title: Delivery and collection of radioactive packages to and from UK hospital nuclear medicine departments.
abstract: Under radiation protection legislation in the UK, employers have a duty to maintain appropriate records to account for radioactive materials in their possession and to ensure security of these materials. This applies to radioactive packages, containing items such as technetium generators, which are regularly delivered to hospital nuclear medicine departments. It also applies to the collection of packages, such as those containing used generators for return to the supplier. This article has been written by the professional bodies representing nuclear medicine in the UK in order to provide guidance to hospitals on appropriate procedures that will comply with the legislation. General principles, which should be met by any acceptable protocol, are stated, and practical guidance on how these may be implemented is given. Some example scenarios are outlined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK. Richard.Lawson@man.ac.uk
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: Glyn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Stuart R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hesslewood
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hinton
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maxwell
mesh_terms: D007753:Laboratories / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000639:trends; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D012637:Security Measures / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D023481:Terrorism / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000639:trends; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes