Objective: Within Belgian nuclear medicine, a standardised decontamination procedure is lacking, which can lead to unclear and potentially hazardous situations in cases of radioactive contamination. This study aims to develop a broadly applicable, evidence-based standard protocol that can serve as a reference framework for hospitals.

Methodology: The study employed a descriptive mixed-method design. Fifty nuclear medicine departments in Flanders and Brussels were contacted via email. In total, 30 hospitals participated, of which 28 completed an online questionnaire and 24 submitted their decontamination procedures. A literature review was conducted, and the 24 submitted protocols were analysed for content, completeness, and applicability.

Results: Contaminations occur regularly, particularly during injections and skeletal scintigraphy. Reporting and follow-up procedures vary widely between hospitals. Most existing protocols show content-related shortcomings, such as the absence of clear definitions, illustrations, and differentiation by isotope or severity level. Based on the collected data, a standard procedure was developed, including an escalation matrix, material requirements, and a distinction between major and minor contaminations.

Conclusion: There is a clear need for uniform, practical, and widely applicable guidelines. The proposed protocol, based on the identified criteria, provides a useful framework to enhance patient and staff safety and serves as a foundation for further optimisation within nuclear medicine.