Allen A. Smith, Ph.D.
School of Graduate Medical Sciences
   Podiatric Medicine and Surgery
Barry University
Miami Shores, Florida
----- Original Message -----
From: Dr. Allen A. Smith <asmith@mail.barry.edu>
To: Joe Nocito <jnocito@email.com>
Cc: <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2001 2:06 PM
Subject: Re: Radioactive Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Handling


>     Tc is technetium.  The isotope used in medicine is technetium-99m,
which
> has a half-life of 6 hours.  If the technetium-99m had been the patient as
> little as 2 days, only 1/4 of 1% of the original radioactivity would be
> left.  If the technetium-99m  had been in the patient for a week, less
than
> one millionth of 1% of the original radioactivity would remain.
>     Technetium-99m decays to technetium 99, which slowly decays (200,000
> year half-life) by emitting low-energy beta radiation.  Little, if any, of
> it would get beyond the deeper layers of your skin.  It's unlikely to do
> your skin much harm in the few hours that you'd be exposed to it while
> grossing, embedding, and sectioning.  The usual precautions against
getting
> it into your digestive or respiratory tract (where it would remain for
much
> longer) are essential.  If you spend a lot of time near (less than 15 feet
> from) the cabinet where the slides are stored, make sure the cabinet is
> metal (or very thick plastic).  1/32 inch of steel (or 1/4 inch of
plastic)
> should be sufficient to stop low energy beta rays.
>
> Allen A. Smith, Ph.D.
> School of Graduate Medical Sciences
>    Podiatric Medicine and Surgery
> Barry University
> Miami Shores, Florida
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Joe Nocito <jnocito@email.com>
> To: <DCarlton@samhealth.org>; HistoNet <HistoNet@pathology.swmed.edu>
> Sent: Friday, August 03, 2001 7:18 PM
> Subject: Re: Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Specimen Handling
>
>
> > Donna,
> > what type of isotope is being used?  At my last place of employment, we
> were told by radiation saftey that we could gross the specimen as soon as
we
> eceived it.  I don't remember the name of the isotope, but the
abbreviation
> was Tc.
> >
> >
> > Joe Nocito, BS, HT (ASCP) QIHC
> > Histology Manager
> > Pathology Reference Laboratory
> > San Antonio, Texas
> > jnocito@email.com
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Donna Carlton <DCarlton@samhealth.org>
> > Date: Fri, 03 Aug 2001 10:23:32 -0700
> > To: "'HistoNet'" <HistoNet@pathology.swmed.edu>
> > Subject: Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Specimen Handling
> >
> >
> > Re: This is my first time to present a question on Histonet.  I am in a
> clinical
> > Re: setting.
> > Re:
> > Re: I am interested in information regarding radioactivity used in the
> lymph
> > Re: node procedure for breast tissue.  I have been assured by radiology
> that the
> > Re: hazard after 24 hours is minimal.
> > Re:
> > Re: Does anyone have a procedure/protocol that they are willing to share
> on
> > Re: this?
> > Re:
> > Re:
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> >
> > Joe Nocito, BS, HT (ASCP) QIHC
> > Histology Manager
> > Pathology Reference Laboratory
> > San Antonio, Texas
> > jnocito@email.com
> >
> >
> > _______