Abstract:
Objective To estimate the residual activities of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer(DTC) after administration of 131I for post-operative therapy.
Methods Thirty-five DTC patients were divided into thyroid remnant 131I ablation therapy group(20 cases)and 131I treatment for metastatic lesions group(15 cases). 131I whole body scan and the determination of equivalent dose rate at 1 meter point were performed to estimate multi-temporal residual activities in each patient 2, 6, 24, 48, and 72 h after administration of therapeutic doses of 131I, respectively. The percentage of residual activities was indirectly estimated in vivo through ratio of multi-temporal calculation of radioactive counts on 131I whole body imaging versus that at 2 h(radioactive counts on 131I whole body imaging and 131I activity at 2 h were regarded as total counts and activities), and furthermore the equivalent dose rate at 1 meter point was indirectly estimated when the residual activities reach to 400 MBq. Correlation and regression analysis were used to evaluate the relationship between residual activities and the equivalent dose rate at 1 m. Statistical significance was accepted at P < 0.05.
Results The percentage of residual activities were 99%±4%, 86%±6%, 35%±10%, 12%±8%, 7%±8% in thyroid remnant 131I ablation therapy group, and 99%±1%, 91%±7%, 47%±17%, 11%±9% and 4%±6% in 131I treatment for metastatic lesions group at 2, 6, 24, 48 and 72 h after administration of 131I, respectively. The equivalent dose rates at 1 m point were(157±37), (120±36), (35±13), (11±9) and (9±11) μSv/h in thyroid remnant 131I ablation therapy group and (234±43), (186±51), (49±20), (12±11) and (4±6) μSv/h in 131I treatment for metastatic lesions group at 2, 6, 24, 48 and 72 h after administration of 131I, respectively. There is a positive correlation between residual activities and equivalent dose rate at 1 m(r=0.87, P < 0.001). The residual activities were(432±292), (265±281) MBq 48 and 72 h after administration of 131I in thyroid remnant 131I ablation therapy group and (731±701), (277±470) MBq in 131I treatment for metastatic lesions group. At the same point of time, the corresponding range of equivalent dose rate at 1 m was from 8 to 11 μSv/h.
Conclusion The in vivo residual activity reaches the national standard of 400 MBq in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer 48~72 h after serving 131I and the range of equivalent dose rate at 1 m was from 8 to 11 μSv/h. At this time, radiation isolation could be discharged.