Which waste includes radioactive isotopes and is produced by nuclear medicine technologies or scans such as PET/CT?

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

Answer: (B)

Waste from nuclear medicine procedures is radioactive medical waste because PET/CT and similar scans use radioactive isotopes that remain hazardous after use. This category covers leftover radiopharmaceuticals, materials contaminated with radioactivity (gloves, wipes, gowns, syringes, vials), and even excreta that still emits radiation in the short term. Managing this waste requires proper segregation, shielding, monitoring, and disposal under radiation safety regulations, sometimes including decay-in-storage before it’s safe to dispose. The other options refer to different hazards: cytotoxic waste involves hazardous chemotherapy drugs, general medical waste is nonhazardous trash, and sharps are needles and similar items (which may be contaminated but are categorized separately unless they are radiologically active).