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RE: I-131 therapy capsules
That should have read 8 microCi, but the Greek mu in Symbol font didn't get
translated!
David L. North, Sc.M. DABR
Associate Physicist
Department of Medical Physics
Rhode Island Hospital
593 Eddy St.
Providence, RI 02903
ph: (401)444-5961
fax: (401)444-4446
dnorth@lifespan.org
> ----------
> From: North, David
> Reply To: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
> Sent: Monday, April 24, 2000 16:38
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: RE: I-131 therapy capsules
>
> Our physicians administer the I-131 dose in liquid form only very rarely,
> say to a pediatric patient who doesn't swallow capsules well. A long time
> ago, probably before the capsules got better, I remember a case or two
> when
> a patient didn't digest the capsule and it was found in a bedpan the next
> day.
>
> Years ago I somehow got a small quantity of liquid I-131 on the skin of my
> finger, about 8 mCi. I know that because I stuck my finger into a dose
> calibrator in the nuclear medicine department and saw that reading. I
> immediately washed my hands very thoroughly with Betadine iodinated
> surgical
> scrub, which is notorious (along with iodinated x-ray contrast media) for
> interfering with diagnostic nuclear medicine thyroid exams. A check of my
> thyroid the following day revealed no uptake. I'm sure that without the
> blocking by the Betadine I would have accumulated some uptake. Stabilized
> or
> not, I-131 is readily absorbed through the skin, so a bioassay is
> definitely
> indicated.
>
> David L. North, Sc.M. DABR
> Associate Physicist
> Department of Medical Physics
> Rhode Island Hospital
> 593 Eddy St.
> Providence, RI 02903
> ph: (401)444-5961
> fax: (401)444-4446
> dnorth@lifespan.org
>
>
> > ----------
> > From: Dave Derenzo
> > Reply To: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
> > Sent: Monday, April 24, 2000 10:07
> > To: Multiple recipients of list
> > Subject: RE: I-131 therapy capsules
> >
> > Since we are still on the subject of I-131 therapy capsules, I have
> heard
> > that there are two reasons why some physicians prefer to administer the
> > solution:
> >
> > 1. It is much easier to specify a custom dose
> >
> > 2. A small spot in the stomach of the patient who gets a capsule can
> > receive a high dose before and while the capsule is dissolving. An
> > attempt
> > to mitigate this dose is usually performed by having the patient
> drinking
> > a
> > lot of water. In contrast, the solution mixes readily with stomach
> > contents.
> >
> > Also, with regard to thyroid bioassays, what happens if a person
> involved
> > with administering the stabilized liquid gets some on his or her
> > skin? Will it absorb? If so, do you feel that a bioassay would then be
>
> > needed?
> >
> > All comments are welcome and I promise not to flame anyone for their
> > opinion. Others please follow suit.
> >
> > Dave Derenzo
> >
> > At 07:42 AM 04/24/2000 -0500, you wrote:
> > >Does the tech who administers the sample continue with some follow-up
> on
> > the
> > >patient?
> > >
> > >We had an HP tech visit his mother in the hospital, not a nuclear
> > medicine
> > >patient. He came back with I-131 (~100 mREM CDE). Yes, less than 10%
> of
> > >the limit (50 REM) requiring monitoring, but throw a few of these into
> > the
> > >mix and some #s begin to add up.
> > >
> > >One needs to look at the annual picture when deciding not to monitor.
> > >
> > >Matt Williamson
> > >Indian Point Unit 3
> > >Williamson.m@nypa.gov <mailto:Williamson.m@nypa.gov>
> > >
> >
> >************************************************************************
> > >The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
> > >information can be accessed at
> http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html
> >
> >
> > Dave Derenzo, RSO (dave@uic.edu)
> > UIC Radiation Safety Section, M/C 932
> > Phones: Voice (312) 996-1177 Fax: (312) 996-8776
> >
> > ************************************************************************
> > The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
> > information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html
> >
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> The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
> information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html
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information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html