The following was received from the State of
Colorado via email:
CDPHE [Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment] received telephone notification on 10/11/13 at approximately 2:00 p.m. of a deceased patient who had been administered 150 mCi of I-131 approximately 10-14 hours prior to his death. A male patient, 35 years of age, was administered 150 mCi of I-131 at St. Mary's Hospital and Medical Center on Wednesday October 9, 2013. The RSO at St. Mary's was notified on Thursday that the patient had passed at some point in the night of the 9th. County EMTs as well as staff from the county coroner's office were called to the scene and examined the body prior to the confirmation of death and the transport of the body to the Montrose Memorial Hospital in Montrose, Colorado.
Section 7.22 of the Colorado Regulations require that the licensee shall notify the Department [Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment] by telephone immediately upon discovery that a patient or human research subject containing radioactive material has died, and it is possible that any individual could receive exposures in excess of 4.14 as a result of the deceased's body.
At this time, the licensee has consulted with and performed contamination surveys of all of the members of the public who have come into contact with the deceased and has situated the body in a secluded portion of the morgue with lead aprons to reduce any potential exposure. The preliminary estimates on dose indicate that the highest dose would have been to the driver of the vehicle which was used to move the body and that dose is estimated to be 30 mrem. The pathology staff at the hospital would like to perform an autopsy since the patient was 35 years of age and was not expected to pass based on medical history.
The Department [Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment] will keep communications open as details of the autopsy schedule are finalized and provide guidance on best practices and ALARA techniques for handling of the body.
The licensee will submit a written report with more detail within thirty days. No other details are available at this time.