GE Healthcare, also known as Medi Physics, reported that a package of radioactive material had not been received as expected by Northwest
Arkansas Medical Center in Springdale,
Arkansas. The package, which contains 105
brachytherapy seeds, was to be delivered on Monday March 21, 2005. The seeds contain approximately 0.63 milliCi of activity each, with a total package activity of 66 milliCi. The maximum radiation level on the surface of the package is less than 0.5 milliR/hr.
The material was sent via FedEx on Friday March 18 and received at the FedEx facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma on March 19. No further information has been logged since. Medi Physics' customer service group has begun their investigation.
The Arkansas Division of Radiation Control has been advised of the situation.
IL report number: IL050022
- UPDATE FROM STATE OF IL (G. VINSON) TO (J. KNOKE) AT 15:14 EST ON 3/25/05 ***
The State of IL, Division of Nuclear Safety, called to indicate the missing package containing 105 brachytherapy seeds was located in the Fed Express facility in Arkansas. The package, which was estimated to be found about 11:30 EST on 3/25/05, was intact and in its original condition. The licensee believes the missing package was in the possession of Fed Ex at all times, with no third party intervention. The brachytherapy seeds are being returned to G.E. Healthcare to determine that all seeds are accounted for and to further investigate how the package was lost within the Fed Ex system.
Notifications were given to R3 (Kozak),
NMSS (Moore), and TAS (Sandler).