RE: I-131 Therapy Dose Limits

["Francis K. Herbig" <herbig@nucmed.slu.edu>]

(1) - physicians perscribe doses and no limits are imposed, doses as
high as 200 mCi (sometimes higher) are used for thyroid CA.

(2) - see (1)

(3) - for high dose therapy a private room w/ bath is usually designated,
 floors, fixtures usually covered w/ removable material; therefore practically 
any hospital can prepare a 'isoloation' room.  Surveys of surrounding 
areas are made to ensure acceptable ambient dose rates, waste containers
in room, etc.  Following discharge, room surveyed, cleaned as necessary,
and returned to general admission service.  Depending on frequency of 
patient treatments, a special room may be designated but this is not required
by regulation.

(4) - TEDE for any other individual limited to 5 mSv (0.5 rem).  Guidance 
for calculations, etc may be found in NRC RegGuide 8.39, "Release of 
Patients administered Radioactive Materials"

***********************************
Francis K. Herbig
Department of Veterans Affairs
National Health Physics Program
herbig@nucmed.slu.edu
***********************************

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From: 	772EAR@delphi.com[SMTP:772EAR@delphi.com]
Sent: 	Wednesday, June 04, 1997 8:29 AM
To: 	Multiple recipients of list
Subject: 	I-131 Therapy Dose Limits

I am asking the following for my counter part in Europe:

1.  Has the NRC open-source radiotherapy limit for I-131 in the been
raised to 100 mCi from 30 mCi? 

2.  What are the maximum allowable doses for open-source radiotherapy in
the USA?

3. How many hospital centers in the USA exist with isolation room
facillities?

3. Is there a number for the total isolation rooms available in the
USA?

4. What are the patient release criteria in the USA, once these patients
received high-dose radionuclide therapy?

Thanks in advance for responses to these queries.

Regards,
Vince Chase
Radiation Safety Officer
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals
The opinions expressed above are those of the author and do not represent
the opinions, policies or practices of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals.