THE COMPARISON OF THE EXTERNAL DOSE RATE MEASUREMENT OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENT PATIENTS WITH ADULT PATIENTS TREATED WITH RADIOIODINE THERAPY.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the radiation safety of caregiving people contacting the child and adolescent patients with thyroid cancer who received radioactive iodine-131 (RIT) treatment by comparison with external dose rate measurements of adult patients according to their administered activities and days of hospitalization. We retrospectively evaluated external dose rate measurement of 158 children and adolescent patients and 158 adult patients. During the RIT, the hospitalization time were grouped as 2, 3 and 4 d, and the administered activities as <3700, 3700 and >3700 MBq. The values of external dose rate measurements of children and adolescents were statistically significantly higher than the adult group. Different approaches in radiation safety rules are required for children and adolescents. In terms of radiation safety, we suggest that more specific regulations for family members and caregivers should be established and informed.