The side effects of radioactive iodine treatment include an increased risk of developing cancers, damage to the thyroid gland, and infertility. The radioactive iodine can also cause other health problems including: increased risk for cancer or thyroid problems
What are the risks of radioactive iodine therapy?
Risks and Side Effects of Radioactive Iodine Treatment Depending on the dose used in the treatment, a hospital stay in a special isolation room for a few days may be required to prevent others from being exposed to the radiation. Short-Term Side Effects of RAI Treatment Include: Neck tenderness and swelling Nausea and vomiting
What are the side effects of radioactive iodine therapy?
Temporary side effects of RAI may include:
- Neck tenderness and swelling.
- Nausea.
- Swollen salivary glands.
- Loss of taste or taste change.
- Dry mouth/insufficient salivary production.
- Dry eyes.
- Excessive tearing from the eyes.
What are the long term side effects of radioactive iodine?
Long term side effects of radioactive iodine treatment vary depending on:
- your age
- other medical conditions
- your dose of radioactive iodine
What to expect after radioactive iodine treatment?
You can expect to live a fairly normal life after radioactive iodine treatment but your life will probably not be exactly as it was before your procedure. For most people, this means that you can expect to live at 80-90% of your 'normal'.
What are the long term side effects of radioactive iodine?
Possible long term side effectsAbility to have children (fertility) Some women may have irregular periods after radioactive iodine treatment. ... Inflammation of the salivary glands (where spit is made) ... Tiredness. ... Dry or watery eyes. ... Lower levels of blood cells. ... Lung problems. ... Second cancers.
Does radioactive iodine treatment shorten your life?
Quality of life is worse at 6-10 years after radioactive iodine therapy of Graves' disease compared with treatment with antithyroid drugs or surgery. Quality of life is worse at 6-10 years after radioactive iodine therapy of Graves' disease compared with treatment with antithyroid drugs or surgery.
Why radioactive iodine is dangerous?
Findings from a study of patients who received radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment for hyperthyroidism show an association between the dose of treatment and long-term risk of death from solid cancers, including breast cancer.
How successful is radioactive iodine treatment?
Conclusion: Radioactive iodine treatment is an effective modality for definitive treatment of hyperthyroidism with long-term cure approaching 80%.
Which is better radioactive iodine or surgery?
Surgery for hyperthyroidism was associated with a lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death as compared to radioactive iodine therapy during long-term follow-up, particularly in men.
Is there an alternative to radioactive iodine?
These alternative therapies include two major categories: redifferentiation therapy and recent molecular target therapy. Several clinical trials have investigated these therapies. They demonstrated potential effects of the therapies, although the results have been somewhat limited so far.
How long do you have to be isolated after radioactive iodine?
You are also required to self isolate for 7 days after your radioiodine treatment in order to minimise the risk of contracting COVID-19 whilst there is still a large amount of radioactivity in your body. A small proportion of people with COVID-19 may become very unwell and require admission to hospital.
Does radioactive iodine affect the brain?
While further study is needed, the authors suggest that the radiation from radioactive iodine therapy affect the large arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain thus increasing the risk of a stroke.
Can radioactive iodine cause other cancers?
Patients treated with radioactive iodine also have an increased risk of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), stomach cancer, and salivary gland cancer.
Where do you stay after radioactive iodine treatment?
The iodine-131 will wash out in the laundry....To decrease the radiation dose to others:You should sleep in a separate bed. ... Remain in your home for the first four days.Do not hold young children or spend much time near a pregnant woman.Family members should stay about six feet or more from you.More items...•
Will I gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment?
Treatment of hyperthyroidism with RAI or anti-thyroid medications is associated with an increased risk of gaining weight and even developing obesity. This risk is slightly higher with RAI therapy compared to medications.
Does radioactive iodine affect teeth?
High-dose radioiodine treatment can impair the long-term dental health, depending on the intensity of treatment and individual radioiodine uptake within the salivary glands. Patients should be made aware of salivary gland damage before high-dose radioiodine treatment.
When was the thyrotoxicosis follow up study?
The new findings are from a long-term follow-up study of a large cohort of people with hyperthyroidism (mainly Graves’ disease) who were treated with radiation between 1946 and 1964 , the Cooperative Thyrotoxicosis Therapy Follow-up Study.
Which organ absorbs radiation?
Most of the radiation is absorbed by the thyroid gland, but other organs like the breast and stomach are also exposed during treatment. The researchers observed positive dose–response relationships between the dose absorbed by an organ and mortality from cancer at that site.
What is the National Cancer Institute?
About the National Cancer Institute (NCI): NCI leads the National Cancer Program and NIH’s efforts to dramatically reduce the prevalence of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers.
How to avoid radiation?
Here are some ways to minimize radiation risks to other people (and pets) after you have had RAI treatment: 1 Stay at least six feet away from other people, including members of the public, family members, and co-workers, for three to 11 days. This means avoiding public transportation, hotels, carpools, and in some cases, your workplace. 2 Sleep apart from adults by at least six feet (a separate bedroom is recommended) and avoid sexual activity. 3 Avoid sleeping in the same bed with a pregnant woman, infant, or child for a period of six to 23 days. According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, infants and children should ideally stay outside the home for the recommended period. 1 4 To protect family pets, do not sleep with them for up to 21 days.
How to minimize radiation risks?
Keep Your Distance. Here are some ways to minimize radiation risks to other people (and pets) after you have had RAI treatment: Stay at least six feet away from other people, including members of the public, family members, and co-workers, for three to 11 days. This means avoiding public transportation, hotels, carpools, and in some cases, ...
Does iodine affect thyroid?
Because the radioactive iodine used (known as iodine 131) may expose those around you to the effects of radiation (and theoretically negatively affect their thyroid glands), you will be given guidelines on how to prevent such exposure. Laura Porter / Verywell.
Can you hospitalize after a RAI?
It is not common in the United States to hospitalize patients after RAI, but if you are receiving a particularly high dosage of iodine 131 and have no way to protect children or babies, it may be an option. A Low-Iodine Diet Can Make Radioactive Iodine Treatment More Effective.
What is the radiation used for thyroid cancer?
The radiation dose used here is much stronger than the one used in radioiodine scans, which are described in Tests for Thyroid Cancer. This treatment can be used to ablate (destroy) any thyroid tissue not removed by surgery or to treat some types of thyroid cancer that have spread to lymph nodes and other parts of the body.
How long after radiation therapy can you go home?
Depending on the dose of radioiodine used and where you are being treated, you might need to be in the hospital for a few days after treatment, staying in a special isolation room to prevent others from being exposed to radiation. Some people may not need to be hospitalized. Once you are allowed to go home after treatment, you will be given instructions on how to protect others from radiation exposure and how long you need to take these precautions. These instructions may vary slightly by treatment center. Be sure you understand the instructions before you leave the hospital.
How long should I take thyrotropin before RAI?
Another way is to get an injection (shot) of thyrotropin (Thyrogen), which can make withholding thyroid hormone for a long period of time unnecessary. This drug is given daily for 2 days, followed by RAI on the 3 rd day. Most doctors also recommend that you follow a low iodine diet for 1 or 2 weeks before treatment.
How to treat RAI?
For RAI therapy to be most effective, you must have a high level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH or thyrotropin) in the blood. This hormone is what makes thyroid tissue (and cancer cells) take up radioactive iodine. If your thyroid has been removed, there are a couple of ways to raise TSH levels before being treated with RAI: 1 One way is to stop taking thyroid hormone pills for several weeks. This causes very low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism), which makes the pituitary gland to release more TSH. This intentional hypothyroidism is temporary, but it often causes symptoms like tiredness, depression, weight gain, constipation, muscle aches, and reduced concentration. 2 Another way is to get an injection (shot) of thyrotropin (Thyrogen), which can make withholding thyroid hormone for a long period of time unnecessary. This drug is given daily for 2 days, followed by RAI on the 3 rd day.
Can you use rai for thyroid cancer?
Discuss your risks and benefits of RAI therapy with your doctor. Radioactive iodine therapy cannot be used to treat anaplastic (undifferentiated) and medullary thyroid carcinomas because these types of cancer do not take up iodine.
Can radiation cause irregular periods?
Radioactive iodine may also affect a woman’ s ovaries, and some women may have irregular periods for up to a year after treatment.
Does radioactive iodine help with thyroid cancer?
Radioactive iodine therapy helps people live longer if they have papillary or follicular thyroid cancer (differentiated thyroid cancer) that has spread to the neck or other body parts, and it is now standard practice in such cases. But the benefits of RAI therapy are less clear for people with small cancers of the thyroid gland ...
Where does the thyroid take iodine?
This uptake happens in the stomach, lungs, even on skin.
How long can you stay in isolation after taking I131?
In fact, the USA is one of the ONLY countries that lets RAI patients go home after they take the I131. Most other countries keep RAI patients for 3-5 days in a special lead lined isolation room.
How long does I131 decay?
Interesting! I131 does has an 8 day half life (1), so for those of you who read our article on half life and decay know that every 8 days the amount of radiation becomes half. I recently read something that explained it in another way, the half life of an isotope “is really the lifetime of half of the isotope present in the system at any given time.” (2). If someone, even your doctor tells you that it (I131) will “evaporate” or “go away” in 16 days, he/she is dead wrong. Dangerous information like this scares me. Radiation can NEVER “just go away”, it will slowly decay until it becomes immeasurable! For the most part the rule of thumb is that once an isotope goes through 11 half lives, it is, for all practical purposes safe enough to be considered “not radioactive”. This, of course, depends on the starting activity level. All you will need to know is that any contamination that may be left in your home from the “discharge” of RAI treatment, will be safely decayed in 88 days.
Is I131 a beta particle?
People with healthily thyroids who uptake I131 may have dangerous beta particles mutating or killing their healthy cells. According to an article in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism Exposure to small amounts if I131 may be more dangerous than large amounts.
How many half lives does an isotope have?
For the most part the rule of thumb is that once an isotope goes through 11 half lives, it is, for all practical purposes safe enough to be considered “not radioactive”. This, of course, depends on the starting activity level.
Is RAI safe for thyroid?
RAI treatment for Thyroid problems is an extremely effective and safe procedure for the patient! However exposing others to the radioactive contamination being eliminated from your body is a potential hazard. Over the many weeks of your therapy, your body will be releasing all of the I131 that was put into it.
Is the internet good or bad?
The good thing about the internet is that a tremendous amount of information is available to people 24 hours a day. The bad thing about the internet is that a lot of the information people are getting is very wrong. This is very true when it comes to radioactive iodine treatment. We have seen cases over and over where completely unqualified ...
What is the purpose of radioactive iodine?
The aim of the treatment is to damage and kill the cells responsible for the hyperthyroidism. Radioactive iodine and some other radioisotopes used in Nuclear Medicine are produced during the production of nuclear energy. They are a by-product or, if you like, a useful waste product.
Why is radio iodine so effective?
One of the reasons that radio-iodine treatment is so effective is because the thyroid readily takes up iodine, which is used in thyroid hormone production. To ensure that the treatment is maximised you will be asked to avoid any foods and medicines ...
How long do you have to stay in hospital after ablative thyroid?
Patients who have what is called an ablative dose (usually for treatment of thyroid cancer) are asked to stay in hospital for three days following the treatment. This is to reduce the doses to other members of the public.
How long does it take to stop taking anti-thyroid medication?
This is usually prescribed in the beginning, for all patients, and approximately half of all patients are successfully treated with this method and can cease taking the medication after six months.
Why is lead used in medicine?
The lead captures the emitted radiation, preventing it from resulting in a dose to anybody. It also helps to reduce the amount of time staff spend in contact with radiation, making it possible for us to prepare injections and transport doses without exposing ourselves to an unnecessary dose of radiation.
Why can't you get pregnant after radiotherapy?
Patients are advised not to become pregnant for 6 months following radio-iodine treatment. This is because the radiation that is used could potentially affect the DNA in human cells.
What are the three types of radiation?
Nuclear Medicine concerns three types of radiation: Alpha particles, which are made up of two protons and two neutrons (the material that makes up the nucleus of any atom), Beta, which is either an electron or a positron (smaller particles that form part of an atom) and Gamma, which is basically an energy wave.
What is the risk of radioiodine?
1.) Risk to the patient: The radioiodine (I -131) used to treat thyroid disease in people and animals emits both gamma rays and beta particles. The beta particles, which are much more potent forms of radiation, travel an average distance of less than 1 mm. Because of the short distances they travel they never exit the patient ...
What are the complications of radioiodine therapy?
These complications include cerebrovascular events (i.e., strokes) and the premature exacerbation of pre-existing kidney disease. Luckily these risks will diminish in time following successful radioiodine therapy and a return to a persistently normal thyroid level.
What is the average risk of dying from cancer?
The majority of cancers occur later in life and the average lifetime risk of dying from cancer is 25%.
What happens if DNA is damaged?
If DNA is damaged, there are three possible outcomes: The cell dies (only occurs with very high doses). The cell repairs itself perfectly (most common result). The cell repairs itself with mistakes (rare). The inaccurate repair of DNA is rare, but can cause a cell to act wildly or grow into a cancer.
Can you put radioactive iodine in your cat's urine?
The good news is that virtually every client will already take steps to avoid this, even when radioactive iodine in their cat's urine is not the motivation.
What happens when X-rays pass through the body?
When x-rays, or any ionizing radiation, pass through the body they cause electrons to be ejected from atoms, leaving behind positive ions. These positive ions, or free radicals, can cause damage to DNA. DNA can also be damaged directly by radiation. If DNA is damaged, there are three possible outcomes:
Does iodine help cats with thyroid disease?
When it comes to survival, the studies that have been done show that cats cured of their thyroid disease by radioactive iodine live much longer (up to twice as long) when compared to hyperthy roid cats treated by methimazole. So in this case the targeted radiation exposure is actually increasing survival for these patients.
What to do if your feet are radioactive?
Do's. DO - Wear Slippers (cheap and disposable) or thick socks at all times. Your feet perspire and will leave radioactive “footprints”. DO - Place a plastic drop cloth under your bed sheets and above your mattress pad. Wrap your pillow (under the pillow case) with plastic cooking wrap.
Can bleach cause radioactive iodine?
Dont's. DON'T - USE BLEACH or bleach containing cleaners. Bleach will cause radioactive iodine to become gaseous and may spread far and wide. DON'T - Forget to remove any drop-in toilet tank cleaners that have bleach in them. DON'T - Eat any foods with cores or bones (such as apples, fried chicken, etc.) or chew gum.
