Radioactive Iodine Scan And Treatment Preparation

is the only thyroid gland or organ that absorbs iodine. This makes it safe to use radioactive iodine (RAI) in the treatment of thyroid diseases such as Graves' and thyroid cancer. RAI is an effective method for testing thyroid function and see if there are any thyroid cells left in the body that can cause the return of thyroid cancer.
To be an effective treatment procedure is a protocol that must be followed to ensure accuracy. Following a maximum chimney regime will occur in any remaining normal thyroid tissue or metastatic cancer štitnjače.Protokol also includes what precautions must be adhered to for public safety.
the day you have to have RAI scan will be given a radioactive iodine pill, which is the remaining tissue to absorb the substance. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, tell your doctor.
If receiving a RAI to destroy cancerous thyroid tissue you will receive a higher dose, you would require to be in isolation. It may be in a special hospital room or in some cases when the criteria are met may be allowed to follow the isolation protocol as well as at home.
Preparing for the treatment of radioactive iodine

1. Six weeks prior to scanning or treatment you have to stop your thyroid hormone replacement medication. It will be prescribed Cytomel instead. Cytomel is a short-acting thyroid hormones, which will help reduce the amount of time you have to be hypothyroid. Your body has to go in the hypothyroid state in order to trick the brain into producing more of their thyroid stimulating hormone in an attempt to increase the level of thyroid hormones in the blood. Because iodine is needed to make thyroid hormones, this increase causes the most effective concentration of iodine in the thyroid tissue.
   
2. Two weeks prior to scanning or treatment you have to stop the Cytomel. This time period is necessary to eliminate the short-acting form of thyroid hormone. Stopping this medicine will go into full "hypothyroid" condition, and will result in some unpleasant symptoms.
   
3. One week before the scan or treatment, you will need to start low iodine diet and continue this diet while the treatment is completed. This protocol must be followed, so our bodies do not receive the required iodine from the food we take you starving for iodine and absorb the RAI effectively. Make sure you read all labels on food products, because in the modern world, if it contains salt it will contain iodine. You do not need to limit salt, if it is non-iodized salt. Two common sources of high iodine are seafood and vitamins.
   
4. Two days before treatment or scan you will be asked to take blood rad.Testiranje blood is done to make sure that the hypothyroid state. If you have a scan you will be given RAI after pill blood. If you will be treated with higher dose of RAI, will now be brought to you by a special room and administration protocol RAI will begin.

Today there is another medicine that your doctor may prescribe instead cytomel.Droga Thyrogen is a fast acting way to raise thyroid hormone in preparation for the treatment or scan. Unfortunately, this is a very expensive drug and many patients can not afford a health plan coverages are not high enough to cover the costs.