Applying Nuclear Regulatory Commission guidelines to the release of patients treated with sodium iodine-131.

OBJECTIVE This article presents a brief synopsis of the 1997 regulations from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission concerning the release from the hospital of patients treated for thyroid disease with 131I. A simplified checklist is provided to demonstrate the instructions to patients and the new conditions for release of patients containing a higher level of 131I radioactivity than was allowed under the older regulations.