(1) Background: We reviewed the logistics of the implementation of pathogen inactivation (PI) using the INTERCEPT Blood System™ for platelets and the experience with routine use and clinical outcomes in the patient population at the Sírio-Libanês Hospital of São Paulo, Brazil. (2) Methods: Platelet concentrate (PC), including pathogen reduced (PR-PC) production, inventory management, discard rates, blood utilization, and clinical outcomes were analyzed over the 40 months before and after PI implementation. Age distribution and wastage rates were compared over the 10 months before and after approval for PR-PC to be stored for up to 7 days. (3) Results: A 100% PR-PC inventory was achieved by increasing double apheresis collections and production of double doses using pools of two single apheresis units. Discard rates decreased from 6% to 3% after PI implementation and further decreased to 1.2% after 7-day storage extension for PR-PCs. The blood utilization remained stable, with no increase in component utilization. A significant decrease in adverse transfusion events was observed after the PI implementation. (4) Conclusion: Our experience demonstrates the feasibility for Brazilian blood centers to achieve a 100% PR-PC inventory. All patients at our hospital received PR-PC and showed no increase in blood component utilization and decreased rates of adverse transfusion reactions.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has significantly challenged Blood Transfusion Services (BTS) for providing blood products and for keeping blood supplies available. The possibility that similar pandemic event may occur again has induced researchers and transfusionists to investigate the adoption of new tools to prevent and reduce these risks. Similarly, increased donor travelling and globalization, with consequent donor-deferral and donor pool reduction, have contributed to raise awareness on this topic. Although recent studies have validated the use of pathogen reduction technology (PRT) for the control of Transfusion Transmitted Infections (TTI) this method is not a standard of care despite increasing adoption. We present a critical commentary on the role of PRT for platelet and on associated problems for blood transfusion services (BTS). The balance of cost effectiveness of adopting PRT is also discussed.

Muon tomography leverages cosmic muons’ exceptional penetration capabilities to reconstruct detailed tomographic images via multiple Coulomb scattering interactions, making it invaluable for detecting High-Z materials critical to homeland security. This study introduces the Slope Intercept (SI) algorithm, a novel approach for rapid and precise tomographic image reconstruction. Implemented using Geant4 simulations in a standard-sized container tomography station, SI demonstrates superior performance in speed and simplicity compared to traditional methods. While the imaging results of SI and the Point of Closest Approach (POCA) algorithm are nearly identical, the SI algorithm is simpler to implement, requires shorter CPU time, and exhibits a smaller margin of error. Its computational efficiency and simplicity make it a robust alternative to the POCA algorithm. These findings highlight SI’s suitability for applications demanding robust imaging and efficient data processing, which are crucial for advancing security measures and scientific research.