48: Instituto Goiano de Radioterapia

When a radiation therapy machine was left behind during a move between buildings in central Brazil, it set in motion a series of events that would lead to one of the worst radiological incidents in history. We look into how bureaucracy and misdiagnosis cost four people their lives and how the actions of a concerned mother with no medical experience, saved the lives of countless more.
With John Chidgey.

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Official Report:

• The Radiological Accident in Goiânia (PDF)

Links of Interest:

• Goiânia Accident


• IGR - Instituto Goiano de Radiologia


• Teletherapy Capsule


• Becquerel


• The Goiânia Incident


• Caesium


• Gray

Other Reports and Articles:

• The most rambling and insane nuclear accident in history (Italian)


• Doctors and the radioactive accident (Portugese)


• Notes on nuclear energy. What lawyers should know about nuclear technology (Spanish)


• Goiânia Brazil 1987 - Rick On Theater


• Caesium Radiation Goiania Brazil - 1102


• The blue powder entranced…then it killed…


• The Response to Technological Accidents: The Case of Radioactive Accident in Goiania (PDF) (Portugese)

News Articles:

• Victims of Radiation Ostracised in Brazil


• A Brazilian burglar stole a capsule…


• The Perception of Individuals Involved in the Accident With Caesium-137


• Two Radiation Victims Die


• The Goiâna Incident - NCT Magazine

Related Incidents:

• List of orphan source incidents


• Samut Prakan radiation accident


• Origin of Cobalt-60 traced to Delhi University


• 1962 Mexico City radiation accident

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Episode Gold Producers:
'r' and Steven Bridle.
Episode Silver Producers:
Mitch Biegler, Kevin Koch, Shane O'Neill, Lesley, Jared, Joel Maher, Katharina Will, Dave Jones and Kellen Frodelius-Fujimoto.

With thanks to
Shane O'Neill
for the topic suggestion.