Contamination and radiation exposure from 201Tl in patients undergoing dialysis after a nuclear medicine study

Our institution is a major kidney research and transplant center. Hemodialysis patients that are scheduled for renal transplant are given a 201Tl stress test. Possible radiation exposure and contamination are of concern to attending personnel. We investigated this situation and found measurable activity in the effluent of patients receiving dialysis but no significant contamination of equipment. We determined that dialysis personnel received minimal radiation exposure.