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RE: [cdn-nucl-l] Radiological/Nuclear Detection Portals



I posted your question on the Radsafe list and received this (first) answer :
 
 
From: SiegelB@mir.wustl.edu [mailto:SiegelB@mir.wustl.edu]
Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2005 4:26 PM
To: Jaro
Cc: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu; RADSAFE
Subject: Re: question concerning stress tests

There are several different variations in the techniques used for stress myocardial perfusion imaging. These include:

1. Entire test done with 2.5-3.5 mCi Tl-201

2. Test done with 2.5-3.5 mCi Tl-201 + 20-30 mCi Tc-99m sestamibi (Cardiolite) or Tc-99m tetrofosmin (Myoview)

3. Test done with 8-10 mCi of one of the Tc-99m agents followed by 25-40 mCi of same.

4. Test done with two doses, each 20-30 mCi, of one of the Tc-99m agents on two separate days.

Only 1 and 2 are likely to be tripping detectors at 4 days post test. 2, 3, and 4 could all potentially be referred to as a Cardiolite stress test.

Barry A. Siegel, MD
siegelb@mir.wustl.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: cdn-nucl-l-admin@mailman1.cis.McMaster.CA [mailto:cdn-nucl-l-admin@mailman1.cis.McMaster.CA]On Behalf Of Duane Pendergast
Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2005 12:53 PM
To: cdn-nucl-l@mailman1.cis.mcmaster.ca
Subject: [cdn-nucl-l] Radiological/Nuclear Detection Portals

An advertisement for the report marketed at this site appeared in my email this morning.

 

http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c11511

 

I won’t be buying many copies at that price.

 

It did remind me of an incident my wife reported following a bus trip to the US with a group of seniors about a year ago. The lead bus she was on went through the border inspection without delay.  The second one was pulled over and all the passengers were taken inside.

 

Apparently radiation had been detected from the bus. The passengers were then screened. Allegedly the border personnel advised one he had had been through a “Cardiolite” stress test. It had been done 4 or 5 days earlier. The passengers were very impressed with this apparently routine detective work.

 

My wife has had both Thallium and Cardiolite stress tests. She recalls the procedure being slightly different.  A check on the Internet indicates  Technetium-99m is the “nuclear agent” in Cardiolite. It has a half life of only 6 hours. Thallium 201 with a half life of about 3 days is used for thallium stress tests.

 

It seems to me there would be little Technetium-99m left to detect after 4 days. Maybe lay  people use the “Cardiolite” name loosely to describe both types of tests? However, I’m just a mechanical engineer. Perhaps a nuclear expert could judge the veracity of my wife’s travel story and comment on the ability of border patrols to detect nuclear materials?

 

Duane Pendergast