Thyroid cancer radioiodine therapy: health service performance and radiation safety

Greek Atomic Energy Commission collected data related to radioiodine I-131 therapy (RAIT) delivery to differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients, for the period 2003-13, corresponding to 100 % of hospitals at national level. Radiation safety and health service performance outcome indicators were assessed. The numbers of hospitals and nuclear medicine (NM) therapy wards, as well as RAIT annual frequencies, have increased. Geographical inhomogeneous distribution of existing infrastructure is recorded. In some cases, the observed inefficient use of NM therapy wards seems to be due to lack of human resources (e.g. nurses). Regular assessment of appropriate key indicators could serve as a useful tool for radiation safety monitoring and health service performance improvement.