Radiation Exposure From Patients After Radioiodine Therapy for Thyroid Cancer

Abstract

Therapeutic treatment with radionuclides leads to radiation exposure. Exposure in the vicinity of patients undergoing radionuclide therapy for thyroid carcinoma needs to be discussed due to the high amount of radioactivity administered to the patient. This study presents the estimations of annual effective doses received by members of the public not directly involved in treatment procedures after patient discharge from our Department of Nuclear Medicine. After a few days of in-patient stay, the exposure is in general very low and a dedicated supervision of the patient after discharge is dispensable.