Which type of waste contains materials contaminated with radionuclides from diagnostic or therapeutic procedures such as PET and CT scans?

• A. General medical waste
• B. Radioactive medical waste
• C. Sharps
• D. Pathological waste

Answer: (B)

Radionuclide-contaminated waste is categorized as radioactive medical waste because it carries residual radioactivity from diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Procedures like PET use radiopharmaceuticals, and any materials that become contaminated with these radionuclides—such as vials, syringes, wipes, or other cleanup items—must be handled under radiation safety guidelines and stored or disposed of separately from ordinary medical waste. General medical waste is nonradioactive unless it carries another hazard, sharps refer to injury risk from needles and similar items, and pathological waste involves human tissues or organs—none of these are defined by the presence of radionuclides.