We are a children hospital and we get our irradiated products from our blood supplier. We are thinking of purchasing an irradiator . Any recommendations? Vendors? How about Validation? Cost? Daily QC?

I also work in a childrens hospital, in Canada. Our irradiator has become a huge security issue for us that has required us to <deleted content> It is very expensive to maintain and you need to include costing for the "security" aspects of the irradiator. Can't advise on vendors, ours is ancient!!

Edited January 12, 201015 yr by Cliff
Removed security info

Given the terror and regulatory situation, you may want to look at the x-ray irradiators. There are cons to these as well, but you don't have to get everyone fingerprinted and background checked just to use it.

We have a cesium irradiator. There is no daily QC. We check the timer quarterly and the dose annually. We monitor the attached computer for changes to the dose rate so we know when to increase the time for each batch. That happens about once a quarter as well, but it is not as regular. Validation will involve ensuring that you are delivering the dose you expect to deliver throughout the product area. If there is an attached computer, you will have to validate its function in conjunction with the instrument.

I would guess that irradiators are running around $150 to $200 thousand, but I haven't priced one recently. If you get one with sealed sources (cesium), calculate in the cost of getting everyone fingerprinted and background checked, possible requirements for radiation badge monitoring, state licensing (initial and annual fees), and any security measures you must implement to keep the terrorists at bay <deleted content>. And find a place to hide the bodies of everyone involved in the development of your security measures...Dead men tell no tales!

Edited January 12, 201015 yr by Cliff
Removed security info

If you are in the US, you are required to maintain registration with the FDA (if you don't already). They will inspect all aspects of your transfusion service yearly.

True, forgot to mention that one. Also, the NRC can inspect or may send your state agency to inspect.

If you are in the US, you are required to maintain registration with the FDA (if you don't already). They will inspect all aspects of your transfusion service yearly.

All the more reason to think a longggggggg time before making the purchase.

I went to a half day conference and one of the speakers was the Tranfusion manager at Children's Hospital in Dallas. She says they have an X-ray irradiator and they really like it, less homeland security stuff and less regulatory weirdness. I have the contact information if you want it.

Please do not post security related content.

I was contacted by the NRC regarding such posts on this site.

Thank you for your understanding.

If you irradiate blood and blood components in a Hospital Blood Bank in the UK, you are considered a Blood Establishment and are, therefore, open to a visit fro the MHRA (which is like a visit from a Bengal tiger in comparison to a visit from the CPA [comparative ***** cats; but with sharp claws]).

Please do not post security related content.

I was contacted by the NRC regarding such posts on this site.

Thank you for your understanding.

Sorry Cliff, I thought I was being generic enough. I will crawl back in my hole now!

:redface::redface:

Sorry Cliff, I thought I was being generic enough. I will crawl back in my hole now!

:redface::redface:

Not a problem, it's just a bit scary getting calls from the NRC.

I went to a half day conference and one of the speakers was the Tranfusion manager at Children's Hospital in Dallas. She says they have an X-ray irradiator and they really like it, less homeland security stuff and less regulatory weirdness. I have the contact information if you want it.

Thank you . Can you please e-mail it to me. Martha.delgado@mch.com

If you irradiate blood and blood components in a Hospital Blood Bank in the UK, you are considered a Blood Establishment and are, therefore, open to a visit fro the MHRA (which is like a visit from a Bengal tiger in comparison to a visit from the CPA [comparative ***** cats; but with sharp claws]).

I always say I'd rather have my taxes audited by the IRS than have the FDA come for a visit. But your tiger vs kitty cat comparison works well, too.

But remember the velvet glove..."I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

That's right up there with................"And I'll still respect you in the morning."

Ha Ha...Too true!

I wasn't sure you could use "government" and "help" in the same sentence!!

I wasn't sure you could use "government" and "help" in the same sentence!!

It's not just me then.

Politicians really are "thoroughly respected" throughout the world!

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

We are tyring to get a cost estimate for a new cesium blood irradiator and we are having trouble getting info from manufacturers. (Apparently prices have gone up a lot?) Has anyone purchased a new blood irradiator in the past year? if so, who was the manufacturer, how much did it cost, and how much was the preventative maintenance contract? Thanks, please send a private e-mail if your replay has any facility info that shouldn't be posted.

Went from a Cesium blood irradiator (Gamma Cell Elite) to a X-ray blood irradiator (RayCell) in 2006. Did this because the security measures were getting cost prohibited, as well as, having to undergo increased ispections by the NRC. I understand that additional regulations/safety measures will be coming up the pike.

I believe it cost originally $160,000 for the RayCell. This was purcahsed from MDS Nordion in Canada. They Blood Irradiator business was bought out by Best Medical/Theratronics.

Here is some contact info for this company:

Best Theratronics Ltd (Formerly a division of MDS Nordion)

Tel: (613) 591-2100 Ext 1397, Tech Support ext. 1090, Cust Service ext 1080.

Some of the differences between the two are as follows:

Raycell needs a water supply to cool the X-ray tube(s) that perform the irradiation of product. There is a certain flow rate and water pressure that is needed to be obtained. The Cesium irradiator does not need a water supply.

There are no security issues with the Raycell and as there is no radioactive material involved. The Radiation Saftey Officer does not have to be involved for quality control of unit or operation of the unit.

The Raycell needs to have an annual license as it does use x-ray tubes, but it is a lot less money than what I was paying for the NRC license.

THe Raycell does have to have a dose mapping twice a year while the cesium was just once a year.

The irradiation time changes, at a minimum, every 6 months for the cesium irradiator, while the irradiation time does not change at all for the RayCell.

Both the Raycell and the cesium irradiators need a load bearing floor, as both are very heavy.

Annual PMs contract are approximately $20,000-$30,000/year for Raycell.

Not sure how long the Raycell X-ray tubes are good for, but if they need to be replaced, they are very expensive. I believe around $25,000 each but I could be wrong.

Daily QC is not performed for either, rather the use of a radiation sensitive film label is placed on each unti being irradiated. We use ISP RadSure labels for this and they make separate ones for both the Cesium and X-ray irradiators.

There is monthly recommended QC that is required to be performed on the Raycell, but this is usually just visual checks , while as other people have stated that timer checks have to be performed on a periodic basis with the cesium blood irradiators, and other recommended QC checks.

I do not know too much about Cobalt blood irradiators , so I won't say any more about them. There are however multiple manufacturers of Cesium blood irradiators around, just don't know who they are.

I can tell you that my staff and I are very happy with out Raycell. If needed you can contact me at conwayM at sjhmc dot org

Edited January 21, 201015 yr by conwaysbb