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发帖数: 2914 | 1 What is potassium iodide (KI)?
Actually a salt of stable iodine—a substance our bodies need in order to
produce thyroid hormones—KI is a tablet or liquid medicine that protects
the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine, which is released into the
air following a nuclear event. It is able to block radioactive iodine
because the thyroid recognizes both KI and radioactive iodine as the same
substance. KI “fills up” the organ with its daily iodine quota, thus
blocking the radioactive version from being absorbed. For this reason,
people are generally advised to take KI as soon as the possibility of
radiation contamination is known, before the damage can occur. Without such
protection, the thyroid gland would quickly absorb the radioactive iodine,
an internal injury that often results in thyroid cancer.
However, KI protects only the thyroid. It does not prevent radioactive
iodine from entering the body through breathing, or by eating contaminated
food. KI also does not protect other parts of the body besides the thyroid,
and it cannot protect even the thyroid from other radioactive materials
besides iodine. Nor can it reverse damage once the thyroid has been exposed
to radioactive iodine. One dose of KI is effective for 24 hours. |
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