Urgent question

[Katepots]

I am taking my mum for a PET scan tomorrow and she will be radioactive for 8 hours afterwards, am I safe to be near her with thyroid issues?

Thanks in advance.

[jimh111]

I don't know but I can't see how being hypo or hyper thyroid or having a goitre could make any difference.

[puncturedbicycle]

Not very helpful perhaps but your question piqued my interest because my mum had a PET scan and no one mentioned anything about radioactivity eg that I might need to protect myself. After the scan she was walking around in the hospital so I can only assume if she wasn't a danger to anyone in the vicinity then I was also okay - ?

[bluebug in reply to puncturedbicycle]

The only guessed danger is for pregnant women and very young children. However they always state those groups of people are at risk.

[Hidden]

Hi.

As someone who is hypothyroid I have just had a PET scan. I was informed it was safe for me to have. The only thing I was told was to avoid young children and pregnant women.

Hope this helps

[Katepots in reply to Hidden]

Great, thank you!

Hope you results were OK.

[BlueHorizonMedicals]

Hi Katepots ,

My wife went for a PET scan 5 years ago. We were advised to keep her seperate from our newborn for 24 hours. Also to use a different WC. Hope all goes well

Paul. ☺

[Katepots]

I know when the vet came out and xrayed my horse she gave me a thyroid guard as well as the tabard. Said you should always wear one. First time I'd been given one in all my life!! Have been present at so many. Hadn't even heard that there was a thyroid guard. So anyone in room with animals or people having X-rays should ask for one.

[phil1240]

Just avoid pregnant women , babies and very young children. It's radioactively labelled glucose they use with a very short lived isotope (not iodine). It'll be competely gone well within 24hrs.

[Chippysue]

I would look into alternative types of scans - this is just me but I would not have one after reading about them

[dovey62]

Hi when I had mine once I had taken the radioactive dose,we were allowed to go out,as it needed 8 hrs to get around the body,as mine was to check my dopermin levels...which took under half hour then we was finished....my mum was with me all the way through...

[Shibby]

As a radiographer, it sounds mean but I would try to stay away from her as much as possible, distance wise. The radiation level can be really high. I certainly wouldn't want to be standing near anybody radioactive, keep my distance as far away as possible and it will reduce the dose you receive. Over time it will half life itself away. Would avoid using the same toilet also.

[Katepots in reply to Shibby]

Hmmm I have to take her home in the car for an hour! Here now so nothing I can do about it!

Thank you.

[Shibby in reply to Katepots]

Yeh sorry thought that may be the case. Depending on what they use it usually has a half life of about an 1hr & 1/2 so you should be fine dependant on injection time. Hope she is ok

[magmac3]

This is Mum replying just to say thank to those who wished me well !

[Gerispice]

Another Radiographer here - follow the advice given by the other Radiographer.

[Katepots]

I had to give her a lift home but sat as far away as possible! Was paranoid as had a sore throat, ear pain and bloating but then it could be that I ate something allergenic at the hospital!

Done now anyway whatever!

Thanks.