saftey of being in the proximity of someone on RAI therapy

["Steve Packard" <kb1ipd@HOTMAIL.COM>]

Hello.   I realize that this board is not normally concerned with nuclear 

medicine, but perhaps someone with a good health physics background could 

help me.



I have a very good friend who a few years ago was diagnosed with thyroid, 

throat and lymphoid cancer.   Her thyroid was removed and since then she has 

been given radiation therapy approximately every 6 months.



Her therapy consists of direct gamma irradiation of the neck region and 

ingestion of radioactive iodine.    I believe the isotope is iodine-123, but 

she didn’t know for sure what isotope of iodine is used.    The iodine is 

administered in an attempt to eliminate any remaining thyroid tissue.



The radiation therapy has the side effect of making her very ill, 

immediately after it is administered, and has the long term effect of 

causing her sinus problems.



Her sinuses are chronically clogged and painfully filled with fluid that is 

impossible to drain.   She has sinus infections frequently and has been on 

antibiotics so many times for sinus infections, that they are losing their 

effectiveness.



I am not sure if it is the iodine treatment or the direct irritation which 

has caused this damage to the sinus region.     However, clearly there has 

been tissue damage from the radiation that is not healing.    Does anyone 

know of any supplements, medications or techniques that are effective in 

promoting the healing of radiation damaged tissue, such as that in the 

sinuses?





And on a related note:



When my friend is given the radioactive iodine, she is ordered to stay alone 

in her home for over a week.   She is told she cannot be within 25 feet of 

anyone else and cannot closely interact in any way.    This is very 

difficult for her, especially because she becomes ill and would benefit from 

personal care.



Would it be safe to spend time with her if I did the following:  I Took 

potassium-iodine before being around her (incase somehow iodine excreted 

entered the environment),  I wore a 1 mm thick lead radiological apron, lead 

kilt, thyroid protector, gonad protector, radiological lead-acrylic glasses, 

and .5 mm equivalent full-arm lead-rubber gloves.   I also would wear a 

digital alarm dosimeter to verify that my time would stay within reasonable 

limits of safety.



If I took these protective steps, would I be safe to spend a period of a 

couple hours a day with her?



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