Syringe shield assembly for housing and transporting a syringe containing radioactive drug

1. A syringe shield for housing a syringe ( 24 ) containing a radioactive drug, the syringe ( 24 ) comprising a barrel ( 26 ) containing the radioactive drug, a plunger ( 28 ) and a tip ( 34 ), comprising:

a barrel housing ( 6 ) comprising a radiation-shielding material, a first open end ( 8 ), and a second open end ( 10 ), wherein the tip ( 34 ) of the syringe ( 24 ) is adjacent to or extends out from the second open end ( 10 ) when the syringe ( 24 ) is housed in the syringe shield ( 2 );

a removable cover ( 12 ) that is removably connectable to the barrel housing ( 6 ) so as to cover the second open end ( 10 ), as well as the tip ( 34 ) of the syringe ( 24 ) when the syringe ( 24 ) is housed in the syringe shield ( 2 ), and so as to at least partially surround the barrel housing ( 6 ), and

a plunger housing ( 16 ) comprising a radiation shielding material and having a first end ( 18 ) that is open and is removably connectable to the removable cover ( 12 ) so as to enclose the barrel housing ( 6 ) therebetween and, when the syringe ( 24 ) is housed in the syringe shield ( 2 ), allow the plunger ( 28 ) of the syringe ( 24 ) to extend through the first open end ( 8 ) of the barrel housing ( 6 ) and into the plunger housing ( 16 ) via the first end ( 18 ) of the plunger housing ( 16 ).

2. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the plunger ( 28 ) of the syringe ( 24 ) comprises at least one plunger flange ( 30 , 30 ′), and the first open end ( 8 ) of the barrel housing ( 6 ) is shaped to receive at least one plunger flange ( 30 , 30 ′).

3. The syringe shield according to claim 2 , wherein the first open end ( 8 ) of the barrel housing ( 6 ) is configured to releasably engage with the at least one flange ( 30 , 30 ′) of the plunger ( 28 ).

4. The syringe shield according to claim 3 , wherein at least one flange ( 30 , 30 ′) of the plunger ( 28 ) functions as a twist-lock element that, when twisted, is receivable by a twist-lock flange receiver ( 48 , 48 ′) in the barrel housing ( 6 ).

5. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the removable cover ( 12 ) is configured to partially surround the barrel housing ( 6 ) so as to expose the underside ( 36 ) of the barrel housing ( 6 ) when the removable cover ( 12 ) is removably connected to the barrel housing ( 6 ), and wherein the underside ( 36 ) of the barrel housing ( 6 ) is shaped so as to prevent the barrel housing ( 6 ) from rolling when placed on a flat surface.

6. The syringe shield according to claim 5 , wherein the underside ( 36 ) of the barrel housing ( 6 ) is flat.

7. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the removable cover ( 12 ) is shaped so as to cover all surfaces of the barrel housing ( 6 ), except the underside ( 36 ) of the barrel housing ( 6 ) and the first open end ( 8 ), when the removable cover ( 12 ) is removably connected to the barrel housing ( 6 ).

8. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the removable cover ( 12 ) comprises a puck ( 38 ) which comprises a radiation shielding material, wherein the puck ( 38 ) covers the second open end ( 10 ) of the barrel housing ( 6 ) when the removable cover ( 12 ) is removably connected to the barrel housing ( 6 ).

9. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the removable cover ( 12 ) further comprises a handle ( 44 ).

10. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the removable cover ( 12 ) is shaped so that it is slidably mountable onto the barrel housing ( 6 ) by sliding the removable cover ( 12 ) in a direction from the second open end ( 10 ) towards the first open end ( 8 ).

11. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the removable cover ( 12 ) is shaped to receive a partially cylindrically shaped barrel housing ( 6 ) with a flat underside ( 36 ).

12. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the removable cover ( 12 ) is shaped as a partially cylindrical shell.

13. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the cover ( 12 ) is shaped so that said removable cover ( 12 ) can only be removed from the barrel housing ( 6 ) by sliding said removable cover ( 12 ) in a direction from the first open end ( 8 ) towards the second open end ( 10 ).

14. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the barrel housing ( 6 ) comprises a cylindrical section made of radiation shielding material, and a base providing a flat underside ( 36 ).

15. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the plunger housing ( 16 ) has an internal surface comprising a radiation shielding material.

16. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the plunger housing ( 16 ) further comprises a top cap ( 22 ) that comprises a puck ( 56 ) of radiation shielding material.

17. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the plunger housing ( 16 ) is releasably connectable to the removable cover ( 12 ) using a twist-lock assembly.

18. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the plunger housing ( 16 ) is releasably connectable to the removable cover ( 12 ) and the barrel housing ( 6 ) using a twist-lock assembly.

19. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation shielding material comprises tungsten, lead, stainless steel, an aluminum alloy, or a combination thereof.

20. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation-shielding material comprises tungsten.

21. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the syringe shield ( 2 ) is dimensioned to receive a syringe ( 24 ) containing up to thirty milliliters or up to sixty milliliters of said radioactive drug.

22. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein the total weight of the syringe shield ( 2 ) is no more than 55 lbs.

23. The syringe shield according to claim 1 , wherein said radioactive drug has a radioactivity of up to 1 Ci, and the syringe shield has a radiation-shielding material that provides a shielding that meets the Yellow II label criteria for transportation of radioactive material.