V. C. Summer's answer is similar to Diablo Canyon's answer - we rarely have problems with radiopharmaceuticals since everyone in the plant population have been sensitized to the importance of telling Dosimetry that they are going to have some sort of test and then generally turning in their TLD before going for the procedure. We are lucky that we have not had any I-131 thyroid ablations in recent memory (at least the past 10 years) or any other known therapy with radionuclides with one exception. We had a contractor with I-125 seeds to treat his prostate. He told the HP Tech that did his entry whole body count that he had an implant. She was unfamiliar with I-125 and saw nothing on the WBC, so she cleared him to get a TLD and come into the RCA and work. He just could not get out again when he went in to set up the job for the outage. Luckily the contract vendor was able to get a replacement contractor to do his job, so we did not have to deal with him not being able to pass the portal monitors or friskers the entire outage. We documented the incident in an OE # (to warn power plants and other nuclear facilities about the possibility of encountering I-125 or Pd-103 seeds used in prostate therapy treatments for nuclear workers). Other than that the worse case we have encountered was the blossoming of stress tests by every doctor for all of their patients over 50 and a shortage of Tc99m for the procedures, forcing the doctors to use Tl-201 for the stress tests. The doctors were saying, what is the problem it only has a 3-day half life, the Tl-201 will be decayed away in less than 2 weeks. But they forget about the impurity in the production of the Tl isotope that makes 12.2-day Tl-202 along with the Tl-201. We have seen the Tl-202 set off portal monitors for 2-3 months. It was a pain for some people. We were happy when the supply of Tc-99m was restored to normal levels. We shudder to contemplate a scenario where we have to address an I-131 ablation or a radiopharmaceutical therapy situation for an HP Tech, Mechanic, Operator or someone else required to be in the RCA all the time and how we will handle it. It will obviously be on a case-by-case basis and may involve a reassignment of duties, at least for a while. It will be a challenge.
Greg Greg Gowdy, PhD, CHP Sr. Staff Health Physicist V. C. Summer Nuclear Station Jenkinsville, SC 29065 (803)-345-4426 (work) (803)-873-1561 (cell) [clip_image002] From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sewell, Linda Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 3:18 PM To: '[email protected]' Subject: Powernet: RE: Instructions to workers following Radiopharmaceutical uptake for diagnostic tests or therapy. Hi, We don't have any formal guidance other than the procedural guidance on reporting to RP. We have not seen any problems with the "run of mill" tests involving Tc-99m, F-18, I-123 and even Tl-201. Thyroid ablation using I-131 is the problem procedure. We see very few of these and we handle them on a case by case basis. We evaluate what the person does, where they work, etc. and develop a plan that everyone agrees to. Our last one was 6 years ago. Linda Linda M. Sewell, CHP Principal Health Physicist Pacific Gas & Electric Company Diablo Canyon Power Plant MS 119/1/117 PO Box 56 Avila Beach, CA 93424 P: 805.545.4315 | F: 805.545.2618| [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> _____________________________________________ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 8:09 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Powernet: Instructions to workers following Radiopharmaceutical uptake for diagnostic tests or therapy. Palo Verde would like to know does your site have any formal guidance that it gives personnel following Radiopharmaceutical uptake for diagnostic tests or therapy? Do you have any guidance for them working around others outside of RCAs? Working around others outside of RCA's while others may be in possession of their TLDs? Break areas? Contamination control? The location of Radiation Monitors outside of the RCA, so they can avoid them? Could you share your guidance with us? Jeffrey D.Norwood Sr. RP Technical Advisor PVNGS RP Technology << OLE Object: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) >> <http://insideaps/Ambassador/corpid/Pages/default.asp> Arizona Public Service Company 5801 S. Wintersburg Rd., M.S. 6107 Tonopah, AZ, 85354-7529 Tel: 623-393-2635 Fax: 623-393-2624 Pager: 1-877-443-8336 mailto:[email protected]
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