[Histonet] Re: Histonet Digest, Vol 91, Issue 19

[Robert Richmond]

Karen J Kay, MLT, Supervisor - Histopathology and Cytology Laboratory,
Chinook Regional Hospital, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada asks:

>>Does anyone have any information on the safety aspects of handling prostate tissue that has had radioactive seeds implanted once it is submitted for pathological examination? I am asking about all phases of the examination from gross room, embedding, microtomy, staining. I have done a search on the subject via the Archives and have only seen one reference to this issue which was a similar question posed by Peggy Wenk in 2009.<<

I posted about this a couple of years ago - found my post in
Histosearch using the search term "iridium".

http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/htdig/histonet/2008-October/039840.html

This post will give you the half-lives of the three radioisotopes
commonly used. It's conventional to assume that radioactive material
is hazardous until ten half-lives have gone by - about two years for
the most commonly used isotopes.

This is a question to pose to your hospital's radiation safety
officer, if you can find him. Back in the days when procedure manuals
functioned, I'd have wanted a written procedure for dealing with this
situation. Yes, the "seeds" are potentially hazardous.

I've posted a photograph I took of some of these "seeds" a few years ago at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobrichmond/5833004125/in/photostream

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN