[Prevention of Radiation Detection Issues at International Airports Following Nuclear Medicine Procedures: The Role of Pre-travel Screening].

To prevent potential radiation detection issues at international airports following nuclear medicine procedures, our hospital conducts screenings regarding international travel plans both at the time of booking and on the day of the examination. We evaluated the results and clinical utility of these screenings conducted for 6,132 cases over a seven-year period from April 2019 to March 2026. Overall, 1.29% (79 cases) of patients reported planned international travel; however, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic period (April 2020 to March 2022), the rate was 2.24% (77 out of 3,437 cases). Regarding the timing of disclosure, 62.03% (49/79 cases) identified their travel plans during the booking process, while 37.98% (30/79 cases) did not disclose them until the day of the examination. For cases identified at booking, we adjusted the examination schedules for 11 patients and changed the radiopharmaceutical for one patient. For those identified on the day of the procedure, emergency certificates were issued for three patients to proceed with the examination. No examinations were canceled, and there were no reports of post-procedural airport complications. We concluded that screening at the time of booking is essential to enable flexible interventions, such as rescheduling and modifying protocols, to ensure patient safety and convenience.