White paper:
Type A packaging

Every year, 20 million shipments of radioactive material take place by land, sea and air. A huge part of these shipments consist of medical isotopes. These radiopharmaceuticals must be shipped in certified Type A containers, according to international regulation issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This assures the safety of both the radiopharmaceuticals and the people that are involved in the transportation of the radiopharmaceuticals.

We cover several shipping challenges

At Von Gahlen, we’ve been developing shielding packaging solutions for over 20 years. Our products protect people against the radiation emitted by radiopharmaceuticals. At the same time, they ensure that bottles, syringes and capsules containing radioactive substances are protected against external influences. To help you decide which method of transport and type of packaging is suitable for your needs, we developed a white paper. It covers several shipping challenges, specifically for radioactive isotopes.

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Safe transportation of PET radiopharmaceuticals by road, sea and air

Challenges when shipping radioactive materials

To decide which method of transport and type of packaging is suitable for your needs mostly depends on two things: the half-life time of the medical isotope you want to ship and the length of the journey. For example, F18 or FDG is mostly shipped domestically by road, so over shorter distances. Z89 can also be shipped internationally by air, due to the longer half-life time compared to F18.

Challenges when it comes to the packaging of radioactive materials are process specific requirements, depending on how the isotope is produced. The transport index (TI) for packages is used to control radiation exposure and is derived from the maximum dose equivalent rate at one meter from the surface of a package containing radioactive material. The value of the TI restricts the transportation of a single package and the sum of multiple packages in a single shipment. Labelling and marking requirements are depending on the applicable regulations.

Radiopharmaceutical packaging solutions that fit your needs

The standard range of Type A packaging that is offered by Von Gahlen is the result of a close collaboration with our customers. Based on their wishes and demands, these products evolved into a standard solution over the past 20 years. For the remaining requirements, that relate to the product, shipping conditions and the production process, we can develop a tailor-made solution together.

Download our FREE white paper about Type A packaging

Find out which type of packaging is suitable for your needs

Do you want to read more about safe transportation of PET radiopharmaceuticals by road, sea and air? Download our free white paper here.

Download our FREE white paper

Contact our team

Let's solve your
packaging challenge

Benefit from our specialization in radiopharmaceutical packaging for protected and safe transport of your radiopharmaceuticals. Whether you are a buyer, lab production manager, radiochemist, QA-manager or otherwise responsible for the reliable packaging and transportation of radiopharmaceuticals: do not hesitate to give us a call or send an e-mail.