What Is Radioactive Iodine Therapy?

Radioactive iodine treatment is a method in which radioactive iodine is used as a medical treatment method, especially in the treatment of thyroid gland disorders. This treatment method provides healing by destroying diseased cells thanks to the ability of radioactive iodine to damage cells. Radioactive iodine treatment can be used for many purposes, from the destruction of cancerous cells to the regulation of hormone levels. In this article we have written for you, we will try to give information about why and to whom radioactive iodine treatment is applied and how the treatment is applied.

Why Is Radioactive Iodine Treatment Applied?

Radioactive iodine therapy is used in the treatment of various diseases of the thyroid gland, especially thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer is a type of cancer caused by uncontrolled proliferation and growth of cells in the thyroid gland. Radioactive iodine treatment aims to stop the progression of the disease by destroying cancerous cells.

Radioactive iodine therapy is also used to treat conditions that cause the thyroid gland to overwork, such as Graves’ disease and nodular goitre. In these cases, radioactive iodine helps regulate hormone levels by destroying excess hormone-producing cells in the thyroid gland.

Who Can Receive Radioactive Iodine Treatment?

Radioactive iodine therapy can be applied to patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer to destroy cancerous cells remaining after surgery. In addition, radioactive iodine therapy is also suitable for conditions that cause overwork of the thyroid gland, such as Graves’ disease and nodular goiter.

However, radioactive iodine therapy cannot be applied to every patient. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are not suitable candidates for radioactive iodine treatment because radioactive iodine can harm the baby or the baby through milk. Also, as a result of pre-treatment evaluations, it may be decided that some patients are not suitable for radioactive iodine treatment.

How Is Radioactive Iodine Treatment Administered?

Radioactive iodine treatment is given to the patient in the form of a capsule or liquid containing radioactive iodine. Radioactive iodine moves towards the thyroid gland and destroys the diseased cells. The course of treatment can vary from a few days to several weeks, depending on the patient’s condition and the purpose of the treatment.

During radioactive iodine treatment, patients are advised to drink plenty of water and urinate frequently to remove the radioactive material from their body. In addition, patients should not be in close contact with others during the treatment process and should especially stay away from pregnant women and children.

Radioactive iodine treatment is generally considered a successful and safe treatment method. However, some side effects may occur, so the doctor’s recommendations should be carefully followed during the treatment process.

What Are The Side Effects of Radioactive Iodine Therapy?

Radioactive iodine therapy is an effective method used in the treatment of thyroid diseases such as thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism. This treatment is based on the principle of oral administration of radioactive iodine to the patient and the destruction of thyroid cells in the body by taking this substance. However, radioactive iodine treatment has some side effects. The main ones of these side effects can be listed as follows;

• Nausea and vomiting,
• Inflammation of the salivary glands,
• Transient hypothyroidism,
• Decreased reproductive ability,
• Radiation exposure,

What Kind Of Preparation Should Be Done Before Radioactive Iodine Treatment?

There are some important points that the patient and the doctor should pay attention to before radioactive iodine treatment;

The patient should follow a low iodine diet before treatment. This diet allows thyroid cells to take radioactive iodine more effectively.

It is important that the patient does not use thyroid hormones and medications that may affect thyroid function before treatment. The doctor will inform the patient about this and recommend appropriate medication.

Tumour marker tests should be performed and the results should be evaluated before radioactive iodine treatment.

It is important for female patients who will undergo radioactive iodine treatment to have a pregnancy test and not to become pregnant during treatment.

Things to Consider After Radioactive Iodine Treatment

Some points that patients should pay attention to after radioactive iodine treatment are as follows;

Patients undergoing radioactive iodine treatment should be isolated so that they do not emit radiation to the people around them during treatment and after a while.

During the treatment, it is important that patients wash their hands frequently, pay attention to oral care and regularly clean the items used.

Patients are recommended to consume plenty of water to accelerate the removal of radioactive iodine from the body.

After treatment, patients should continue their diet and medication use according to the doctor’s recommendations.

After radioactive iodine treatment, it is important that patients are regularly checked with thyroid function tests, tumour marker tests and imaging methods when necessary.

Radioactive Iodine Treatment Prices in Turkey

Turkey has managed to announce its name to the world with its investments and studies in the field of health. Especially the latest technological devices used in diagnosis and treatment procedures have been a beacon of hope for many diseases. However, there has been an increase in health tourism in Türkiye.

• Hospitals are large, clean, spacious and fully equipped in terms of technological equipment.
• Turkish doctors are specialized, successful, and skilled in their fields.
• Nurses and carers are friendly and compassionate.
• Finding answers to the questions asked quickly and accurately.
• Patience and understanding of all staff, including the intermediary company dealing with the patient.
• Turkey offers holiday opportunities with its natural and historical beauties.
• Easy transportation.
• Diagnosis, treatment, accommodation, eating, drinking, dressing, and holiday needs can be met at affordable prices.

Such situations are shown among the reasons for preference. We can see that patients and relatives of patients who want to come to Turkey are doing research on Radioactive Iodine Treatment Prices in Turkey. However, it would not be correct to give clear price information at this stage. Many factors such as the type of disease, stage, diagnosis process, treatment process, and stay in Türkiye affect the price issue. If you want to get more detailed price information, you can contact us. In addition, if you come to Turkey for treatment through us, we can facilitate your visa application process with the invitation letter sent by us to the consulate.