Radiation Protection During Treatment of Children with 131I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine

Abstract

This paper describes the radiation protection procedures that were used in caring for three children treated with therapeutic amounts of 131I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine. Since it was not possible to leave a child alone in a shielded room for several days, the presence of one parent was requested during the treatment. The dose equivalent to the parent was kept to an acceptable level of approximately 1 mSv. This dose equivalent was almost completely due to external radiation since blocking of the parent's thyroid led to a negligible dose equivalent from internal contamination.