Implementation of a card with instructions for patients treated for thyroid carcinoma with 131I.
Patients discharged after their treatment with (131)I can become invisible sources of radiation for some members of the public. Even people who know that those patients have been treated with (131)I can easily forget the radiological risks that they represent. For this reason, it is essential to ensure that patients follow some instructions for a number of days until their remaining activity is low enough to irradiate members of the public under the recommended effective dose limits. Results in this study show that the number of days on which patients have to follow the mentioned instructions shows certain heterogeneity. Therefore, an individualised card with instructions given to patients after being discharged will tell them when they can restart their normal life, guaranteeing that members of the public do not receive an effective dose over the recommended limits.
Department of Medical Physics, Gurutzeta Ospitalea, Bilbao, Spain. pablo.minguezgabina@osakidetza.net
Pablo
P
Mínguez
José
J
Genolla
José Cruz
JC
Fombellida
D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010355:Patient Identification Systems; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection; D011874:Radiometry; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes