Have you had a nuclear scan?

Sometimes in nuclear medicine imaging, patients can be unknowingly exposed to high doses of radiation.
 
About 15%* of the time technicians accidently inject a radioactive drug into a patient’s arm tissue, not their vein. This error is called an extravasation.

Many patients have no immediate signs, but some experience:

• Burning or tingling sensation*
• Swelling, pain, redness, or numbness*
• An unusual feeling at the injection site

One way to know for sure—ask your healthcare provider for an image of your injection site. A black spot there can be evidence of an error.

​If you find a black spot at your injection site, please share your story.

*Versant Medical Physics and Radiation Safety White Paper
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