New scrutiny of outpatient therapy with I-131

Recently, there has been a Congressional examination of the safety to the public when outpatients are treated with I-131. The regulations regarding this procedure are being scrutinized to make sure that public safety is being protected. An evaluation of the data indicates that when Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations are properly followed, the use of I-131 therapy is safe for the community. Furthermore, doing these procedures as an outpatient saves money and is more convenient for the patient. However, physicians also recognize that a small minority of patients who need I-131 treatment should be treated in the hospital.