Measurement of the Radiation Dose Rates of Patients Receiving Treatment with I-131 Using Telescopic Radiation Survey Meter

Document Type : Original Paper

Authors

Department of Protection and Safety, Atomic Energy Commission of Syria, P.O. Box 6091, Damascus, Syria

Abstract

Introduction
In order to discharge the patients receiving treatment with large radiation doses of 131I for thyroid cancer, it is necessary to measure and evaluate the external dose rates of these patients. The aim of the study was to assess a new method of external dose rate measurement, and to analyze the obtained results as a function of time.
Materials and Methods
In this study, a telescopic radiation survey meter was utilized to measure the external dose rates of a sample population of 192 patients receiving treatment with high-dose 131I at one, 24, and 48 hours after dose administration.
Results
The proposed technique could reduce the occupational radiation exposure of the physicist by a factor of 1/16. Moreover, the external dose rates of both genders rapidly decreased with time according to bi-exponential equations, which could be attributed to the additional factors associated with iodine excretion, as well as the physiology of the body in terms of 131I uptake.
Conclusion
According to the results of this study, telescopic radiation survey meter could be used to measure the external dose rates of patients receiving treatment with 131I. Furthermore, the average difference in the radiation exposure between female and male patients was calculated to be less than 17%.

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Iranian Journal of Medical Physics
Volume 13, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
March and April 2016
Pages 36-42

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History

  • Receive Date: 06 November 2015
  • Revise Date: 02 July 2016
  • Accept Date: 09 May 2016

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