RE: Handling radioactive material

From:"O'Brien, Sue"

We only receive sentinel node cases form the OR, so we have a specific
policy (approved by the hospital radiation safety officer after testing to
determine actual exposure levels) that is within the section and available
as a hospital wide policy. (We are computerized, so both our Histology and
Hospital policies are available through the computer as well as in a manual.
The Histology policy is only viewable within the lab). If we were to ever
start seeing tissue from other cases involving radioactivity (e.g. prostate
seed cases - which are done in this hospital, but tissue is not submitted to
our section), then we would do the same thing: evaluate exposure level to
determine (in conjunction with diagnostic imaging and the hospital safety
officer) the actual exposure involved and then determine a section as well
as hospital policy to be followed for such cases. Therefore, I think your
best way of proceeding is to take a multi-disciplinary approach (involve
your Diagnostic Imaging Department, OR, Radiation Safety officer) prior to
writing any policy/procedures; and to do so for each test that you do that
involves radiation. (There have been a lot of helpful previous posting on
this site and the net concerning sentinel node cases - so that is also
another resource you may wish to consider). Hope this helps,
Sue O'Brien, Histology Supervisor
Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital
Cape May Court House, NJ  08210

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Heather Wilkinson [SMTP:heather.wilkinson@childrenshc.org]
> Sent:	Thursday, August 22, 2002 3:29 PM
> To:	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject:	Handling radioactive material
> 
> Does anyone have a specific policy geared towards histo for the safe
> handling of tissues that may contain radioactive material?  This is a
> new CAP regulation (ANP.11275) that you have to have a policy.  If
>

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