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Radioiodine decreases thyroid enlargement in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
The background of the study. Occasional patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis have thyroid enlargement sufficient to cause symptoms or cosmetic distress and that does not decrease in response to thyroxine (T4) therapy. This report describes the effect of radioactive iodine (I-131) on thyroid size in a group of these patients.
How the study was done. The study subjects were 13 patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, as defined by the presence of goiter, hypothyroidism, thyroid ultrasonography, and high serum antithyroid antibody titers. The mean duration of thyroid enlargement was 12 years. All the patients had been treated with T4, with little change.
The T4 therapy was stopped for a month before and a week after each I-131 treatment, which ranged in number from two to six and was given at intervals of one to six months. Thyroid weight was measured by ultrasonography.
The results of the study. At base line, the average thyroid weight was 125 g (range, 43 to 269). The mean number of treatments was 5, and the mean total dose of I-131 was 60 mCi (2220 MBq). The mean thyroid weight at last follow-up 48 months after the first treatment was 50 g, a 59 percent decrease from base line (Figure).
The conclusions of the study. Repeated doses of radioiodine can result in substantial reduction in the size of the thyroid in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
The original article. Tajiri J. Radioactive iodine therapy for goitrous Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006;91:4497-500.
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