Re: A question of ethics

[stabin@esper.com (Mike Stabin)]

To: Denis Rinkacs

I'm not sure, but the pharmaceutical you were probably given was Tc-99m MDP.
Here's the best current dosimetry, FYI:

Radiation Dose Estimates for the Adult for Tc-99m MDP

                                    Estimated Radiation Dose
                                        mGy                rad  
ORGAN                         MBq                mCi  

Adrenals                          2.5E-03            9.1E-03  
Brain                                1.9E-03            7.0E-03  
Breasts                             9.5E-04            3.5E-03  
Gallbladder Wall              1.9E-03            6.8E-03  
LLI Wall                          3.4E-03            1.3E-02  
Small Intestine                 2.4E-03            8.9E-03  
Stomach                           1.6E-03            5.8E-03  
ULI Wall                          2.1E-03            7.9E-03  
Heart Wall                        1.6E-03            6.0E-03  
Kidneys                           8.6E-03            3.2E-02  
Liver                                1.6E-03            6.0E-03  
Lungs                               1.6E-03            5.8E-03  
Muscle                             1.9E-03            7.2E-03  
Ovaries                             3.3E-03            1.2E-02  
Pancreas                           2.1E-03            7.6E-03  
Red Marrow                    5.4E-03            2.0E-02  
Bone Surfaces                  3.5E-02            1.3E-01  
Skin                                  1.2E-03            4.3E-03  
Spleen                              1.8E-03            6.7E-03  
Testes                              2.3E-03            8.4E-03  
Thymus                           1.4E-03            5.1E-03  
Thyroid                           1.7E-03            6.1E-03  
Urinary Bladder Wall      3.3E-02            1.2E-01  
Uterus                              5.1E-03            1.9E-02  

Effective Dose Equivalent            6.1E-03 mSv/MBq    2.2E-02 rem/mCi

Based on model in MIRD Dose Estimate Report No. 13 (data gathered in
human subjects), J Nucl Med 30:1117-1122, 1989.

Sometimes the dosimetry in package inserts is reliable, but often times it
is not.  We have often offered to review manufacturers' dosimetry
information in their package inserts on a regular basis, for no charge, but
have had only one taker so far (Mallinckrodt), and that just recently.  We
often get calls at our center asking us to resolve widely disparate dose
estimates from different package inserts, and sometimes none of the numbers
are right!

Mike Stabin
Radiation Internal Dose
  Information Center
Oak Ridge, TN