Table 8
Therapeutic procedures and administered activities requiring radiation protection measures for transport and embalming of deceased patients. Waiting periods under 1 day are shown in hours (rounded up) and those over 1 day in days (rounded up).
| Therapeutic procedure | Administered activity | How to proceed: body transport | How to proceed: embalming |
|---|---|---|---|
| indium-111-pentetreotide: tumors overexpressing somatostatin receptors | 6.7 GBq | Wait for 8 days after death** | Wait for 11 days after death** |
| Exception: These post-mortem procedures can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 3 days after the administration*** |
|||
| iodine-131 ionic: benign thyroid diseases between 700 and 800 MBq | 800 MBq | No special radiation protection measures* (Transport can be carried out immediately) |
Wait for 24 hours after death** |
| Exception: Embalming can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 12 hours after the administration*** |
|||
| iodine-131 ionic: thyroid cancer | 1.5 GBq | No special radiation protection measures* (Transport can be carried out immediately) |
Wait for 8 days after death** |
| Exception: Embalming can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 22 hours after the administration*** |
|||
| 3.7 GBq | Wait for 11 days after death** | Wait for 19 days after death** | |
| Exception: These post-mortem procedures can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 3 days after the administration*** |
|||
| 5.6 GBq | Wait for 16 days after death** | Wait for 24 days after death** | |
| Exception: These post-mortem procedures can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 3 days after the administration*** |
|||
| iodine-131-MIBG: adrenals cancers | 5.6 GBq | Wait for 16 days after death** | Wait for 24 days after death** |
| Exception: These post-mortem procedures can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 6 days after the administration*** |
|||
| 7.4 GBq | Wait for 19 days after death** | Wait for 27 days after death** | |
| Exception: These post-mortem procedures can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 7 days after the administration*** |
|||
| iodine-131-lipiocis®: liver cancers (radioembolization) | 2.2 GBq | Wait for 5 days after death** | Wait for 13 days after death** |
|
Exception:
These post-mortem procedures can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 9 days after the administration*** |
|||
| samarium-153: Bone metastasis (palliative) | 4 GBq | No special radiation protection measures* (Transport can be carried out immediately) |
Wait for 2 days after death** |
| Exception:
Embalming can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 2 days after the administration*** |
|||
| holmium-166: radioembolization of liver cancers with microspheres | 12 GBq | Wait for 24 hours days after death** | Wait for 2 days after death** |
|
Exception:
These post-mortem procedures can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 2 days after the administration*** |
|||
| lutetium-177: gastro entero pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors | 7.4 GBq | No special radiation protection measures* (Transport can be carried out immediately) |
Wait for 5 days after death** |
| Exception:
Embalming can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 17 hours after the administration*** |
|||
| lutetium-177: Metastatic prostate cancers | 7.4 GBq | No special radiation protection measures* (Transport can be carried out immediately) |
Wait 4 days after death** |
| Exception: Embalming can be performed immediately if the death occurs more than 24 hours after the administration*** |
|||
Note: For cases with a non-zero waiting period, if a dose rate measurement at 0.5 m from the deceased patient is below 150 μSv/h, the post-mortem procedures can be carried out immediately without special radiation protection measures (i.e., waiting time reduced to zero).
*In this study, the external and internal contamination were not considered as funeral professionals routinely wear personal protective equipment (e.g., gloves) when handling of the body, regardless of its radioactive status.
** This waiting period was calculated assuming death occurs immediately after radiopharmaceutical administration; therefore, only physical decay applies. If death occurs after the time interval mentioned in the exception below, the post-mortem procedure can be performed immediately.
*** This time interval between administration and death was calculated taking both biological elimination and physical decay into account.
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