Headquarters Daily Report

                         MARCH 05, 1998

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                    REPORT             NEGATIVE            NO INPUT
                    ATTACHED           INPUT RECEIVED      RECEIVED

HEADQUARTERS                           û                   
REGION I                               û                   
REGION II                              û                   
REGION III          û                                      
REGION IV                              û                   
PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED  MORNING REPORT - REGION III  MARCH  5, 1998

Licensee/Facility:                     Notification:

                                       MR Number: 3-98-0017
University Of Minnesota                Date: 02/27/98
Minneapolis,Minnesota                  TELEPHONE CALL FROM RSO            
Dockets: 03000842 

Subject: UPDATE TO PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION (PN NO. 3-98-021) REGARDING  
         PREVIOUSLY UNSECURED IRIDIUM-192 BRACHYTHERAPY SOURCES          


Discussion:

On March 4, 1998, Region III completed a special inspection to review the
circumstances of an incident that the University of Minnesota reported to
the NRC on February 27, 1998. The incident involved an unsecured ribbon  
of iridium-192 seeds (6 seeds, total activity 2.2 millicuries, as of     
February 27, 1998) that the licensee identified on February 26, 1998.    
                                                                         
On February 6, 1998, following removal of a brachytherapy Syed applicator
(template with a number of hollow needles) from a patient, the licensee's
medical physics staff unloaded the ribbons in the source storage area.   
The medical physics staff did not properly account for all of the        
ribbons, and left one ribbon inside of a needle used in the applicator.  
Several licensee personnel handled the needle, or the applicator pack    
containing the needle, during the period from February 6 through 26,     
1998. The licensee estimated that the maximum likely exposures were 10 to
15 millirem, total effective dose equivalent, and 10 rem shallow dose    
equivalent to the hands of a radiation therapy technologist who directly 
handled the needle containing the ribbon.                                
                                                                         
Except for one nurse, the licensee did not identify any members of the   
public who received a measurable exposure from this incident. The        
licensee estimated the nurse's total effective dose equivalent and       
extremity exposure at 5 millirems each. The special inspection completed 
on March 4, 1998, did not identify any additional licensee personnel who 
likely received exposures from this incident. The inspection appeared to 
validate the licensee's assumptions used in determining worker and public
exposures.                                                               

Regional Action:

Region III will issue a written report on the results of this inspection 
within three weeks. A decision regarding any enforcement action from the 
results of this inspection has not been made, and will be coordinated    
with the Office of Enforcement.                                          

Contact:  JAMNES CAMERON             (630)829-9833
          GEOFFREY WRIGHT            (630)829-9602
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