In This Section
Patient Release Criteria
Background
In response to an inquiry from Rep. (now Senator) Markey (D-MA), the NRC is once again reviewing its regulation regarding outpatient treatment of patients with thyroid cancer. The NRC modified the regulations in 1997 to allow individualization of the procedure for preventing radiation exposure to the public after a patient is treated with radioactive iodine (I-131). NRC staff were given a directive to determine the feasibility of studying exposure to the public from patients treated with I-131.
SNMMI supports the current NRC stance; hospitalization of patients treated with I-131 is not for the benefit of patients. The amount of radiation ingested by the patient is very small and only 1.5 times the amount of radiation the public receives from natural resources, mostly from sun and ground, in one year. SNMMI believes that improved provider and patient education is necessary.
Current Status
SNMMI's Henkin Fellows met with the NRC to strengthen our relationship and improve communication. NRC staff is currently studying the information gap to patients on release criteria. Additionally, the NRC is working with some SNMMI members on developing the data.