Transportation issues in nuclear medicine and the release of radioactivity into the environment

Large volumes of radioactive materials are shipped daily over the nation's highways, by air, and by other transportation modes for a variety of purposes. These shipments include those intended for nuclear medicine applications. Shipments are governed by the Federal Department of Transportation, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and, for international shipments, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Knowledge of the regulations of these agencies is essential for maintenance of a viable radiation safety program. The use of radioactive materials is invariably accompanied by the potential for release of radioactivity into the environment. This potential is addressed in the recommendations and regulations of several voluntary and governmental agencies. Recently, new concepts have been introduced into these recommendations and regulations that use the concepts of "annual limit of intake," "committed effective dose equivalent," and "derived air concentrations." These concepts improve the applicability of present standards for the release of radioactive materials into the environment and for the protection of individuals from these materials.