Ever wonder how bodies are handled after a nuclear accident? Radioactive corpses may be more common than you think, with certain cancer treatments leaving patients with radiation in their bodies after death. We're looking into guidelines for handling these situations, and what happens when they're not followed.

Resources:

"Here’s why you shouldn’t cremate radioactive dead people" by Beth Mole, ArsTechnica

"Radiation Contamination Following Cremation of a Deceased Patient Treated With a Radiopharmaceutical" by Nathan Y. Yu, MD1; William G. Rule, MD1; Terence T. Sio, MD, MS1; et al- Journal of the American Medical Association

"A Radioactive Dead Body Contaminated An Arizona Crematorium" by Zahra Hirji, Buzzfeed

Safety Information, Lutathera website

"Brachytherapy", my.clevelandclinic.org

lutetium 177 medication profile, Lexicomp

"Radiation Safety Concerns in Brachytherapy", nrc.gov

"Richard Leroy McKinley- Specialist 4th Class, United States Army" by Michael Robert Patterson, Arlington National Cemetery

University Hospitals of Cleveland resources

"Medical Examiners / Coroners: Information for Radiation Emergencies", Radiation Emergency Medical Management, US Department of Health and Human Services

"Guidelines for Handling Decedents Contaminated with Radioactive Materials", CDC

"SL-1: America's First Nuclear Disaster", Kyle Hill on YouTube