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Internal Radiation

What Happens While Internal Radiation Is In Place

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Your body will give off radiation once the radiation source is in place.

With brachytherapy, your body fluids (urine, sweat, and saliva) will not give off radiation.

With liquid radiation, your body fluids will give off radiation for a while.

Your doctor or nurse will talk with you about safety measures that you need to take. If the radiation you receive is a very high dose, safety measures may include:

  • Staying in a private hospital room to protect others from radiation coming from your body
  • Being treated quickly by nurses and other hospital staff. They will provide all the care you need, but they may stand at a distance and talk with you from the doorway to your room.
  • Your visitors will also need to follow safety measures, which may include:
    • Not being allowed to visit when the radiation is first put in
    • Needing to check with the hospital staff before they go to your room
    • Limiting the length of visits (possibly to 30 minutes or less each day). The length of visits depends on the type of radiation being used and the part of your body being treated.
    • Standing by the doorway rather than going into your hospital room
    • Not having visits from children younger than 18 and pregnant women

You may also need to follow safety measures once you leave the hospital. For example, the amount of time you may spend with any one person may be limited. Your doctor or nurse will talk with you about the safety measures you should follow when you go home.

When the catheter is taken out after treatment with LDR or HDR implants:

  • You will get medicine for pain before the catheter or applicator is removed.
  • The area where the catheter or applicator was might be tender for a few months.
  • There is no radiation in your body after the catheter or applicator is removed. It is safe for people to be near you - even young children and pregnant women.
  • For 1 to 2 weeks, you may need to limit activities that take a lot of effort. Ask your doctor what kinds of activities are safe for you.

 


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