The following is a summary of an email received from the
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services:
The Breast Center of Greensboro reported one lost brachytherapy seed (Iodine-125 in a preloaded 7 cm syringe, initial activity 255 microcuries, final activity 176 microcuries, order number 202385558, lot number 85558, satisfactory leak test on April 4, 2023) to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services on May 12, 2023. The lost source was identified during an inventory performed on May 9, 2023. An extensive search was performed but the seed was not located. The seed was most likely thrown away in a sharps container and is not believed to be stolen. Each medical procedure performed with this specific seed lot was audited with no abnormalities noted. Corrective actions include identifying each seed with a unique tracking number, updating use procedures, designating waste containers for seed use only, daily seed tracking when seeds are used, and retraining for all seed technicians.
North Carolina Event Number: NC230009
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A 'Less than Cat 3' LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than
IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as
moisture density gauges or thickness
gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf