[Intl_DxMedPhys] I-131 dialysis question

[Gretchen Raterman Bell]

We actually encountered this earlier this year.  It took a lot of planning
-- and a little help from the list!  We wound up treating the patient as
inpatient in order to ensure that they were dialyzed at specific
intervals.  The nephrologist involved found a paper about clearance rates
after different dialysis schedules and decided upon one.  Apologies, I
can't find the paper at the moment and don't remember specifics.  But it
was something like 1st session after 12 hours, then 2nd 12 hours after
that.  For preparedness, I met with the oncology nurses and dialysis
manager, and we went through a dry run in the actual room prior to
administration.  Facilities was also involved.  There was a septic output
that they used for the fluids leaving, so that connection was tested
thoroughly.  We put absorbent paper under any place where there was a
connection that may leak or may drip when disconnecting any tubing (in
addition to the horrible blue saran wrap sticky paper).

When the RSO and I went and surveyed the room, we did find contamination
where the dialysis team disconnected a few tubes.  We designated a whole
trash bin specifically for "dialysis trash" which contained the tubing, so
that was pretty hot.  The dialysis machine itself had zero contamination.
After it was all said and done, we had a TON to decay in storage.  But the
equipment and room itself was pretty unscathed.  In fact, the only pesky
contamination was the usual suspect - the bathroom sink drain.

Gretchen R. Bell, M.S., DABR
Diagnostic Imaging Physicist
Ochsner Medical Center
(504)842-8506



On Mon, Sep 15, 2025 at 4:21 PM Michael Masiar via
Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu> wrote:

> Hi all, I am not sure how to answer the below question from a client of
> mine. Any advice or relevant sample policies/procedure would be
> appreciated! We have a I-131 therapy, but the patient is on dialysis . I do
> not think we can do him because
> Hi all,
>
> I am not sure how to answer the below question from a client of mine. Any
> advice or relevant sample policies/procedure would be appreciated!
>
>
> We have a I-131 therapy, but the patient is on dialysis . I do not think
> we can do him because the dose is 150mCI and this would contaminate the
> machine as well as being in close proximity to the tech/nurse.
> Do you agree.
>
>
>
>
> Michael Masiar MS DABR
> Certified Medical Physicist
> Therapy Physics, Inc.
> 2501 Cherry Ave., Suite 270
> Signal Hill, CA 90755
> email: mmasiar at gmail.com
> cell: 310-625-9906
> office: 562-317-0650
>
>
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