Environmental Health & Safety

Thyroid Scan

If a researcher is working with greater than 1 mCi of volatile I-125 in the form of NaI he/she will need to have a thyroid scan before and after the procedure. The thyroid scan will tell the researcher if he/she accidentally inhaled or ingested I-125, which accumulates in the thyroid. The thyroid scan is performed in the Safety Office and takes only 5 minutes. The researcher should contact the Radiation Safety Officer and schedule an appointment at least 24 hours in advance. He/she should schedule the post-procedure thyroid scan for no sooner than 6 hours and no later than 72 hours after performing the iodination.