Radiopharmaceutical Extravasations: Hazards, Mitigation, and Prevention 2023

Learning Objectives: Mechanisms of how a radiopharmaceutical extravasation affects the quality and quantification of nuclear medicine imaging studies. Potential effects of a radiopharmaceutical extravasation on the interpretation of nuclear medicine studies or therapy and ensuing patient care. Primary factors (amount of and types of radiation emissions, biological clearance, and affected tissue volumes) that contribute to the absorbed dose in patient…

1. Mechanisms of how a radiopharmaceutical extravasation affects the quality and quantification of nuclear medicine imaging studies.
2. Potential effects of a radiopharmaceutical extravasation on the interpretation of nuclear medicine studies or therapy and ensuing patient care.
3. Primary factors (amount of and types of radiation emissions, biological clearance, and affected tissue volumes) that contribute to the absorbed dose in patient tissue and the process to characterize the absorbed dose from a radiopharmaceutical extravasation.
4. Effects of ionizing radiation on normal tissue and when symptoms appear.
5. Mitigation steps to reduce absorbed dose to tissue from a radiopharmaceutical extravasation.
6. Prevention techniques to minimize the frequency of radiopharmaceutical extravasations.