Considerations for Wastewater Management Following ¹⁷⁷Lu Radiopharmaceutical Therapy and Planning for Decay Tanks in Nuclear Medicine Departments

In September 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency issued HJ1188-2021 "Radiation Protection and Safety Requirements for Nuclear Medicine", specifying radiation protection and safety requirements for nuclear medicine. This includes regulations on the storage and discharge of radioactive liquid waste and other aspects related to nuclear medicine decay pools. With the recent development in the integrated diagnosis and treatment of ⁶⁸Ga/¹⁷⁷Lu, The influence of radioactive wastewater contained in the domestic wastewater of patients receiving radionuclide treatment on the medical environment, medical staff and surrounding ecology will become a key challenge to be dealt with in the construction and development of nuclear medicine department in hospitals. The author analyzes domestic and foreign policies and experiences in radiation protection and wastewater treatment, focusing on domestic wastewater after ¹⁷⁷Lu therapeutic drug treatment and the construction planning of decay ponds in nuclear medicine. The aim is to draw on international advanced management methods and technologies to promote the development of nuclear medicine.