Final answer:
When a client is treated with brachytherapy, limitations on visitors are necessary for safety due to ionizing radiation. Pregnant women and children should limit contact with patients who have permanent radioactive implants. After temporary brachytherapy, visitors are generally safe to be around the patient.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a client is being treated with brachytherapy, radiation safety is a key concern due to the presence of ionizing radiation within the patient's body. With brachytherapy, radioactive material in the form of pellets or rods is placed in or near the tumor to deliver targeted radiation treatment. There are two main types of brachytherapy: permanent, where radioactive seeds are left in place and temporary, where radiation-delivering devices are inserted for a set amount of time and then removed.
Limitations on visitors mainly apply to patients with permanent brachytherapy implants because these patients may continue to emit radiation for some time. It is recommended that pregnant women and children limit their time around such patients to reduce their exposure to radiation. With temporary brachytherapy, visitors are usually allowed shortly after the radioactive material has been removed as there is no risk of radiation exposure from the patient.
Employing isotopes with short half-lives in the seeds for permanent brachytherapy is a method used to limit the dose of radiation that the patient and others might be exposed to. As the isotopes decay, their radioactivity lessens, which reduces the amount of time during which the patient is emitting radiation and thus limits the duration of risk to others. A well-documented treatment protocol is established to balance therapeutic benefit with minimize risks.