Radiation dose rate and urinary activity in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma treated with radioiodine-131; a survey in Iranian population.

The study was undertaken in order to estimate the radiation doses, that patients from Iran who received Na(131)I for the treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) emit to their environment and also in order to evaluate the instructions given to these patients after being released from the nuclear medicine department. In 29 patients with DTC following thyroidectomy and immediately after the administration of therapeutic Na(131)I for the ablation of the thyroid remnants, the dose rates from the (131)I radioactivity emitted by these patients was measured at 3 meters. Also in these patients the dose rates from the (131)I were measured before they left the nuclear medicine department, at distances of 0.