Radiation Protection Guidelines
Radiation Protection Guidelines
Given the widespread use of radiation in nuclear medicine and radiation oncology procedures in the United States and around the world, it is likely that crematory operators have cared for the bodies of individuals who have undergone treatments involving the use of radiation.Importantly, one of the tenets of the National Funeral Directors Association’s Certified Crematory Operator Program™ is to ensure that crematory operators have the necessary information about the decedent to conduct cremation safely. NFDA guidance on authorizations includes the need to obtain representation that there are no radioactive or other implants, pacemakers or mechanical devices in the remains as they may create a hazardous condition when placed in the cremation chamber and subjected to heat.
Resources
Current Guidelines from the Medical Community
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Research Letter
Understandably, the recent publication of a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Research Letter titled “Radiation Contamination Following Cremation of a Deceased Patient Treated with a Radiopharmaceutical” has raised concerns among NFDA members and others in the profession about potential exposure and risk. To that point, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and American College of Radiology (ACR) published the following statement:
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