Radiation Protection Management for Patients Treated with Iodine-131 in Islamic Cultures

摘要

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5915/29-3-11803Nutritional requirements, religious prohibitions, and medical restrictions demand modification in the use of edible items, including drugs. Unique social, traditional, and economic conditions in the Islamic world require resolution of certain issues that have not been addressed so far. Protection from ionizing radiation is one of them. The Islamic code of life is different from the western lifestyle. A radioactive-carrying patient poses different problems to a community where regular collective prayers (salaah), extended visits paid to a sick fellow, and frequent gatherings are unavoidable. Furthermore, economic conditions also influence the risk of radiation exposure that contributes to radiation dose. These and other factors demand a modification in the protocol of radiation protection that is basically modeled around a western lifestyle. We have discussed the issues of patients treated with iodine-131 for thyroid problems in Islamic culture.