I-131 therapy for euthyroid goiter in Latvia

Full text: I-131 therapy for thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism is used since 1964 in Latvia, but for patients with euthyroid nodular or diffuse goiter only since 1995. The aim of this study was to analyse 5 year statistics and to inform doctors about possibilities of such therapy method in Latvia. In between 1995-2000 in Latvian Oncology Centre 75 patients with euthyroid goiter were treated with I-131. Radiation dose for thyroid volume was 100-150 Gy. Patients with goiter volume >100 ml and with tracheal compression received radiation dose 50 Gy 2 or 3 times. There were 25 patients with recurrent goiter after surgery, 50 patients has increased surgical risk because of other severe diseases or retrosternal localization of goiter. Our results demonstrated that 6 month after I-131 therapy there was reduction of goiter volume by 20% in 38 cases, by 30% in 19 cases and by 50% in 11 cases. In 7 cases there was no reduction of goiter volume, but the growing of goiter was stopped (follow up 4 years). We conclude that I-131 therapy is effective for reducing of thyroid goiter volume and is used in Latvia (20-25 patients per year). If the aim of I-131 therapy is not only to reduce the hyper function of nodular goiter, but also to reduce the goiter volume, the suppression of TSH is not compulsory. (author)