Abstract: An improved drawing station system for handling radioactive material for use in syringes in the health care industry. The system includes a drawing station, a syringe shield and two different radiopharmaceutical pigs. The drawing station has a base with a support and two arms mounted thereto to support a first radiopharmaceutical pig enclosing a container of radioactive material. The radiopharmaceutical pig is releasably mounted to the second arm so that the radiopharmaceutical pig is pivotable about two predetermined axes to position the container for penetration by the syringe needle to draw radioactive material from the container into the syringe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transporting syringes containing radioactive material. The apparatus includes a radiopharmaceutical pig having an inner chamber in which a sharps container can be secured. The sharps container has a housing and an attachable cap. The method includes assembling the radiopharmaceutical pig so that the chamber of the radiopharmaceutical pig contains the syringe in the sharps container housing. The radiopharmaceutical pig is disassembled, where upon the syringe is removed, discharged, and then replaced in the sharps container housing. The cap of the sharps container is affixed to the housing of the sharps container, thus enclosing the contaminated syringe therein. The radiopharmaceutical pig is assembled so that its chamber contains the sharps container and the syringe. The radiopharmaceutical pig is transported to a disposal area, where it is disassembled and the sharps container containing the syringe is placed in a particular disposal container.