Release of I-131 Patients

["Wesley M. Dunn" <WDUNN@brc1.tdh.state.tx.us>]

Nuclear medicine patients can be released from a medical facility
(in the US) if they contain less than 30 mCi OR have a dose rate of
less than 5 mrem/hr at 1 meter.  These numbers are independant of the
isotope, but are originally based on dose to the public from I-131
therapy.

There is a range of treatments using I-131 generally ranging from 8
mCi to 150 mCi.  Common uses include treating hyperthyroidism and
thyroid carcinomas.  Our nuc med people can give you better details
than I can.

Wes


> Date: Wed, 12 Jul 95 03:53:31 -0500
> From: "Andrew Welsh" <WELSHA@kbpnfs01.eskom.co.za>
> Subject:       Release of I-131 Patients
>
> As I am not a radiologist, I would like to know a bit more about what
> sort of doses patients typically receive, and how soon they are
> released from hospital.  (The information we have indicated that they
> received approximately 220MBq.)