Current trend of research on 131I therapy for thyroid diseases

At present time, there are two current trends of research on 131I therapy for thyroid diseases. The first is extension of the application on the field of thyroid diseases. Formerly, the authors use the 131I only on the hyperthyroidism of Graves' disease, plummer's disease or toxic nodular goiter as well as thyroid cancer, but now, also for some thyroid diseases with normal thyroid function, such as nontoxic multi-nodular goiter, simple diffuse goiter even the thyroid cyst. It seems quite rational to use the 131I more widely, because it is really safe, easy and cheaper than others. The second trend is using 131I combined together with other drugs in order to reduce the occurrence of hypothyroidism and enhance the therapeutic effect. Authors call it as combined therapy. Drugs recommended for such therapy are antithyroid drugs, β-adrenergic receptor blocking agents, thyroid hormone, gtucocorticoid as well as Chinese herb drugs and so on