Contamination: Diagnose/Manage (Text Version)
- Contact radiation safety officer
- Assess External Contamination
- Decontaminate Whole Body
- Evaluate if All Are True:
- Decontamination successful
(< 2 times background radiation)
- Absent or minimal physical injury
- If All Are True:
- Otherwise: Evaluate at Medical Facility
- Assess Internal Contamination
- Scan patient with radiation survey meter (caveat)
- Event responders or radiation safety officer will identify the isotope(s)
- Swab body orifices (e.g., nostrils, ears, mouth, rectum) to help estimate body burden of isotope
- Collect 24-hr stool for isotope measurement (baseline and sequential after management)
- Collect 24-hr urine for isotope measurement
- Label all specimens with time, date, and name
- Perform total body count if available; consider hospital nuclear medicine equipment
- Treat Internal Contamination of Specific Isotope
- If No Recovery:
- For Patient Making a Recovery: Arrange for Continuing and Long-Term Follow-up
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