Sentinel Lymph Nodes/Lead Apron?

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goldfishchronicles

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Hello,
Would you wear a lead apron when working with mastectomies with radiotracer? I know the dose is low but just wanted to get thoughts.

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No: A lead apron won't do anything because your thyroid, genitals, and other internal organs aren't being exposed to these radiocolloid dyes containing trace amounts of radiation, it's your hands. But this question would be better directed to the radiology or surgery forums as they are the practioners who administer the radiodyes and come into more direct/initial contact with it.

Each institution must establish safeguards for the use of radioactive materials. Each state’s radiation safety requirements must be satisfied. Preparation and injection of the radiopharmaceutical should take place under the auspices of approved nuclear medicine facilities. Routine badging of personnel handling the radioisotope and random radiation monitoring of the areas that may be exposed to radioactive contamination should be performed. Appropriate disposal of supplies and gloves that may be contaminated by radioactive isotopes is mandatory. Personal dosimetry is not required for members of the surgical team. In the operating room, additional shielding, monitoring devices or sufficient trash disposal protocols are not required.
 
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Radiotracer dyes are gamma emitters and them just go thru the human body. Enough shielding will stop them. Depends on their energy and distance. Because it is a form of “light” the field density decreases as the square of distance from the source increases.
I stopped caring about the germ cells in my junk after 2 kids and a vasectomy.
 
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Correct. Your hands are not very sensitive to radiation. There is no real risk.
The hospital usually will give you radiation badges to wear as part of radiation safety protocol.
I never had one come back over limit.

Tip Technetium-99 is the typical radio tracer. We fix our breast overnight for good cutting anyway.
It has 6 hour half life. 18-24 hour latter it is no longer "hot"
 
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