Today I called our nuclear medicine department to get some information
on whether a mother had to stop breastfeeding for either a lung scan or
an abdominal CAT scan. (two different patients) I was told that the lung
scan involved a radioactive dye and therefore the mother should pump and
dump for 24 hours, and that the CAT scan did not require any cessation
of breastfeeding.  When I reported back to the nurses who had asked for
the information, though, they said that they had been told that both the
types of scans required 24 hours of pump and dump, and that they would
continue to hold to this practice until I could show them some
documentation.

So my questions are: 1) Is it necessary to pump and dump for either a
lung scan or a CAT scan?  2) If so, for how long, and 3) Where could I
find documentation of this information?

Thanks for any help.

Lori Lerman, R.N.
Winchester, MA