Objective:To explore the best time of using vitamin C to protect salivary gland radiation injury in patients with differentiat-ed thyroid cancer(DTC) after 131I therapy. Methods:Totally 120 DTC patients underwent thyroidectomy were randomly divided into groups A and B(n=60). Patients were administrated with vitamin C in either 2 h or 24 h after the treatment of 131I in order to reduce damage caused by radioactivity of 131I. Salivary glands dynamic images were taken six months later and time-activity curves were drawn;then parotid and submandibular region of interest(ROI) and appropriate organization as background correction were lain out;finally,gland uptakes ratios(UR) and excretory index at maximum secretion(MSR) were calculated. Results:UR and MSR of left parotid gland were 3.16 ± 1.12,(61.13 ± 13.85)% in group A and 2.84 ± 1.10,(58.56 ± 12.26)% in group B;UR and MSR of right parotid gland were 3.08 ± 1.02,(63.70 ± 14.12)% in group A and 2.82 ± 0.95,(59.40 ± 12.27)% in group B;UR and MSR of left submandibular gland are 2.10 ± 1.01,(47.52 ± 12.74)% in group A and 2.15 ± 0.97,(49.92 ± 12.93)%,in group B;UR and MSR of right submandibular gland were 2.21 ± 1.05,(49.98 ± 13.20)% in group A and 2.15 ± 0.97,(49.37 ± 13.04)% in group B. Differ-ences of results in groups A and B were not statistically significant(P >0.05). Conclusion:Salivary stimulation with vitamin C in both 2 h and 24 h after131I administration has no effect on salivary protection in DTC patients.