Sodium Iodide I 131 (Therapeutic)
Proper Use of This MedicineYour doctor
may have special instructions for you to get ready for your treatment. If
you have not received such instructions or you do not understand them, check
with your doctor ahead of time.
Dosing - The doses of radiopharmaceuticals will be different
for different patients and for the different types of treatments. The amount
of radioactivity of a radiopharmaceutical is expressed in units called becquerels
or curies. The usual adult dose of radioiodide to treat an overactive thyroid
gland is 148 to 370 megabecquerels (4 to 10 millicuries). The usual amount
of radioiodide to treat cancer of the thyroid is much larger, 1.1 to 7.4 gigabecquerels
(30 to 200 millicuries). The dose you receive depends on your size and age.
The amount of radiation received by specific areas of the body to treat a
disease is many times higher than that received from any diagnostic test,
such as x-rays and nuclear medicine scans. Doses may need to be repeated,
depending on the kind of disease you have and how your body is responding
to treatment.
|
Previous section
