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

Abstract

<strong>Introduction</strong> <br/>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. <br/><strong>Materials and Methods</strong> <br/>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. <br/><strong>Results</strong> <br/>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. <br/><strong>Conclusion</strong> <br/>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%.