STUK investigates safety deviations in nuclear medicine

In nuclear medicine, as in any activity, something unpredictable may take place. Incidents may be caused by a device failure or a human factor, for example. The reason may also be deficiencies in the guidelines or organization as well as combinations of all of the above.

“We are conducting a thematic investigation here. In other words, we are investigating information from several similar incidents. In this thematic investigation, each incident is investigated separately, but the results are also addressed as a single entity,” says Senior Inspector Hanna Kuivalainen, the head of the investigation.

Hanna Kuivalainen emphasizes that this investigation surveys precisely opportunities for development. “By investigating the root causes of these incidents, we can also make new recommendations that can further improve safety in the industry,” she says.

Investigations are conducted by examining deviations. The material is also obtained by interviewing the health care professionals involved.

Every year, more than 43,000 nuclear medicine examinations are performed in Finland, that is, examinations involving radioactive substances that are introduced into the body. Nearly 3,000 radionuclide therapies are performed each year by using radiopharmaceuticals. Nuclear medicine procedures are carried out by 26 health care units in Finland.

STUK receives fewer than ten deviation reports per year concerning nuclear medicine procedures. There are no known incidents in which the radiation safety of patients would have been compromised as a result of the deviation. In addition, the medical staff or bystanders have not been endangered.