What to Know About Radioactiv... Health Article

The thyroid is the only part of the human body that absorbs iodine. After you’ve had surgery for thyroid cancer, you may have treatment with radioactive iodine. The goal of this treatment is to pinpoint and kill any remaining cancer cells.

Radioactive Iodine Therapy and Pregnancy

Radioactive iodine can destroy the thyroid in a growing fetus. Be sure to tell your doctor if you might be pregnant before you have this treatment. Your doctor may suggest you wait up to a year after radioactive iodine therapy before you try to get pregnant.

What Happens During Therapy

During radioactive iodine therapy for thyroid cancer, you take radioactive iodine as a pill or liquid. It travels throughout your entire body and lodges in any remaining thyroid cells. If the cells are cancerous, the radioactivity kills them. You may have thyroid scans after this type of radiation to show whether you have any more cancer.

What to Expect After Therapy

You need to take a few precautions after this type of treatment. For instance, you must stay away from other people for a few days after taking radioactive iodine. Your doctor may also suggest that you drink lots of fluids. Fluids will help flush the radioactive iodine out of your system. Your doctor also may suggest that you flush the toilet several times after urinating. This helps rid the toilet of radioactive material. Ask your doctor about other precautions you should take.