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Medical radiation sources are used deliberately in the healthcare of patients and are designed for use in a controlled manner. There obviously are some adverse health risks associated with the use of radiation in medicine <ref name="Pub105"/>, with higher amounts of radiation being associated with higher risks. The undisputed health benefits of [[Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare_(demo)Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare#Diagnostic_Radiology|diagnostic radiology]]<ref name="Pub087">[[ICRP Publication 87]] Managing Patient Dose in Computed Tomography. Ann. ICRP 30(4), 2000.</ref><ref name="Pub102">[[ICRP Publication 102]] Managing Patient Dose in Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT). Ann. ICRP 37(1), 2007.</ref><ref name="Pub121">[[ICRP Publication 121]] Radiological Protection in Paediatric Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology. Ann. ICRP 42(2), 2013.</ref> using x-ray or nuclear medicine<ref name="Pub128">[[ICRP Publication 128]] Radiation Dose to Patients from Radiopharmaceuticals A Compendium of Current Information Related to Frequently Used Substances. Ann. ICRP 44(2S), 2015.</ref> may be accompanied by a generally very small risk (probability) of deleterious effects, while in radiation therapy<ref name="Pub127">[[ICRP Publication 127]] Radiological Protection in Ion Beam Radiotherapy. Ann. ICRP 43(4), 2013.</ref><ref name="Pub098">[[ICRP Publication 98]] Radiation Safety Aspects of Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer using Permanently Implanted Sources. Ann. ICRP 35(3), 2005.</ref><ref name="Pub097">[[ICRP Publication 97]] Prevention of High-dose-rate Brachytherapy Accidents. Ann. ICRP 35(2), 2005.</ref><ref name="Pub086">[[ICRP Publication 86]] Prevention of Accidents to Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy. Ann. ICRP 30(3), 2000.</ref> such risk can be much higher as large amounts of radiation are required.

In medicine, the aim of managing radiation exposure is to minimise the presumed low risk without sacrificing, or unduly limiting, the obvious benefits in the prevention, diagnosis, and effective cure of diseases. Using a larger amount of radiation cannot be justified if a smaller amount can deliver the expected benefits, but too low an amount of radiation in [[Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare#Diagnostic_Radiology|diagnostic radiology]] will result in an image that does not have enough information to make a diagnosis, and in [[Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare#Radiation_Therapy|radiation therapy]], not delivering enough radiation will result in increased mortality because the cancer being treated will not be cured.

When a patient is exposed to external sources of radiation during [[Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare#Diagnostic_Radiology|diagnostic radiology]] or [[Radiation Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare#Radiation_Therapy|radiation therapy]], there is no residual radiation remained in the patient after the procedure, and the patient poses no radiation risk to family members or the others who provide care to the patient, and the general public the patient may come into contact. However, when [[Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare#Nuclear_Medicine|nuclear medicine]] is used for [[Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare#Diagnostic_Radiology|diagnostic radiology]] or [[Radiation Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare#Radiation_Therapy|radiation therapy]], protection of family members, other carers and the public, should be considered as the patient may remain “radioactive” for some time following the administration; the radiopharmaceuticals administered to the patient would need some time to physically decay or be biologically eliminated.<ref name="Pub094">[[ICRP Publication 94]] Release of patients after therapy with unsealed radionuclides. Ann. ICRP 34(2), 2004.</ref><ref name="Pub105"/>

For diagnostic [[Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare#Nuclear_Medicine|nuclear medicine]] procedures (e.g. bone or myocardial perfusion scans), the amounts of radiopharmaceuticals administered to the patients are typically small and consequently the amounts of radiopharmaceuticals retained in these patients and the levels of radiation emitted are low as well. These patients are generally discharged immediately after the procedure and instructed that they can carry on their normal daily activities. These patients do not pose a radiation risk to those around them.

For specific therapeutic [[Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare#Nuclear_Medicine|nuclear medicine]] (e.g. unsealed source therapy) or radiation oncology (e.g. brachytherapy) procedures, such as ¹³¹I therapy for thyroid cancer or some forms of hyperthyroidism, the patient has significant amounts of residual radioactivity in their body that may pose some risks to the others, if they are released shortly after the treatment procedure. To reduce such risks, the patient is usually admitted for a period of time, or discharged if radiation safety concerns are adequately met (e.g. lives alone with restrictions on human contact for a period of time) until the radiopharmaceutical retained in the body is sufficiently reduced through a combination of radioactive decay and biological elimination. In addition, these patients are generally instructed to avoid prolonged close contact with children or pregnant women for a specific period of time following release.

In [[Application_of_ionising_radiation_in_healthcare#Nuclear_Medicine|nuclear medicine]], varying amounts of radiopharmaceuticals are retained in the body for varying periods of time. Also, some radiopharmaceuticals can be transferred to breast milk and passed from mother to child during breast feeding. As a result, both the mother, and her breast milk, can be a source of radiation to a baby. So, non-urgent nuclear medicine tests should be postponed until the breast-feeding period is completed. Depending on the specific radiopharmaceutical administered, guidelines range from no interruption in breast feeding for the majority of radiopharmaceuticals, to interruption for a prescribed period of time, to total cessation of breast feeding. A nuclear medicine specialist should be consulted prior to the administration of radiopharmaceuticals to breast feeding patients. In addition, if a radiopharmaceutical is administered to a pregnant woman, it may pass through the placental barrier and present a possible risk to the unborn child.

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