Radiologist Questions Radiologist

Is it safe to be around someone undergoing radiation?

I am a 45 year old male. I want to know if it is safe to be around someone undergoing radiation?

3 Answers

It depends on the type of radiation usually it is not an issue unless the patient is being treated with radioisotopes.
If the person is receiving external beam radiation therapy, it is safe to be around them. Some radiation treatments such as radioactive seed implant the radiation oncologist will let the patient know to avoid being around children or pregnant women.
Yes. Patient is exposed to radiation therapy in the treatment room (receiving external beam therapy from Linac or Cobalt machine). That patient will not be radioactive in the room or outside the treatment room. The patient is radioactive only if he/she receives brachytherapy (seed implant with iridium or radioactive iodine [seed] for prostate cancer or pill for thyroid cancer). The patient will be radioactive for a certain period of time depending on the type of radioactive seed.