Product details
What are lead medical pots?
Lead medical pots, also referred to as lead “pigs” or radiopharmaceutical pots, are shielded containers manufactured from high-density lead providing shielding appropriate for the specific activity and energy profile of the radionuclide being contained. They are designed to attenuate gamma and beta emissions to levels to ensure compliance with IRR legislation and institutional ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principles.
Construction and design
Standard configurations feature a lift-off lid with geometry designed to eliminate or minimise radiation shine paths from the contents. Interior dimensions are sized to accommodate standard vials, syringes, or unit-dose containers, and many designs incorporate a central bore or removable insert to facilitate dose withdrawal without removing the shielding entirely. Medical pots have a durable paint finish or plastic coating for safe handling. Calder Industrial Materials can also design and manufacture to your bespoke requirements, incorporating your specific shielding thicknesses and internal dimensions.
Clinical applications
Lead medical pots are routinely deployed across nuclear medicine, radiopharmacies, and PET centres. Primary applications include the receipt and storage of generator eluates, the preparation and dispensing of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, and the temporary containment of radioactive waste prior to decay-in-storage. They are also used in radiation oncology settings for the handling of brachytherapy sources and calibration standards.
Regulatory considerations
Advice from a qualified Radiation Protection Advisor should be sought to ensure the specification accounts for the radionuclide’s half-life, photon energy, and maximum activity handled, and that shielding adequacy meets site-specific dose rate constraints and the requirements of IRR17 and RCR/ARSAC guidance.
Why choose Calder?
From the moment a project begins, we work closely with our partners to understand their unique challenges and needs. Whether optimising designs, reducing costs, or ensuring compliance with the strictest industry standards, we bring centuries of technical expertise and problem-solving ability to every project.
Trusted by global leaders across nuclear, healthcare, industrial, defence, and building sectors, we’ve built a reputation for delivering solutions that exceed expectations. When precision, quality, and collaboration matter most, Calder Lead is the name clients return to, time and time again.