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Answer to Question #5240 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"Category: Nuclear Medicine Patient Issues — Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field: Q
I had my thyroid removed one year ago. Recently I had a 5mCi 131I uptake and whole-body scan. The tech advised me that because of the low dose and no thyroid left to retain the 131I, no safety precautions are required even though I have a one-year-old child in the house. Just as a precaution I avoided my son for 33 hours after I took the pill and then resumed normal dad duties. Could I have exposed my son to damaging radiation? A
Individuals who have had their thyroid glands removed excrete radioactive iodine from their bodies very readily. After 33 hours, only a small fraction of the administered dose remains. Because you waited for the length of time that you did, it is doubtful that you subjected your child to any risk. Kenneth L. Miller, CHP, CMHP
Answer posted on 7 March 2006. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.
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