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Use of a Voxel Phantom as a Source and a Second Voxel Phantom as a Target to Calculate Effective Doses in Individuals Exposed to Patients Treated with ¹³¹I

¹ Departamento de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil; ² Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and ³ Programa de Engenharia Nuclear/COPPE/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Correspondence: For correspondence or reprints contact: Albérico B. de Carvalho, Jr., Departamento de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Ilhéus-Itabuna, Km 16, Ilhéus, Bahia 45650-000, Brazil. E-mail: ablohem{at}gmail.com

In this study, the Visual Monte Carlo radiation transport code and the female voxel phantom FAX were used to calculate organ and effective doses delivered by target–source irradiation geometries associated with radioiodine therapy treatments. Methods: Specific situations were considered: when a patient was accompanied during hospitalization, when a patient was accompanied on return to his or her residence, and when a patient received daily care at home. Results: This simulation study showed that, in the 3 situations considered, the total effective dose to an individual in normal contact with the patient was less than 0.85 mSv for up to 11.1 GBq (300 mCi) of administered activity. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that for these patients receiving radioiodine therapy, radiation protection procedures after hospital discharge are unnecessary.

Key Words: radionuclide therapy; patient release; radiation safety; dosimetry; Monte Carlo method