The present work describes the technical information on issues associated with the
management of disused Ra-226 radioactive sources. The different settings needed to
condition these sources in stainless steel capsules, working area setup, packaging
preparation, Ra-226 source characterization, capsule welding, leakage test and data
information are completely described. The radium sources addressed in the present work are
mainly those which have been used in medicine and for industrial applications, in the form
of sealed radiation sources. In Egypt hospitals are among the largest users of sealed
radium radioactive sources which are mostly used for brachytherapy. The inventory of
radium sources in large hospitals could be in the hundreds. There is a real risk that
sources may be lost or mishandled, if very restricted procedures are not followed. An
additional problem with these sources is that they are often leaking, due to internal
overpressure. The small size of the sources, portability and high apparent value (due to
the materials of encapsulation) increase the risk of theft.