When is radioactive iodine used

Ask your doctor to recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever if this occurs. It is highly likely that this procedure will destroy some or most of your thyroid gland.

Since hormones produced by the thyroid are essential for metabolism, most patients will need to take thyroid pills for the rest of their life following the procedure. Thyroid pills are inexpensive, and patients will typically be prescribed one pill per day. There are essentially no other permanent side effects from the procedure.

The risk of cancer from this therapy is very small. Please type your comment or suggestion into the text box below. Note: we are unable to answer specific questions or offer individual medical advice or opinions. I diagnostic whole body images demonstrate no abnormal focus of activity to suggest metastasis. I post treatment whole body images demonstrate multiple abnormal foci of activities consistent with extensive cervical lymph nodes and pulmonary metastases.

These findings confirmed by subsequent CT images. Please contact your physician with specific medical questions or for a referral to a radiologist or other physician. To locate a medical imaging or radiation oncology provider in your community, you can search the ACR-accredited facilities database. This website does not provide cost information. The costs for specific medical imaging tests, treatments and procedures may vary by geographic region. Web page review process: This Web page is reviewed regularly by a physician with expertise in the medical area presented and is further reviewed by committees from the Radiological Society of North America RSNA and the American College of Radiology ACR , comprising physicians with expertise in several radiologic areas.

Outside links: For the convenience of our users, RadiologyInfo. Toggle navigation. What is Radioiodine I Therapy and how is it used? Who will be involved in this procedure? What equipment is used? Who operates the equipment? Is there any special preparation needed for the procedure? How is the procedure performed? What will I feel during this procedure?

Are there permanent side effects from the procedure? Doctors also use radioactive iodine I to treat thyroid cancer. There is no equipment used during radioactive iodine therapy. The following guidelines comply with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Use private toilet facilities, if possible, and flush twice after each use. Bathe daily and wash hands frequently. Drink a normal amount of fluids. Use disposable eating utensils or wash your utensils separately from others.

Sleep alone and avoid prolonged intimate contact for three or four days. Brief periods of close contact, such as handshaking and hugging, are permitted. Launder your linens, towels, and clothes daily at home, separately. If you have any questions about radiation safety, call Monday through Friday from am to pm.

If you have an emergency after pm , during the weekend, or on holidays, call your endocrine doctor, or go to urgent care or the nearest emergency room. You may also call Nuclear Medicine at if you have any questions about appointment times or your treatment. Your feedback will help us improve the information we provide to patients and caregivers. We read every comment, but we're not able to respond. If you have questions about your care, contact your healthcare provider.

For more resources, visit www. Back to top About Radioactive Iodine Treatment Treatment with radioactive iodine lowers your risk of your thyroid cancer coming back.

Back to top Before Your Radioactive Iodine Treatment Discuss your treatment plan Your doctor will discuss your treatment plan with you. Your treatment plan will follow these steps that will take place over a few days: 1.

Breastfeeding and radioactive iodine therapy Radioactive iodine can collect in breast tissue with milk in it. Plan for transportation after treatment Radioactive iodine gives off radiation.

Make a plan for getting home before you come for your treatment. Back to top The Day of Your Radioactive Iodine Treatment Showering You can shower with soap and water the night before or the morning of your treatment. You can use your usual deodorant, lotions, creams, and makeup. Medications Talk with your doctor about your thyroid medication. Take all other medications as you normally would. Diet Continue to follow a low-iodine diet.

Eat a light breakfast, such as oatmeal, at least 2 hours before your scheduled treatment. You can take these items home with you after your treatment.

During your treatment Your visitors will be asked to leave. The liquid is clear and has little to no flavor. Most people say it tastes like water, but some say that it has a slightly stale or musty taste. After your treatment Right after your treatment, the health physicist will monitor your radiation levels with a hand-held device. Radioiodine treats this condition by killing overactive thyroid cells or by shrinking an enlarged thyroid gland.

This stops the thyroid gland from producing too much thyroid hormone. The nuclear medicine team will try to calculate a dose that leaves you with normal thyroid function. But, this calculation is not always completely accurate. As a result, the treatment can lead to hypothyroidism , which needs to be treated with thyroid hormone supplementation.

Radioactive iodine treatment is also used in the treatment of some thyroid cancers after surgery has already removed the cancer and most of the thyroid. The radioactive iodine kills any remaining thyroid cancer cells that might remain after surgery.

You may receive this treatment 3 to 6 weeks after the surgery to remove your thyroid. It also can kill cancer cells that may have spread to other parts of the body.

Many thyroid experts now believe this treatment has been overused in some people with thyroid cancer because we now know that some people have a very low risk for cancer recurrence. Talk to your provider about the risks and benefits of this treatment for you. Women should not be pregnant or breastfeeding at the time of treatment, and they should not become pregnant for 6 to 12 months following treatment.

Men should avoid conception for at least 6 months following treatment. People with Graves disease also have a risk of worsening hyperthyroidism after radioiodine therapy. Symptoms usually peak about 10 to 14 days after treatment. Most symptoms can be controlled with medications called beta blockers. Very rarely radioactive iodine treatment can cause a severe form of hyperthyroidism called thyroid storm.

You will be asked to stop any thyroid-suppressing medicines propylthiouracil, methimazole at least one week before the procedure very important or the treatment will not work. You may be placed on a low-iodine diet for 2 to 3 weeks before the procedure. You will need to avoid:. You may receive injections of thyroid-stimulating hormone to increase the uptake of iodine by thyroid cells. Chewing gum or sucking on hard candy may help with dry mouth. Your health care provider may suggest not wearing contact lenses for days or weeks afterward.

You may have a body scan to check for any remaining thyroid cancer cells after the radioiodine dose is given. To prevent exposure to others after therapy, your provider will ask you to avoid certain activities. Ask your provider how long you need to avoid these activities -- in some cases, it will depend on the dose given.