New Orleans, LA
A 61-year-old female asked:
Is a thyroid scan and raidioactive throid treatment the same?
4 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
Dr. Stephen Saponaroanswered
Specializes in Radiology
No: A thyroid scan is a study that exposes you to a small amount of radiation and allows the radiologist to see images of the thyroid. A radioactive thyroid treatment is when you are given very large amounts of radiation in order to "kill" the overactive thyroid or thyroid cancer.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Guido Davidzonanswered
Nuclear Medicine 20 years experience
No: The thyroid scan, if referred to the nuclear scan, is a diagnostic study done with three possible isotopes: i-123, i-131 (low-dose) or free tc-99m. This scan is use to characterize thyroid causes of thyrotoxicosis. Radioactive thyroid treatment with i-131 (higher dose) is use to ablate the thyroid in patients with grave's disease or multi nodular goiter as well as to treat thyroid cancer.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Raymond Tailleferanswered
Nuclear Medicine 44 years experience
No, its different: The thyroid scan is performed to make a diagnosis on the status of the thyroid gland ( hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodules, thyroiditis, evaluation of goiter.....) while the radioactive treatment is a form of therapeutic intervention to treat thyroid disease such as hyperthyroidism of thyroid cancer. The ranges of doses we use are also quite different, very low for diagnosis and high for treatment.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Larry Wilfanswered
36 years experience
No: The scan uses a different " drug" ( i123) to image the thyroid vs the "drug that is used to treat the thyroid ( i131) .
The drugs have different amounts and types of radiation that are used for two different desired results
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Oct 4, 2016
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