear medicine
injection procedures (death occurring before patient release for radiation
levels), radioactive seeds in an individual and devises with radioactive
material (pace maker/defibrillator....are they still in use?).

This hospital organization is concerned about liability issues from a
regulatory standpoint as well as to operators of crematoria that might
become contaminated.

If a person met the criteria to be discharged, left the hospital and then
died in an accident and was cremated promptly would the hospital face any
liability from the crematoria operator?

The person looking for advise is not a member of RADSAFE so please send any
suggestions to:  Karen Parton  Karen.Parton at UMCSN.COM, University Medical
Center of Southern Nevada.



Erik C. Nielsen
Senior Scientist
Remote Sensing Laboratory
P.O. Box 98521, M/S RSL-11
Las Vegas, NV 89193-8521

Voice 702-295-8954
Fax 702-794-1038
Pager 800-759-8888 PIN: 1076227
Cell 702-630-2323
Text to Pager:  1076227 at skytel.com
Text to Cell: 7026302323 at mobile.att.net

This email message is intended only for the use of the named recipient.
Information contained in this email message and its attachments may be
privileged, confidential and protected from disclosure. If you are not the
intended recipient, please do not read, copy, use or disclose this
communication to others. Also please notify the sender by replying to this
message and then delete it from your system.




More information about the radsafe mailing list