Assessment of radiation doses from I 131 to individual as well as family members of the I 131 therapy patients

Abstract

Radioactive iodine 1131 is used in the treatment of thyroid cancer or metastases. The members of the public who are willingly helping a patient during diagnosis or treatment do not know how they are getting exposed during nursing of the patient in the hospital. This study is designed to have an assessment of doses from 1131 to individual as well as family members of the patient receiving 131therapy doses. This type of study has not been done in Bangladesh before. All relatives and ward boys in clinics were wearing TLO for 7 days. Median dose found over 1 week was (.017) (range 0 -.235) mSv for the ward boy. Median dose over 1 week was (0.172) range (.0103 - 4.0317) mSv for the partners (husband and wife). Median dose over 1 week was (0.031), range (.019 -.362) mSv for others. 5 Relatives had worn TLO for extra 7 days. Median dose over 2 weeks was (0.301), range (.241 - .375) mSv. TLDs were placed on 2 patients' bedside tables. The median dose measured by these TLOs was (25.04), with a range (24.59 - 25.49) mSv. Study in 4 clinics on the patients suffering from thyroid carcinoma suggested that the patient should be hospitalised for 3-4 days with an additional 7 days of separate sleeping to avoid radiation effect due to close contact with other people. This study may be used as reference data in the treatment of thyroid cancer with 1131