Abstract

To treat certain diseases (such as prostate cancer), patients may be administered radioactive substances, for example through an infusion or as a pill. Due to the treatment, these patients can temporarily become a source of radiation, thereby exposing people in their immediate vicinity to radiation. This can also be the case if a patient dies shortly after treatment and is then buried or cremated.

If it is known that the patient is a source of radiation, measures can be taken to limit the exposure. These measures could, for example, relate to the distance to the patient. If this is not known, and therefore no measures have been taken, relatives and funeral centre staff could be exposed to extra radiation. If the deceased is cremated, crematorium staff and local residents could be exposed to the radiation that is released during the cremation.

The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has therefore investigated the possible level of exposure in the event of a patient dying shortly after being treated with radioactive substances, without people being made aware of this therapy and without any measures. This research shows that the exposure is highest if a patient dies shortly after treatment of neuroblastoma or thyroid cancer with iodine-131.

Those with the highest level of (whole-body) exposure are family members and funeral centre staff who are involved in taking care of the deceased. The calculated exposure is in these cases lower than the dose criteria. As the time between administration and death becomes longer, the exposure will be (much) lower in all cases. If the deceased is cremated, the additional exposure of people living in the vicinity of the crematorium is less than the amount of naturally-occurring radiation we all receive during two days.

It is improbable that people who are occupationally involved in funerals will face the situations studied in this report more than once or twice a year.