Radiopharmaceutical pig
View Patent ↗A pharmaceutical pig is used to transport a syringe containing a liquid radiopharmaceutical from a radiopharmacy to a medical facility for administration to a patient. The pharmaceutical pig includes an elongate polymer cap that is removably attached to an elongate polymer base. The elongate polymer cap includes a cap shell that completely encloses a cap shielding element and the elongate polymer base includes a base shell that completely encloses a base shielding element. Preferably the polymer utilized for the cap shell and the base shell is polycarbonate resin, e.g., LEXAN®. An inner liner is not utilized and the cap shielding element and the base shielding element, which are preferably, but not necessarily, made of lead, are completely sealed and unexposed.
1. A radiopharmaceutical pig comprising:
a base having a first hollow center section defined therein to accommodate at least a portion of a radiopharmaceutical syringe, the base comprising radiation-blocking material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, and metallic-filled polymers, wherein the base includes:
a top portion having a first diameter;
a middle portion having a second diameter; and
a bottom portion having a third diameter, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter and the third diameter; and
a cap removably attached to the base, wherein the cap has a second hollow center section defined therein, and wherein the cap comprises radiation-blocking material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, and metallic-filled polymers.
2. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 1 , wherein the top portion of the base comprises a plurality of flattened portions.
3. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of flattened portions comprises an arch-like portion.
4. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 2 , wherein the cap comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, and wherein the bottom portion of the cap comprises a plurality of flattened portions.
5. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 4 , wherein at least one flattened portion of the plurality of flattened portions of the top portion of the base is substantially aligned with at least one flattened portion of the plurality of flattened portions of the bottom portion of the cap.
6. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 5 , wherein the top portion of the cap has a fourth diameter and the bottom portion of the cap has a fifth diameter, and wherein the fourth diameter of the top portion of the cap is less than the fifth diameter of the bottom portion of the cap.
7. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 1 , wherein the top portion of the cap has a fourth diameter and the bottom portion of the cap has a fifth diameter, and wherein the fourth diameter of the top portion of the cap is less than the fifth diameter of the bottom portion of the cap.
8. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 7 , wherein the bottom portion of the cap comprises a plurality of flattened portions.
9. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the plurality of flattened portions comprises an arch-like portion.
10. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 1 , wherein the cap is removably attached to the base through complimentary threads located on the cap and the base.
11. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 10 , further comprising at least one locking detent associated with the threads.
12. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 10 , wherein the threads located on the cap and the base do not allow the cap to rotate more than three hundred and sixty degrees (360°) in relation to the base.
13. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 1 , wherein the cap and the base each comprise polymer material.
14. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 13 , wherein the polymer material of the base completely encloses the radiation-blocking material of the base, and wherein the polymer material of the cap completely encloses the radiation-blocking material of the cap.
15. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 1 , wherein both the base and the cap are elongate.
16. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion of the base is substantially bell-shaped.
17. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 1 , wherein the radiation-blocking material is tungsten.
18. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 1 , wherein the radiation-blocking material is lead.
19. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 1 , further comprising a radiopharmaceutical disposed in at least one of the first and second hollow center sections of the pig.
20. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 1 , further comprising a syringe disposed in at least one of the first and second hollow center sections of the pig.
21. A radiopharmaceutical pig comprising:
a base having a first hollow center section defined therein to accommodate at least a portion of a radiopharmaceutical syringe, the base comprising radiation-blocking material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, and metallic-filled polymers, wherein the base includes:
a top portion having a first diameter and comprising a plurality of flattened portions; and
a middle portion having a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter; and
a cap removably attached to the base, wherein the cap has a second hollow center section defined therein, and wherein the cap comprises radiation-blocking material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, and metallic-filled polymers.
22. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the plurality of flattened portions comprises an arch-like portion.
23. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 21 , wherein the cap comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, and wherein the bottom portion of the cap comprises a plurality of flattened portions.
24. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 23 , wherein at least one flattened portion of the plurality of flattened portions of the top portion of the base is substantially aligned with at least one flattened portion of the plurality of flattened portions of the bottom portion of the cap.
25. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 24 , wherein the top portion of the cap has a fourth diameter and the bottom portion of the cap has a fifth diameter, and wherein the fourth diameter of the top portion of the cap is less than the fifth diameter of the bottom portion of the cap.
26. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 21 , wherein the top portion of the cap has a fourth diameter and the bottom portion of the cap has a fifth diameter, and wherein the fourth diameter of the top portion of the cap is less than the fifth diameter of the bottom portion of the cap.
27. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 26 , wherein the bottom portion of the cap comprises a plurality of flattened portions.
28. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 27 , wherein at least one of the plurality of flattened portions of the bottom portion of the cap comprises an arch-like portion.
29. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 21 , wherein the cap is removably attached to the base through complimentary threads located on the cap and the base.
30. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 29 , further comprising at least one locking detent associated with the threads.
31. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 29 , wherein the threads located on the cap and the base do not allow the cap to rotate more than three hundred and sixty degrees (360°) in relation to the base.
32. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 21 , wherein the cap and the base each comprise polymer material.
33. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 32 , wherein the polymer material of the base completely encloses the radiation-blocking material of the base, and wherein the polymer material of the cap completely encloses the radiation-blocking material of the cap.
34. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 21 , wherein both the base and the cap are elongate.
35. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 21 , wherein the bottom portion of the base is substantially bell-shaped.
36. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 21 , wherein the radiation-blocking material is tungsten.
37. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 21 , wherein the radiation-blocking material is lead.
38. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 21 , further comprising a radiopharmaceutical disposed in at least one of the first and second hollow center sections of the pig.
39. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 21 , further comprising a syringe disposed in at least one of the first and second hollow center sections of the pig.
40. A radiopharmaceutical pig comprising:
a base having a first hollow center section defined therein to accommodate at least a portion of a radiopharmaceutical syringe, wherein the base comprises radiation-blocking material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, and metallic-filled polymers; and
a cap removably attached to the base, the cap having a second hollow center section defined therein, the cap comprising radiation-blocking material selected from the group consisting of lead, tungsten, and metallic-filled polymers, the cap including:
a top portion having a first diameter; and
a bottom portion having a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is less than the second diameter, and wherein the bottom portion comprises a plurality of flattened portions.
41. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 40 , wherein at least one of the plurality of flattened portions comprises an arch-like portion.
42. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 40 , wherein the base comprises a plurality of flattened portions.
43. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 42 , wherein at least one flattened portion of the plurality of flattened portions of the top portion of the base is substantially aligned with at least one flattened portion of the plurality of flattened portions of the bottom portion of the cap.
44. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 40 , wherein the cap is removably attached to the base through complimentary threads located on the cap and the base.
45. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 44 , further comprising at least one locking detent associated with the threads.
46. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 44 , wherein the threads located on the cap and the base do not allow the cap to rotate more than three hundred and sixty degrees (360°) in relation to the base.
47. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 40 , wherein the cap and the base each comprise polymer material.
48. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 47 , wherein the polymer material of the base completely encloses the radiation-blocking material of the base, and wherein the polymer material of the cap completely encloses the radiation-blocking material of the cap.
49. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 40 , wherein both the base and the cap are elongate.
50. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 40 , wherein the bottom portion of the base is substantially bell-shaped.
51. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 40 , wherein the radiation-blocking material is tungsten.
52. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 40 , wherein the radiation-blocking material is lead.
53. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 40 , further comprising a radiopharmaceutical disposed in at least one of the first and second hollow center sections of the pig.
54. The radiopharmaceutical pig of claim 40 , further comprising a syringe disposed in at least one of the first and second hollow center sections of the pig.
55. The radiopharmaceutical pig of any one of claims 1 - 18 , 21 - 37 and 40 - 52 , further comprising a syringe having a radiopharmaceutical disposed therein, wherein the syringe is disposed in at least one of the first and second hollow center sections of the pig.