Re: Male Preconception Risks

[R.Smart@unsw.edu.au]

Dear David,

There was a useful Editorial entitled " Radiation, conception and
pregnancy"  by PJ Mountford in Nuclear Medicine Communications, 1999,
20:979-981.

It quotes advice from the UK ARSAC (Administration of Radioactive
Substances Advisory Committee)  that male patients "should avoid fathering
a child for 4 months after treatment with I-131-iodine, P-32-phosphate or
Sr-89-chloride, on the grounds that this period is greater than the life of
a sperm cell." 

Richard

At 14:54 28/07/00 -0500, David Jones wrote:
>Can somebody provide information concerning the risks and safeguards
regarding male exposures prior to conception.  I am specifically interested
in the low therapy exposure range (5 mCi I-131) and the amount of time to
recommend (if any) to abstain from reproductive activities.  Your
assistance in this matter would be appreciated.
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Medical Physics Calendar  http://medphys.org/calendar/
>
>
Richard Smart PhD
Principal Physicist and Radiation Safety Officer
Nuclear Medicine Department
St. George Hospital
Kogarah
NSW, 2217, Australia
Tel: (61 2) 9350 3129
Fax: (61 2) 9350 3991
email: r.smart@unsw.edu.au
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