An article in the European Journal of Nuclear Medicine combined data on the radioactivity secreted in breast milk for most nuclear medicine procedures. Recommendation were made for the interruption of breastfeeding in patients having a nuclear medicine investigation. These are summarized here:
- Breastfeeding should be noted in the patient history from the attending physician.
- The nuclear medicine technologist should ask about the patient’s breastfeeding status and notify the nuclear physician when a patient is breastfeeding.
- Breastfeeding should be interrupted for the time radioactivity is known at appear in breast milk.
- Close contact with an infant should be restricted to 5 hours in 24 hours for Tc-99m MIBI, Tc-99m labeled RBCs and I-131 (>3mCi) whether or not the mother is breastfeeding.
Radiopharmaceutical Recommendation
| Tc-99m labeled DMSA, MDP, HDP, DISIDA, SC, MIBI, and Gluceptate, & In-111 WBC | Interruption of 4 hours |
| Tc-99m labeled MAA, PYP, DTPA, and RBCs | Interruption of 12 hours |
| 99mTcO4-, I-123, I-131 hippurate | Interruption of 24 hours |
| T1-201, Ga-67, I-131 | Breastfeeding Contraindicated |
References
Harding LK, Bossuyt A, Pellet S, Reiners C, Talbot JN. “Recommendations for nuclear medicine physicians regarding breastfeeding mothers.” European J Nucl Med.1995; 22:BP.