Abstract
Iodine-131 contamination is known to be present in hospital rooms that are used to confine patients being treated with quantities of 1311 in excess of 1. 1 GBq. These activities of 13 'I are used as a post-surgical follow-up procedure to a thyroidectomy as a means of treating thyroid cancer. Previous studies have indicated the extent of contamination in hospital rooms being used during these procedures. However, contamination has not been related to risk. This paper quantifies the risk in terms of effective dose equivalent to members of the public and personnel from 1311 contamination when only minimal precautions are taken to contain the contamination during the 1311 thyroid cancer treatment procedure. Total Effective Dose Equivalent (TEDE) calculations using the NRC published dose models for surface contamination results in public exposures of less than 2.7 uSv per patient and personnel exposures of less than 2.1 uSv yr-1. Maximum TEDE to the public considering the detectable limits of portable area survey equipment indicated a worst case exposure of 340 uSv per patient. As a result, conservative protective measures utilized by many institutions, such a lining the room with plastic, appear not to be warranted.
Jones, David Maurice (1995). Risk associated with hospital rooms contaminated with 131I by patients being treated for thyroid carcinoma. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1995 -THESIS -J66.