When radioactive iodine is released, as after the Chernobyl disaster, it can be absorbed into the human thyroid gland. Potassium iodide can be taken to block this uptake.
• According to the footnote on page 2, the radiation emitted by I131 (photons and electrons) has radiation-weighting factor of 1. The absorbed dose to the thyroid gland expressed in centigrays (cGy) is "numerically equal to the thyroid equivalent dose expressed in rem (1 cGy = 1 rem)."
Additional guidance:
(1) The protective effect of potassium iodide lasts about 24 hours. Daily dosing is required until the risk of exposure to a radioactive iodine no longer exists.
(2) Priority in dosing and protective measures should be given to persons intolerant to potassium iodide, pregnant or lactating women and neonates.
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