Re: Release of I-131 Patients

[Richard Smart <R.Smart@unsw.edu.au>]

At 10:27 A 29.10.1999 -0500, Elizabeth Brackett  wrote:
>>>It seems that I have heard of a couple of facilities that have attempted to
>>measure external dose equivalents to the family members of I-131 patients by
>>issuing film or TLD badges to those family members.  Anyone know about this
>>and if so, where we can view the results?  That would be interesting.
>>

There have been a number of studies.  The best ones are probably

Barrington SF et al  "Radiation exposure of the families of outpatients
treated with radioiodine (iodine-131) for hyperthyroidism" Eur J Nucl Med
1999 26:686-692

51 patients given activities given 200 - 600 MBq.  95% of adults complied
with the 5 mSv limit (range:0.2-5.8 mSv) and 89% of children with the 1 mSv
limit (range: 0.2-7.2 mSv)


Monsieurs M et al  "Real-life radiation burden to relatives of patients
treated with iodine-131: a study in eight centres in Flanders (Belgium)"
Eur J Nucl Med 1998 25:1368-1376

13 patients given activities (3700 - 5500 MBq) for thyroid cancer, 52 given
(18- 1665 MBq) for thyrotoxicosis. Partners of cancer patients received
0.14-0.94 mSv, children received 0.28-1.09 mSv during the first 14 days
post-therapy.

Please note that the guidelines for discharge of patients in Europe is very
different from the US.  In the case of the study from Belgium, patients
were hospitalised until the dose rate at 1 m was less than 20 uSv/h.  This
equates to approximately 500 MBq retained activity.

Regards

Richard



Richard Smart PhD
Principal Physicist & Radiation Safety Officer
Department of Nuclear Medicine
St. George Hospital
Kogarah, NSW 2217
Australia
Tel:61 2 9350 3112
Fax:61 2 9350 3991
Email:R.Smart@unsw.edu.au
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