Re: Beta Emitters and Dose Calibrators

[carol marcus <csmarcus@ucla.edu>]

At 12:18 PM 10/7/99 -0500, you wrote:
>Protocols for this are established, by the vendors, for the IND's. So, I
>recommend that you ask them to send you copies. Briefly, though, it's
>highly empirical. I.e., they send you a standard, and you "dial in" the
>setting on your dose calibrator at which the assayed quantity equals the
>reported value of the standard. Caveat emptor: geometric effects (e.g.,
>syringe vs. vial, one brand of syringe vs. another, etc.) can be significant.
>
>Paging Carol Marcus, Dr Marcus
>
>Cheerio
>cja
>alstonc@odrge.odr.georgetown.edu
>
>************************************************************************
>The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
>information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html
>

Dear Radsafers:

Yes, the error in the measurement can be significant, but that is a physics
issue.  From the point of view of the accuracy that is needed in medicine,
the error is of no significance.  So, why should we worry about it?  Because
the NRC has concocted something silly and ignorant that says we should?  Bad
reason.

Now, think about how many diagnostic radiologists practice nuclear medicine
therapy and know zero about dose calibrators, let alone supervising
technologists to minimize the significant errors in pure beta assay.
Obviously, NRC doesn't care about such incompetence, because NRC sells
licenses to these guys anyway.  And, so do the Agreement States.  Probably
the problem is that not only does NRC know nothing about Nuclear Medicine,
but it doesn't understand the use of dose calibrators, either.  You should
have seen some of the dangerous nonsense in past NRC draft regulationse that
the regulated community managed to kill!  NRC doesn't even understand that
we practiced perfectly good Nuclear Medicine for THIRTY-FIVE YEARS BEFORE
"DOSE CALIBRATORS" WERE INVENTED, and could easily do so again.  And do,
from time to time, when the dose calibrator breaks or there is a power
failure with dose calibrators not on emergency backup.

Ciao, Carol

<csmarcus@ucla.edu>


************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html