Echoes in a Hollow Space

Huh. Just found out today that because of that little "nuclear medicine" thing I had happening a couple of weeks ago, I could have set off sensitive Homeland Security radiation sensing equipment at the airport—at least for a week or so after. Hadn't planned on flying anywhere for Thanksgiving, fortunately, but according to Lionel Zuckier, M.D., a radiology professor at the New Jersey Medical School - University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and director of nuclear medicine and PET at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey:

"The nuclear medicine community has been aware that patients set off detectors, but now we expect it to become a more common occurrence with the increasing number of extremely sensitive portable Homeland Security radiation detectors deployed among security personnel."

Fortunately, he goes on to state that I am not really a danger to the public as the amount of radiation I received was comparable to that of an x-ray.

Dr. Zuckier is supporting the recommendation of the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission that hospitals develop Official Documentation stating that those receiving procedures are not the dangerous potential terrorists Our Homeland Security Guards think we are, we've just had the benefit of Modern Medicine recently. The proposed letter/card would state what procedure was done, date of service, and whom to call for verification. Yeah, and while they're at it, how about a sample of my DNA? I'm sure that would come in handy.

It's always been my life dream to have some gallows-faced guy in a black leather jacket slowly remove his leather gloves and demand, "Let me zee your paperz!"

Just before he feels me up to make sure I haven't got a bomb hidden in my bra.