U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Technical Assistance Request, Angell Memorial Animal Hospital, Boston, MA; Release to Unrestricted Area of Animals Containing Iodine-131

HPPOS-286 PDR-9306180040

Title: Technical Assistance Request, Angell Memorial

Animal Hospital, Boston, MA; Release to Unrestricted Area

of Animals Containing Iodine-131

See memorandum from J. E. Glenn to R. E. Bellamy dated

March 11, 1993. This memo responds to a technical request

from Region I, dated November 25, 1992, regarding Angell

Memorial Hospital's request to release animals treated with

iodine-131 (I-131) when the dose rate is less than 1 mR/hr

at 6 inches.

The licensee was previously authorized to perform

radionuclide therapy on animals with iodine-131 (I-131) and

phosphorus-32 (P-32). In a previous application for a

material license, the licensee provided an "Instruction to

Owners" sheet, which appears to have provided adequate care

and handling instructions to the owners. Authorization was

granted, with the reasoning that human patients are allowed

to be released at a level twenty times greater than the

limit requested. If the animal had to be held until it

reached background levels, the procedure would become

prohibitively expensive, and the stress on the animal would

also be increased. The dose that the owner would receive

should be minimal if they are given instruction and the

animal is handled as little as possible.

Therefore, provided that the licensee provides and commits

to distribute a similar "Instructions to Owners" sheet to

owners of animals undergoing radioiodine therapy, and

provides a demonstration that the limits in 10 CFR 20.1301

will not be exceeded for any member of the public,

licensee's request was approved.

Regulatory References: 10 CFR 20.1301, 10 CFR 35, License

Conditions

Subject codes: 3.6, 11.2, 11.5

Applicability: Byproduct Material