Patent Number: 042008042
Section: abstract

The invention is a system for transporting, storing, and injecting of radioactive isotopes, the system including a unit dose of radioactive isotope-containing fluid loaded in a disposable shielded syringe. There is provided a syringe body including a barrel and a plunger slideable in the barrel and extending from the rear of the barrel for manual actuation. A body of radiation-shielding material substantially covers the barrel, the body having a slot therein. A radiation-shielding unit is removably mounted over the slot. An aliquot of radioisotope-containing fluid is contained within the barrel. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, an optically-transparent radiation-shielding member is adapted for removable insertion over the slot. Before use of the syringe, the radiation-shielding unit, which provides protective shielding over the slot during shipping and storage, is removed and replaced by the optically transparent radiation-shielding member through which the user can view the syringe contents. In this embodiment the radiation-shielding unit comprises a shielding cover proportioned to cover the slot and a front flange extending downwardly from the front of the cover for providing shielding forwardly of the syringe body. The preferred embodiment further includes manually disengageable means for preventing a forward stroke of the plunger, preferably a clip engageable with the plunger.