Treatment of Thyrotoxicosis with Radioactive Iodine

Radioactive iodine was first used in the treatment of thyrotoxicosis by Hertz and Roberts in 1942, and reports of its value have appeared from several American centres. Soley and Foreman (1949) have contributed a valuable review on the subject. More recently further series of American cases have been reported by Werner et al. (1949); Williams, Towery, et al. (1949); Feitqlberg et al. (1950); Gordon and Albright (1950); Moe et al. (1950); Shipley et al. (1950); and McCullagh and Richards (1951). Little experience has yet accumulated in this country regarding the therapeutic applications of the isotope. Paterson (1950) and Warrington (1950) have reported on its use in thyroid cancer. This paper sets out the results of the treatment of the first 20 cases of thyrotoxicosis that have been treated in Sheffield with radioactive iodine (L'31) since January, 1949, and describes experience gained with the technique. The preliminary results in some of the cases have already been briefly communicated (Blomfield, 1950a). We have chosen to treat a relatively small number of cases, but have studied them in detail, with special attention to dosage and to the clinical progress after treatment.