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How is iodine 131 used in diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease?

How is iodine 131 used in diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease?

When a small dose of I-131 is swallowed, it is absorbed into the bloodstream in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It is concentrated from the blood by the thyroid gland, where it begins destroying the gland’s cells. Doctors also use radioactive iodine I-131 to treat thyroid cancer.

What is the uses of isotopes iodine 131?

…exceptionally useful radioactive isotope is iodine-131, which has a half-life of eight days. It is employed in medicine to monitor thyroid gland functioning, to treat goitre and thyroid cancer, and to locate tumours of the brain and of the liver.

What is I-131 thyroid test?

I-131 scan is a non-invasive radionucleotide scan used for imaging of functional thyroid tissue and thyroid cancer remnant/metastasis.

What is iodine for thyroid?

Iodine is an essential mineral commonly found in seafood. Your thyroid gland uses it to make thyroid hormones, which help control growth, repair damaged cells and support a healthy metabolism ( 1 , 2 ). Unfortunately, up to a third of people worldwide are at risk of an iodine deficiency ( 3 ).

When is iodine-131 used?

I-131 is used in medicine to diagnose and treat cancers of the thyroid gland. Where does it come from? I-131 is produced commercially for medical and industrial uses through nuclear fission. It also is a byproduct of nuclear fission processes in nuclear reactors and weapons testing.

What type of radiation is iodine 131?

Radioactive isotope iodine-131 simultaneously emits two types of radiation: radiation beta minus (β-) used for the treatment and gamma (γ) used for diagnosis. Due to the penetration of beta particles in tissue, damaging effect of β-radiation is restricted to thyroid cells.

How is iodine-125 used?

Iodine-125 (125I) is a radioisotope of iodine which has uses in biological assays, nuclear medicine imaging and in radiation therapy as brachytherapy to treat a number of conditions, including prostate cancer, uveal melanomas, and brain tumors. It is the second longest-lived radioisotope of iodine, after iodine-129.

What is iodine treatment?

Radioactive iodine (RAI) is treatment for overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and certain types of thyroid cancer. The term “radioactive” may sound frightening, but it is a safe, generally well-tolerated, and reliable treatment that targets thyroid cells so there is little exposure to the rest of your body’s cells.

How iodine is used in thyroid hormone production?

Iodine is a crucial micronutrient for thyroid hormone synthesis and the only source is dietary. Iodide (I−) is absorbed in the stomach and small intestine, and is concentrated from the blood stream into the thyroid follicular cell through the action of the sodium/iodide symporter (NIS).

How does iodine produce thyroid?

Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body which can absorb iodine. These cells combine iodine and the amino acid tyrosine to make T3 and T4. T3 and T4 are then released into the blood stream and are transported throughout the body where they control metabolism (conversion of oxygen and calories to energy).

Why is sodium iodide containing I-131 used to analyze the thyroid gland for suspected thyroid disease?

Iodine-131 is an ideal therapeutic radiopharmaceutical for both benign and malignant thyroid diseases as it has a relatively high absorbed radiation dose due to its half-life and beta-particle emission.

Why is iodine used for radiation?

KI (potassium iodide) is a salt of stable (not radioactive) iodine that can help block radioactive iodine from being absorbed by the thyroid gland, thus protecting this gland from radiation injury.

What is iodine 131 used for?

Iodine-131 is used for unsealed source radiotherapy in nuclear medicine to treat several conditions. It can also be detected by gamma cameras for diagnostic imaging, however it is rarely administered for diagnostic purposes only, imaging will normally be done following a therapeutic dose.

What are the side effects of radioactive iodine treatment?

Because treatment is highly targeted, even the most common side effects of radioactive iodine are relatively rare. One possible side effect is nausea, which may linger for several hours after treatment is administered, and can be reduced by avoiding food for two or three hours before and after treatment.

How do you prepare for radioactive iodine treatment?

If you are going to have radioactive iodine treatment for your thyroid disease, you will have to prepare in advance by following a low-iodine diet. Doing so for at least two weeks prior to receiving your treatment makes your thyroid more receptive to the radioactive iodine, increasing its effectiveness.

What are the precautions for radioactive iodine?

Precautions should be taken following radioactive iodine to ensure that no susceptible individuals are exposed to radiation. First, contact with children and pregnant women should be minimized, and close contact avoided entirely. Utensils, dishes, and good should not be shared.