Advice after your nerve block for surgery
On this page…
Why have I been given this information leaflet? [For patient to read]
We provide these leaflets to all patients undergoing a nuclear medicine study. If you intend on bringing a friend or relative (i.e. not someone doing it for their profession) then, for radiation protection reasons, we advise that they remain in the waiting areas during your appointment. However, if you feel that you require an individual to accompany you for your appointment and provide extra support, then this leaflet should be provided for them to read prior to your appointment.
Extra support in this instance includes:
- Requiring someone to be present in the room to support you whilst receiving your injection for your nuclear medicine study.
- Requiring someone to be present in the scanner room during your nuclear medicine study
- Requiring assistance when using the toilets located in nuclear medicine.
If accompanying individuals do not need to do the above, they do not need to read this leaflet as the risk to them is minimal.
Why have I been given this information leaflet? [For Carer and Comforter to read]
The patient who you are accompanying is having a diagnostic nuclear medicine study. They will be given a small amount of ionising radiation and will become radioactive. You have been given this information leaflet as we have identified that you will be providing care and/or comfort to the patient during the study. Therefore, by law, we must treat you as a ‘Carer and Comforter’. We must inform you of the risks of this exposure to radiation so that you can consent to being a Carer and Comforter. We hope that, after reading this leaflet, you have enough information to be able to consent to being a Carer and Comforter.
What is a Carer and Comforter?
A Carer and Comforter is someone who is knowingly and willingly exposed to ionising radiation in order to care for or support a patient undergoing a radiation exposure. Carers and Comforters are usually relatives or friends of the patient.
Can anyone be a Carer and Comforter?
Where possible, we ask that Carers and Comforters are over 18 years old and not pregnant.
Other than this, anyone can be a Carer and Comforter. They must simply be able to
understand the risks and the precautions that we ask them to take. They must also be able to consent to be a Carer and Comforter.
What are the hazards?
There are two hazards you should be aware of:
- How much close contact you have with the patient. They are given a small amount of radioactivity so that we can carry out the study. After this, they will stay radioactive for a while. This will usually be for one or two days. The exact length of time will depend on the study they have. The more close contact you have, and the sooner the contact is after the radiation is given, the higher the radiation dose you will receive.
- Some of the radioactivity will be cleared from their body in their bodily fluids. For most studies, this will mainly be in their urine, but it may also be in their sweat, saliva, vomit, blood and stools. Therefore, there is the risk of the radiation spreading onto you, and/or inside of you, if you come into contact with these bodily fluids.
What are the risks?
The small radiation dose you will be exposed to may lead to a very small increase in the chance of developing cancer in your lifetime. The risks are even lower for people who are older at the time of exposure. This is because it will take many years or even decades for a cancer to develop after the radiation exposure. To put this into context, we all have a 1 in 2 lifetime risk of getting cancer (according to Cancer Research UK, 2019).
How much radiation dose will I receive?
The radiation dose you could expect to receive will depend upon the amount and type of radioactivity the patient is given. Another big factor will be how much care and support you need to give to the patient in the days after the study. The more time you spend in close contact with the patient, the higher the dose you would expect to receive.
Every day we all receive a radiation dose from natural sources of radiation, known as
“background radiation”. Background radiation comes from the sun, the food we eat, and the building materials and natural surroundings around us. The dose varies in different parts of the United Kingdom. On average, it leads to a radiation dose of about 2.7 mSv (millisievert) per year. Background radiation in London is also about 2 mSv per year. In Cornwall, the background radiation dose is about 7 mSv. Typically, we would not expect a Carer and Comforter to receive more than 0.3 mSv of radiation dose to their body. This is equivalent to less than 2 months of background radiation or the radiation dose received from making 4 transatlantic flights. In many cases, it will be much less than this.
Please visit the Public Health England website for further examples of expected doses you would receive from different sources of ionising radiation:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/ionising-radiation-dose-comparisons/ionisingradiation-dose-comparisons
How can I reduce the radiation dose to myself?
There are three main ways that you can use to reduce your radiation dose. These are:
- Time – the less time you spend close to the patient, the less radiation dose you will receive. Also spending time with the patient closer to when the radiation was given will result in a higher radiation dose.
- Distance – the larger the distance between you and the patient, the less radiation dose you will receive.
- Protective clothing – if needed, we will provide you with gloves to wear when dealing with any of the patient’s bodily fluids, like urine.
What happens if I get some radioactivity on my skin?
If you do get any bodily fluids onto your skin, then simply wash your skin with soap and water to remove it. Do not use hand gels instead of soap and water, because you need to wash off the radioactivity. Radiation cannot be removed with hand gel. If you are going to be changing catheter bags or handling incontinence pads then we will provide you with some gloves to wear.
Who decides if the radiation dose I will receive is acceptable?
Before the patient’s diagnostic study begins, some questions will be asked about the care and support they require from you. With this information we can estimate the dose that we expect you to receive. A doctor, called a practitioner, can then decide if they think this radiation dose to you is justified. If not, then additional measures might be required in order to reduce the dose you would receive. If this is not possible, the doctor may decide that the study cannot proceed.
What do I do during the study?
The nuclear medicine radiographers and technologists will tell you where to stand and what to do during the procedure.
What happens if I say no?
If no one is able to be a Carer and Comforter for the patient during or after their study, it cannot proceed. The doctor who wanted the patient to have the study would need to consider other options instead.
How do I consent to being a Carer and Comforter?
If you have received this leaflet in the post ahead of the appointment, then please fill in the Carer and Comforter details section of the Carers and Comforters Consent Form included with this leaflet. Please bring the consent form with you on the day of the study. Otherwise, the nuclear medicine staff will give you a consent form to fill in on the day.
For further information on any of this, please contact us in Nuclear Medicine on
0300 613 6703. We will be happy to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Radiology service.
About this information
Service:
Radiology
Reference:
PILS-NM.23
Approval date:
17 September 2024
Review date:
17 September 2027
Click ‘show accessibility tools’ at the bottom of the page
Then click ‘select language’
Alternative formats
You can use the accessibility toolbar at the bottom of your screen to:
-
Change the text size
-
Adjust the font
-
Modify the colour contrast
-
Use the translate function
If you would like this information in another format, such as Braille, audio, or easy read, please speak to a member of staff.
You can also print as well as download as PDF using the “Print this page” button at the end of the page.
Staff will print a copy for you on request
Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.