Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
Sodium iodide I 131 is used to treat hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) and certain kinds of thyroid cancer. This medicine is taken up mainly by the thyroid gland. In the treatment of overactive thyroid gland, the radiation from the radioactive iodine damages the thyroid gland to bring its activity back down to normal. Larger doses of radioiodide are usually used after thyroid cancer surgery to destroy any remaining diseased thyroid tissue or to destroy thyroid cancer that has spread to other tissues.
When very small doses are given, a measure of the radioactivity taken up by the gland helps your doctor decide whether your thyroid gland is working properly or to locate tumors caused by certain types of thyroid cancers.
This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of a doctor with specialized training in nuclear medicine or radiation oncology.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Portions of this document last updated: Feb. 01, 2023
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