Blood Irradiation Indicators
Verifying
the irradiation
of blood products
RAD-CONTROL® labels are carefully engineered tools to verify blood irradiation. They serve to improve blood safety, help to enhance efficiency and streamline protocols in blood banks and the transfusion medicine.
Why blood irradiation?
Blood irradiation stops high-risk patients from developing the almost always fatal transfusion-associated Graft-versus-Host Disease (TA-GvHD), a possible complication of blood transfusion. It occurs when immunodeficient patients receive non-irradiated blood transfusions.
Discover the solution that best suits your facility’s needs with three options to choose from. All three types are equipped with innovative technology and customisable features and can be stored at room temperature. All can also be used with equal efficacy for both Gamma and X-ray irradiation systems; however, they must never be used as a dosimeter.
irradiation results
RAD-CONTROL® BARCODE
Automate your irradiation process with a new generation of blood irradiation indicators: the RAD-CONTROL® BARCODE is a sophisticated verification tool for the irradiation process of blood. Following ISBT’s recommendation for machine readable codes, the labels deliver electronic capabilities and scannable irradiation results for an automated, streamlined process.
Automate your irradiation process with a new generation of blood irradiation indicators: the RAD-CONTROL® BARCODE is a sophisticated verification tool for the irradiation process of blood. Following ISBT’s recommendation for machine readable codes, the labels deliver electronic capabilities and scannable irradiation results for an automated, streamlined process.
How it Works
With two indicator fields, the RAD-CONTROL® BARCODE is simply affixed to the blood product before irradiation. Innovative technology means that during the irradiation process the first indicator field turns into a barcode, and the second displays visual confirmation of irradiation. Once the blood has been irradiated, the verification result appears as a barcode. The result also appears in print in a second field. The barcode can be scanned to digitally verify that each individual blood bag was inside the irradiator and exposed to irradiation.
STEP 1 – IDENTIFY
STEP 2 – VERIFY
To utilise the RAD-CONTROL® BARCODE label and to release the irradiated blood product with your facility’s software, follow these steps:
STEP 1: Identify the blood product by scanning the blood product information.
STEP 2: Verify the blood irradiation process by scanning the electronically readable irradiation result.
The result is automatically stored in your database to allow for a more efficient and streamlined workflow.
The Benefits
| Simpler: No more protocol lists | the irradiation result is entered automatically into the Lab-IT system | |
| Easier: no manual notes on each indicator necessary | date and user are recorded automatically | |
| Faster: digital irradiation result immediately available | the entire documentation process is less time consuming | |
| Safer | no manual data entry of irradiation results | |
| no irradiated blood bag without digitally traceable irradiation result | ||
| complete tracking of who did what and when with which product |
|
the irradiation result is entered automatically into the Lab-IT system | ||
| Easier: no manual notes on each indicator necessary | date and user are recorded automatically | ||
| Faster: digital irradiation result immediately available | the entire documentation process is less time consuming | ||
| Safer | no manual data entry of irradiation results | ||
| no irradiated blood bag without digitally traceable irradiation result | |||
| complete tracking of who did what and when with which product |
Easy implementation
Setting up your digital irradiation verification is simple and easy — irradiators and the application of the irradiation labels remain unchanged.
All you need is:
- A barcode scanner
- One additional data field in your existing software: this data field simply needs to ask for the performed irradiation. The barcode then confirms the request by reading “OK”.
- The RAD-CONTROL® BARCODE indicator
RAD-CONTROL®
Product Features
| Shelf life Barcode Shelf life Standard Shelf Life Scale |
16 months 24 months 24 months |
|
| Excellent adhesion strength | firm label hold | |
| Storage at room temperature | no refrigeration required | |
| Customisation | free choice of size, design and other features | |
| ISBT 128 bar-coded lot numbers | on request | |
| Quality standard | ISO 13485 | |
| X-ray or Gamma sources | indicators work equally with both systems |
| Haltbarkeit | 24 Monate | |
| Exzellenter Kleber | starke Klebekraft | |
| Aufbewahrung bei Zimmertemperatur | keine Tiefkühlung notwendig | |
| Individuelle Anpassungen möglich | Größe, Design, Sprache frei wählbars | |
| ISBT 128 Barcode Chargennummern | auf Anfrage | |
| Qualitätsstandard | nach ISO 13485 geprüft | |
| X-ray oder Gamma Bestrahlung | Indikatoren funktionieren gleichwertig mit beiden Bestrahlungsquellen |
Customisation
Language
To minimise risks of misinterpretation, the medical staff needs to understand what they are reading. We are happy to provide labels in any preferred language.
Communication
You want to place additional information or the logo of your blood centre on the labels? Not a problem—we customise your indicators accordingly.
Add-ons
There is virtually no limit to your requests: peel-off sections, ISBT 128 barcodes for lot numbers and many more features. Just let us know your requirements—we deliver.
Customisation
Language
To minimise risks of misinterpretation, the medical staff needs to understand what they are reading. We are happy to provide labels in any preferred language.
Communication
You want to place additional information or the logo of your blood centre on the labels? Not a problem—we customise your indicators accordingly.
Add-ons
There is virtually no limit to your requests: peel-off sections, ISBT 128 barcodes for lot numbers and many more features. Just let us know your requirements—we deliver.
Blood banks working with
RAD-CONTROL® BARCODE
The Belgian Red Cross Flanders has chosen us as a supplier of unique and customised indicators which facilitate the digital verification of blood irradiation. We would like to thank Innolabel and the Red Cross Flanders for realising this innovative customer project.
The German Red Cross Frankfurt was our first validation partner for RAD-CONTROL® BARCODE indicators. The results of an extensive head-to-head comparison with previously used indicators was published at the DGTI conference in 2017.
RAD-CONTROL® STANDARD
The Standard version of the RAD-CONTROL® product line features a simple, high-quality design that sets the industry standard. It works with the discolouration of red to black. This results in YES/NO information on whether the irradiation was performed. The colour change is reliable and self-explanatory providing clear information as “not irradiated/irradiated”. An operator and date field allow for further written documentation on the labels. A whole range of customisations – from lot code barcodes to peel-off labels are optional features.
A simple and logical solution widely used in blood banks and medical centres worldwide.
The Standard version of the RAD-CONTROL® product line features a simple, high-quality design that sets the industry standard. It works with the discolouration of red to black. This results in YES/NO information on whether the irradiation was performed. The colour change is reliable and self-explanatory providing clear information as “not irradiated/irradiated”. An operator and date field allow for further written documentation on the labels. A whole range of customisations – from lot code barcodes to peel-off labels are optional features.
A simple and logical solution widely used in blood banks and medical centres worldwide.
NOT IRRADIATED
IRRADIATED
RAD-CONTROL® STANDARD
How it works
With only one red indicator field, the RAD-CONTROL® STANDARD is simply affixed to the blood product before irradiation. When exposed to irradiation, the colour of the indicator field changes from red to black. After irradiation, the black field indicates “irradiated” and is a reliable and self-explanatory proof that each individual blood bag was inside the irradiator and exposed to irradiation.
Features & Benefits
All RAD-CONTROL® indicators are carefully produced and comprehensively tested in accordance with our ISO 13485 quality management system in order to avoid risks in your process. They can be fully customised by size, language and any other additional information. Check out the full scope of features and benefits.
blood irradiation indicator
RAD-CONTROL® SCALE
The semi-quantitative version of the RAD-CONTROL® product line is an alternative option for verifying blood irradiation. This indicator label provides visual confirmation and classifies irradiation results between a minimum and a maximum value. Lot code barcodes or other add-ons are optional customisation features.
The semi-quantitative version of the RAD-CONTROL® product line is an alternative option for verifying blood irradiation. This indicator label provides visual confirmation and classifies irradiation results between a minimum and a maximum value. Lot code barcodes or other add-ons are optional customisation features.
NOT IRRADIATED
IRRADIATED
RAD-CONTROL® SCALE
How it works
Before irradiation, the RAD-CONTROL® SCALE is simply affixed to the blood product and the indicator field shows a pale pink. When exposed to irradiation, the indicator field changes from pale pink to blue. Unique colour-changing material produces different shades of blue related to the amount of radiation applied.
Features & Benefits
All RAD-CONTROL® indicators are carefully produced and comprehensively tested in accordance with our ISO 13485 quality management system in order to avoid risks in your process. They can be fully customised by size, language and any other additional information. Check out the full scope of features and benefits here.
Questions?
Simply contact us.
Interesting posts
Blood irradiation is vital for patients at risk of developing TA-GvHD. Find out more about how to correctly verify blood irradiation and why dosimetry checks and the use of irradiation indicators should not be ignored or confused.
Blood is irradiated before transfusion in order to avoid the formation of the rare but mostly fatal TA-GvHD. Here is why it is much better to prevent this disease with blood irradiation than to diagnose it.
The transfusion-associated graft-versus-host reaction is a complication of blood transfusion in immunodeficient patients. Read here why it can arise and what serious reactions it causes.
The digital traceability of blood transfusions is of crucial importance - also if blood irradiation is involved. Find the latest developments in digital verification of blood irradiation in this article.
The irradiation process of blood products can currently be carried out with gamma or X-ray irradiation. But what are the differences and the latest developments between the two radiation sources?