Pregnant individuals often have questions about the safety of being around patients who have undergone medical procedures involving radiation. This article clarifies the safety aspects for pregnant people when near patients who have received medical radiation.
How Medical Radiation Works
Medical radiation uses high-energy waves or particles to create images or treat diseases. It falls into two categories: diagnostic and therapeutic. Diagnostic radiation, such as X-rays and CT scans, uses external sources. The machine produces radiation only when active, and no radiation remains in the room or the patient’s body once it’s off.
Therapeutic radiation uses higher doses to damage or destroy specific cells, typically cancer cells. This can be delivered externally, with a machine directing beams at a tumor, or internally, by placing radioactive materials inside the body. The way radiation interacts with the body and its implications for surrounding individuals varies significantly.
Radiation from Diagnostic Imaging Patients
Patients who have undergone diagnostic imaging procedures generally do not pose a radiation risk to pregnant individuals or others. For common procedures like X-rays and CT scans, radiation passes through the patient’s body, and the patient does not become radioactive. The radiation source is external, and no residual radiation remains in the patient or room after the scan.
Nuclear medicine scans, however, introduce a small amount of radioactive material, called a tracer, into the patient’s body. While the patient temporarily becomes radioactive, the dose to others is very low and diminishes quickly as the body eliminates the tracer. For casual contact, special precautions are generally not required, as the risk to visitors is negligible.
Radiation from Radiation Therapy Patients
The risk of radiation exposure from patients undergoing radiation therapy depends on the treatment type. Patients undergoing external beam radiation therapy do not become radioactive. The radiation affects cells momentarily, and no source remains in their body after treatment. Therefore, it is safe for pregnant individuals to be around these patients.
In contrast, patients receiving internal radiation therapy, also known as brachytherapy or systemic radioactive isotope therapy, may temporarily become radioactive. Brachytherapy involves placing sealed radioactive materials directly into or near a tumor, either temporarily or permanently. With temporary brachytherapy, the patient is only radioactive while the source is in place, and once removed, they are no longer radioactive.
For permanent implants, like prostate seeds, the radiation gradually diminishes over weeks or months, and while the risk to others is low, precautions may be advised for a period, particularly concerning close contact with pregnant women and children.
Systemic radioactive isotope therapy, such as radioactive iodine for thyroid conditions, involves administering a radioactive substance that travels throughout the body. Patients receiving this type of treatment will emit radiation and may excrete radioactive material through bodily fluids for a certain period. Healthcare providers will provide specific instructions, which often include limiting close contact with pregnant individuals and children, maintaining distance, and sometimes following special hygiene practices for several days or weeks.
Official Safety Recommendations
Healthcare facilities adhere to radiation safety guidelines to protect patients, staff, and visitors, including pregnant individuals. The guiding principle for radiation safety is “ALARA,” meaning “As Low As Reasonably Achievable.” This principle emphasizes minimizing radiation exposure using three protective measures: time, distance, and shielding.
Pregnant individuals should be aware of these principles, especially if working in healthcare or visiting patients receiving internal radiation. Limiting time near a radioactive source, increasing distance, and using appropriate shielding can reduce exposure. For instance, maintaining at least three feet from patients who have received systemic radioactive iodine is often recommended.
Pregnant individuals should inform healthcare providers about their pregnancy status and ask specific questions regarding precautions. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) sets regulations for public and occupational safety from radioactive materials, and healthcare facilities operate under these guidelines.