Table of Contents
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust - Nuclear Medicine
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| SOP Code | Title | Review Date |
|---|---|---|
| REFT001 | Radioiodine Treatment of Thyrotoxicosis | 2028-01-15 |
| Authorised By | Authorising Role | Authorisation Signature (only on master paper copy) | Date Authorised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Luxy John | ARSAC Licence Holder | 2024-05-01 | |
| Dr Mohamed Malik | ARSAC Licence Holder | 2024-01-14 |
REFT001 - Radioiodine Treatment of Thyrotoxicosis
See REF000 - Referring to Nuclear Medicine (NLAG) for details on how to refer.
Description
Radioiodine therapy is a useful treatment for hyperthyroidism. In most cases it is the first-line treatment for solitary hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules or it can be administered if hyperthyroidism is not controlled or recurs after initial antithyroid drug treatment[1]. The radioiodine is in the form of a capsule and is administered orally. This is performed in an outpatient setting with the patient having to subsequently follow radiation protection restrictions regarding hygiene and close contact for a period of time dependent on the prescribed activity.
| ARSAC Licence Holders |
|---|
| Dr Mohamed Malik |
| Dr Luxy John |
Radiation Protection Restrictions
Following the treatment the patient will be required to follow some radiation protection measures:
- Good hygiene restrictions to prevent contamination with their bodily fluids
- Close contact restrictions where they will have to distance from others to reduce the radiation exposure to them
If there is any reason to believe that the patient may have difficulties following these restrictions (e.g. if the patient has continence issues including use of a catheter and/or incontinence pads; requires assistance from carers or acts as a carer; or lives in a home not connected to mains drainage) please ensure the Nuclear Medicine department is informed and a note is included in the referral. Additional measures may be required in such cases and we may need to perform a radiation risk assessment before appointing the patient for treatment.
Staff Permitted to Refer
Currently, only the ARSAC licence holders for these therapies may refer patients to the Nuclear Medicine department to receive radioiodine therapy for thyrotoxicosis.
Referring clinicians are reminded of the requirement to avoid unnecessary exposure to ionising radiation. The procedure may already have been requested at this hospital or elsewhere and clinicians are asked to be particularly vigilant to ensure that their request is not a double request.
Contraindications
Clinical Indications
| Hyperthyroidism (Graves’ disease, toxic multinodular goitre, solitary toxic thyroid nodule)[1][3] |
| Non toxic multinodular/diffuse goitre [1][3] |
The referral must indicate the prescribed activity of I-131 to be administered.
