OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of radioiodine therapy as an alternative for surgery in elderly patients with a large, compressive goiter using objective methods for measuring thyroid volume and tracheal compression. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University hospital in the Netherlands. PATIENTS: 19 patients (mean age +/- SD, 66 +/- 14 years) with a large, compressive multinodular goiter who had a high operative risk or refused to have thyroid surgery. INTERVENTION: A single intravenous dose of 131I at 2.6 +/- 1.0 GBq (70 +/- 28 mCi) (3.7 MBq or 100 microCi/g of thyroid tissue), followed by daily administration of L-thyroxine in doses that did not suppress thyroid-stimulating hormone. MEASUREMENTS: Clinical evaluation and measurements of thyroid volume, maximal tracheal deviation, and the smallest cross-sectional area of the tracheal lumen with magnetic resonance imaging before and 1 year after 131I treatment. RESULTS: No exacerbation of compressive symptoms after 131I therapy was observed. Thyroid volume was 269 +/- 153 mL before treatment and 154 +/- 73 mL 1 year after treatment (P < 0.001). Thyroid volume was reduced 40% +/- 15% (range, 19% to 68%). Maximal tracheal deviation (1.9 +/- 0.8 cm before and 1.5 +/- 0.7 cm 1 year after therapy) had decreased by 20% +/- 20% (range, -4% to 73%; P < 0.001), and the smallest cross-sectional area of tracheal lumen (0.78 +/- 0.38 cm2 before and 1.04 +/- 0.48 cm2 1 year after therapy) had increased by 36% +/- 38% (range, -3% to 125%; P < 0.001). Clinical signs and symptoms improved in 8 of 12 patients with dyspnea and inspiratory stridor and in both patients with compression of the superior vena cava. CONCLUSIONS: Therapy with 131I is an effective alternative to surgery for elderly patients with a large, compressive multinodular goiter.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of radioiodine therapy as an alternative for surgery in elderly patients with a large, compressive goiter using objective methods for measuring thyroid volume and tracheal compression. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University hospital in the Netherlands. PATIENTS: 19 patients (mean age +/- SD, 66 +/- 14 years) with a large, compressive multinodular goiter who had a high operative risk or refused to have thyroid surgery. INTERVENTION: A single intravenous dose of 131I at 2.6 +/- 1.0 GBq (70 +/- 28 mCi) (3.7 MBq or 100 microCi/g of thyroid tissue), followed by daily administration of L-thyroxine in doses that did not suppress thyroid-stimulating hormone. MEASUREMENTS: Clinical evaluation and measurements of thyroid volume, maximal tracheal deviation, and the smallest cross-sectional area of the tracheal lumen with magnetic resonance imaging before and 1 year after 131I treatment. RESULTS: No exacerbation of compressive symptoms after 131I therapy was observed. Thyroid volume was 269 +/- 153 mL before treatment and 154 +/- 73 mL 1 year after treatment (P < 0.001). Thyroid volume was reduced 40% +/- 15% (range, 19% to 68%). Maximal tracheal deviation (1.9 +/- 0.8 cm before and 1.5 +/- 0.7 cm 1 year after therapy) had decreased by 20% +/- 20% (range, -4% to 73%; P < 0.001), and the smallest cross-sectional area of tracheal lumen (0.78 +/- 0.38 cm2 before and 1.04 +/- 0.48 cm2 1 year after therapy) had increased by 36% +/- 38% (range, -3% to 125%; P < 0.001). Clinical signs and symptoms improved in 8 of 12 patients with dyspnea and inspiratory stridor and in both patients with compression of the superior vena cava. CONCLUSIONS: Therapy with 131I is an effective alternative to surgery for elderly patients with a large, compressive multinodular goiter.
Authors: B Nygaard; U Søes-Petersen; P F Høilund-Carlsen; A Veje; P E Holst; A Vestergaard; K Sølling Journal: J Endocrinol Invest Date: 1996-02 Impact factor: 4.256
Authors: S J Bonnema; S Fast; V E Nielsen; H Boel-Jørgensen; P Grupe; P B Andersen; L Hegedüs Journal: J Endocrinol Invest Date: 2010-09-09 Impact factor: 4.256