[ RadSafe ] New radiation treatment practice recommendations for thyroid diseasera

[ROY HERREN]

Public release date: 7-Apr-2011

Contact: Vicki Cohn
vcohn at liebertpub.com
914-740-2100
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News 

New radiation treatment practice recommendations for thyroid disease
      
   
IMAGE: Thyroid, the Official Journal of the American Thyroid Association, is an 
authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly in print and online. For 
more information, please visit: www.liebertpub.com/thy....

Click here for more information.          
New Rochelle, NY, April 7, 2011—New recommendations from the American Thyroid 
Association (ATA) on outpatient radioiodine (131I) treatment aim to minimize 
unintended radiation exposure and maximize the safety of patients, their 
families, and the public. The new ATA recommendations are presented in the April 
issue of Thyroid, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 
(www.liebertpub.com). The ATA recommendations are available free online at 
www.liebertpub.com/thy
The ATA convened a task force to update radiation safety information related to 
outpatient 131I therapy to treat hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer. The new ATA 
practice recommendations cover a broad range of topics including travel; safety 
precautions at home, work, and school; personal hygiene; and pregnancy and 
breastfeeding. These recommendations comply with the most up-to-date U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations, including a recent guidance 
statement that advises medical professionals administering 131I therapy to ask 
patients about their intended destination after the treatment and to discourage 
them from staying at hotels to limit public radiation exposure. 

In a Commentary in the February issue of Thyroid, Richard T. Kloos, MD, 
Professor, The Ohio State University and Secretary/Chief Operating Officer of 
the ATA, states that the new ATA document "aims to provide simplified, 
consistent, and safe instructions for care providers and patients."
"The strength of these practice recommendations is that the task force included 
representatives across the range of disciplines that use radiation to treat 
thyroid patients. It is essential that our patients receive clear and consistent 
information from those ordering, administering, and monitoring these 
treatments," states Gregory A. Brent, MD, Professor of Medicine and Physiology, 
David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles and 
President of the ATA.
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Thyroid, the Official Journal of the American Thyroid Association 
(www.thyroid.org) is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly in 
print and online. The Journal publishes original articles and timely reviews 
that reflect the rapidly advancing changes in our understanding of thyroid 
physiology and pathology, from the molecular biology of the cell to clinical 
management of thyroid disorders. Complete tables of content and a free sample 
issue may be viewed online at www.liebertpub.com/thy
The American Thyroid Association (ATA), a non-profit medical society founded in 
1923, is the lead organization in promoting thyroid health and understanding 
thyroid biology. The ATA values scientific inquiry, clinical excellence, public 
service, education, collaboration and collegiality. ATA fulfills its mission 
through supporting excellence and innovation in research, clinical care, 
education and public health. ATA members are physicians and scientists who work 
to enhance the understanding of thyroid physiology and pathophysiology, improve 
diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases, and promote the education of 
physicians, patients and the public about thyroid disorders. Thyroid diseases 
are among the most common disorders of the endocrine system, affecting almost 13 
million Americans. The ATA has extensive online information at www.thyroid.org 
on thyroid disease for patients in both English and Spanish and serves as the 
clinical resource for patients and the public who look for reliable information 
on the Internet.
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., is a privately held, fully integrated media company 
known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising 
areas of science and biomedical research, including Diabetes Technology & 
Therapeutics, Journal of Women's Health, and Metabolic Syndrome and Related 
Disorders. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology 
News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely 
read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 60 journals, books, 
and newsmagazines is available at www.liebertpub.com. 

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 140 Huguenot St., New Rochelle, NY 10801-5215 
www.liebertpub.com 

Phone: (914) 740-2100 (800) M-LIEBERT Fax: (914) 740-2101 
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