A CHROMATOGRAPHIC STUDY OF THYROIDAL IODINE METABOLISM IN NONTOXIC NODULAR GOITER*

Abstract

NONTOXIC nodular goiter is thought to result from various physiologic and pathologic stimuli; the mechanism of the changes is unknown. Thyroid adenomas have been given many histologic descriptions but these cannot yet be related either to the etiology of the nodules or to their function. The large single nodule, an adenoma, may render the rest of the gland inactive, and itself be solely the source of the patient's circulating hormone (1). Nodules which have a high uptake of I¹³¹ have been described as “hot,” but nothing is known of their biochemical function until thyrotoxicosis develops—when it is presumed that they are secreting an excess of thyroxine. Some years ago, Cavett, Rice and McClendon (2) showed that thyroglobulin in patients with colloid goiter usually contained less total iodine and less thyroxine iodine than in euthyroid subjects. The total iodine, as well as the thyroxine iodine, was only 10–20 per cent of that found in thyroglobulin obtained at autopsy from subjects not known to have any thyroid disorders.