Based on a clinical evaluation, your doctor may recommend a whole body scan of nuclear medicine iodine-131 to determine if thyroid cancer has recurred or spread to other parts of your body after treatment. Hopefully, we could provide an in-depth explanation of nuclear medicine iodine-131 to help you understand more about it.

The purpose of the whole body scan of nuclear medicine iodine-131 is to detect whether there is post-treatment recurrence or spread of a well-differentiated thyroid cancer to other parts of your body.

Procedure for the scan

• Stop using thyroid hormone for at least four weeks before the scan.
• Follow the instruction given by the pharmacist regarding taking iodine-131 capsule or solution.
• After taking iodine-131, we would schedule an appointment for scanning, usually 3 days apart; the pharmacist will send you home for the period and ask you to return as scheduled.
• Patients who have just taken a therapeutic dose of iodine-131 will not need to take an additional diagnostic dose of iodine-131; a scan would be arranged directly.
• At the time of your scheduled scan, please wait momentarily in front of the scanning room. The scan usually takes 30 minutes.

Things to keep in mind

• Notify our medical staff if you are pregnant; if so, the procedure cannot be done under your condition.
• If you are currently breast-feeding your baby, stop it immediately because iodine-131 could be secreted through breast milk.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Do your best to remain still during the scan. There are no special precautions; complications like allergy and dry mouth are rare.