RAI question

• By Kathryn65
• Reply 3708908
• January 15, 2013 at 6:36 pm
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If your mom's doctor does not know what RAI ablation dose he wants, then he will order a tracer dose and whole body scan (WBS) prior to ablation to help him decide. If everything is scheduled appropriately it is possible to have two thyrogen injections then the WBS then the ablation but timing is critical. My protocol was done that way but many here have had to go through two sets of thyrogen injections because the timing could not be coordinated. She will also have a WBS about a week after ablation to be sure there was adequate uptake of the RAI. No additional thyrogen is given for this scan.

• By theresat858
• Reply 3708926
• January 15, 2013 at 6:46 pm
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The tracer dose is not necessary and can actually cause tissue stunning...just a treatment dose is needed, and the WBS about a week later will show where the uptake was.
I went hypo and still did not have a tracer dose, as per the ATA guidelines which recommend that it is only necessary if a dose really cannot be determined otherwise.

• By kudos4me2
• Reply 3709081
• January 15, 2013 at 7:33 pm
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Theresa, I have to do that tracer dose a week from friday after my 2 injections next mon and tues, pill wed then the scan fri.
They are telling me it is such a low dose I do not need to isolate myself. Is that frue for a tracer dose?
What kind of tissue stunning does a tracer do?
Now I am concerned....
He said my cancer was small enough he did not plan to to RAI but the thryroglobulin (sp) started climbing recently and the ultrasound shows activity in thyroid area.
TT was in May 2012... this is my first "scan"

Your input would be really appreciated!

• By theresat858
• Reply 3709097
• January 15, 2013 at 7:38 pm
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It is true that for a tracer dose isolation isn't needed- I've read advice to treat it as if you have a bad cold for 24 hours (avoid close contact w/ others).
A tracer dose can stun tissue for the uptake of subsequent RAI if given shortly thereafter but not within 72 hours - it sounds like your doctor is just trying to see what is going on, though, unless he has discussed doing a treatment dose after the tracer dose.

• By kudos4me2
• Reply 3711585
• January 16, 2013 at 3:47 pm
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thanks Theresa, yes he is trying

• By Kathryn65
• Reply 3712293
• January 16, 2013 at 8:04 pm
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My tracer dose was I 123. My WBS was done 48 hours later and my ablation dose of I 131 was administer several hours after my WBS. Stunning is not an issue if the timing is right and is also less of a concern if I 123 is used as the tracer dose.

My doctor was very uncertain as to whether or not I really needed RAI at all. My WBS done with just 1.5 miC of I 123 showed a cancerous medistinal lymph node. If your doctor has any doubts then a pre-RAI WBS is the way to go to gain very accurate information that will help determine what treatment is correct for you.

The ATA guidelines address the issue of stunning. I think they explain it very well.