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NRC NEWS
U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION I
475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406 | | CONTACT: |
Diane Screnci (610)337-5330/ e-mail: dps@nrc.gov
Neil A. Sheehan (610)337-5331/e-mail: nas@nrc.gov |
or vld@nrc.gov
I-96-22 March 27, 1996
Contact: Diane Screnci FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NRC STAFF SENDS INSPECTORS TO WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA,
TO LOOK INTO INTERNAL CONTAMINATION EVENT
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has sent a
special inspection team to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to
look into the circumstances of the radioactive contamination
of a woman medical technology student.
Preliminary estimates indicate that the amount of
radioactive material ingested technetium-99m, a
radioisotope widely used for diagnostic testing was about
the same a patient would receive while undergoing a medical
test. Accordingly, no health consequences are expected.
NRC's Region I office in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania,
was informed of the incident Tuesday afternoon. The student
involved is enrolled in medical technology training at
Wyoming Valley Health Center in Wilkes-Barre (also known as
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital). When the incident occurred,
she was working at Mallinckrodt Medical Inc., a nuclear
pharmacy in Wilkes-Barre, where she began a two-week
assignment Monday.
The internal contamination was discovered earlier
Tuesday
after the student set off a radiation monitor at the nuclear
pharmacy, while attempting to leave the area where
radioactive materials are handled. She had assisted in the
handling of radioactive technetium-99m in the morning.
Initial testing at the pharmacy and a nuclear medicine
scan performed at the hospital indicate the student had an
uptake of technetium-99m into the body. Testing is
continuing to determine the dose. Investigation is
continuing to determine how the student received the internal
contamination.
The NRC staff has sent three inspectors and a supervisor
to the hospital and nuclear pharmacy to perform follow-up
inspections at both facilities.
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