Definition

Noun 1. A radioactive isotope of iodine: Iodine-131 is a heavy, unstable form of the element iodine that emits radiation as it decays. It has a half-life of 8 days, meaning half of its atoms decay in that time. 2. A medical diagnostic and therapeutic agent: It is used in a sodium salt form (sodium iodide) to diagnose and treat thyroid conditions, such as thyroid disease and goiter.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor ordered a scan using iodine-131 to assess the patient's thyroid function.
  • Treatment with iodine-131 is a common therapy for an overactive thyroid gland.
  • The half-life of iodine-131 is relatively short, at eight days.

Advanced Usage

• "Administer iodine-131": To give the isotope as a medical treatment or diagnostic tracer.
  • The endocrinologist will administer iodine-131 to ablate the remaining thyroid tissue.
• "Uptake of iodine-131": Refers to how much of the isotope is absorbed by the thyroid gland, which is measured in diagnostic tests.
  • The test showed a high uptake of iodine-131, confirming the diagnosis.

Variants and Related Words

• Radioiodine: A general term for radioactive isotopes of iodine, which includes iodine-131.
  • Radioiodine therapy often utilizes iodine-131.
• I-131: A common abbreviated form for iodine-131.
  • The report indicated the use of I-131.

Synonyms

• Radioactive iodine: A broader term that can refer to iodine-131 or other isotopes like iodine-123.
• Therapeutic iodine: When used specifically for treatment purposes.

Related Phrases

• Iodine-131 therapy: The specific medical treatment using this isotope.
  • She underwent iodine-131 therapy for her Graves' disease.
• Iodine-131 scan: A diagnostic imaging procedure.
  • The iodine-131 scan provided clear images of the thyroid.

Noun

1. heavy radioactive isotope of iodine with a half-life of 8 days; used in a sodium salt to diagnose thyroid disease and to treat goiter