MDH Proposed Changes to Radioactive Material Rules

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) intends to adopt rules regarding the use and management of certain radioactive materials. Many of the proposed changes to existing rules modify training requirements. The proposed rules reflect changes the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) made to its regulations as well as MDH-initiated changes described below:

The following changes are required to be compatible with NRC and other agreement state regulations:

• Medical Use of Byproduct Material - Authorized User Clarification (published in the Federal Register, 74 FR 33901, the effective date confirmed in FR 74 43619). These regulations clarified the training requirements for an Authorized User.
• Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) training requirements.
• Authorized medical physicist training requirements.
• Training requirements: experienced radiation safety officer (RSO), teletherapy or medical physicist, authorized user, and nuclear pharmacist.
• Uptake, dilution, and excretion studies; training requirements.
• Imaging and localization studies; training requirements.
• Unsealed radioactive materials; written directive required; training requirements.
• Oral administration of Sodium Iodide I-131; written directive required.
• Parenteral administration of unsealed radioactive material; written directive required.
• Manual Brachytherapy training requirements.
• Opthlalmic use of Strontium-90; training requirements.
• Remote afterloader units, teletherapy units, and gamma stereotactic radiosurgery units; training requirements.


The following sections of State rules are also proposed to be amended by MDH and are not specifically required by NRC :
• Exceptions to posting requirements.
• Leak test requirements.
• Survey records.
• Determination of Prior Occupational Dose.
• Individual monitoring reports.
• Notifications of accidents.
• Control of aerosols and gases.
• Medical event; report and notification.
• Dose to an embryo-fetus or child; report and notification.
• Definitions added;
• Minimum standards for nuclear medicine technologists.
• Documentation of competency.
• Requirements for operators of fusion imaging devices.

Interested parties can submit written comment in support of or in opposition to the proposed rules and any part or subpart of the rules until October 13, 2010.

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