Re: Therapeutic I-131 waste

[gfeldman@uci.edu (Gerald Feldman)]

Demetrios:

Your "problem" has already been "solved".

The straight poop is that excreta from individuals undergoing diagnosis or 
therapy with radioactive materials may be disposed of in the sanitary sewer 
per 10CFR20.2003(b).  (Patients should be instructed to flush two or three 
times.)

And by the way, depending upon the condition of the patient's thyroid, most 
of the I-131 may be excreted and does _not_ stay inside the patient.  Uptake 
for patients being treated for thyroid cancer may be extremely low because 
the thyroid may have already been surgically removed and any remaining 
tissue is not function well due to the disease.


...........................reply separator...............................
>
>I have been asked to tackle the problem of I-131 in the
>excrements of patients who are taking it for therapeutic reasons.
>I know that most of the stuff stays inside the patient anyway
>but I need some references or direction to any currently accepted solutions.
>Are there any recommendations from ICRP or NCRP?
>
>
>Thanks to everyone
>
>Demetrios Okkalides
>
>
***************************************************************************
  Gerald Feldman, M.S.
  Radiation Safety Officer
  UCI Medical Center
  101 City Drive South, Rt. 107
  Orange, California  92668
  Voice:  (714) 456-5607;     FAX:  (714) 634-8639
  E-mail: gfeldman@uci.edu
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