Bacterial survival in radiopharmaceutical solutions: a critical impact on current practices.

Background: The aim of this brief communication is to highlight the potential bacteriological risk linked to the processes control of radiopharmaceutical preparations made in a radiopharmacy laboratory. Survival rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC: 27853) or Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC: 25923) or Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC: 1228) in multidose technetium-99 m solution was studied.

Results: Depending on the nature and level of contamination by pathogenic bacteria, the lethal effect of radioactivity is not systematically observed.