title: [Present status of unsealed radioisotope therapy in Japan based on the nation-wide questionnaire].
abstract: In Japan, clinical application of unsealed radioisotopes is strictly regulated. Especially in the field of therapy, we are allowed to use only Na131I at present. Under such circumstances, the present status of therapeutic nuclear medicine in Japan was surveyed by means of a nation-wide questionnaire, conducted in 193 hospitals. Then, 113 hospitals replied to such questionnaire (recovery rate: 58.5%), and it was found that in 77 hospitals, radioisotope therapy is being performed for Graves' disease and/or thyroid cancer. The questionnaire covered the following points: for Graves' disease the basic strategy of 131I therapy, its indications, absorbed doses planned to be given, whether the therapy had been conducted on outpatient basis or in-patient basis, method of thyroid weight estimation, interval of administration in case of multiple doses, number of patients treated per year (1996) etc., and for thyroid cancer--strategy for thyroid remnant, the doses to be given, the maximum doses permitted by the authorities in each hospital both per day and per year, handling of highly contaminated urine in each hospital, interval of administration in case of multiple doses, number of patients treated per year (1996) etc. Also questioned were dissatisfaction with the present regulation by the authorities and/or requests for the better daily work, if any. Based on the above questionnaire, the present status of unsealed radioisotope therapy in Japan was investigated.
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Eastern Blood Center, Japanese Red Cross Society.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oyamada
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000532:radiotherapy; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007564:Japan; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine