Experiences with I131in the Management of Carcinoma of the Thyroid

Abstract

The use of I131 in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer in 67 patients is reported. In the initial work-up of the patient with suspected thyroid cancer, scano-grams may reveal nonfunctioning defects within the thyroid gland or displacement of the gland from its normal mldline position. Extra-thyroidal concentrations of radioiodine are pathognomonic of meta-static thyroid cancer if areas of physiologic concentration of iodide are eliminated. Usually, the normal thyroid tissue must be removed to demonstrate functioning metastases by scanography, although rarely they may be visualized in the presence of an intact gland. The use of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is helpful in this latter situation.