
Advantages of the use of 131 I include the comparative low cost because surgery is not required and the fact that no deaths have been reported resulting from this treatment. The disadvantage of this treatment is that hypothyroidism frequently occurs as a delayed effect.
What are the benefits of iodine 131?
Benefits...: Iodine 131 is often used to treat conditions such as graves' disease, plummer's disease, or thyroid cancer. Iodine 131 is a beta emitter and emits beta radiation to damage hyperthyroid tissue or thyroid cancer.
Is I-131 therapy safe in well-differentiated thyroid cancer?
Although there are never-ending controversies regarding I-131 therapy in well-differentiated thyroid cancer, the benefits and risks are becoming better understood. This in turn helps the treating physician and patient in making decisions regarding therapy.
Is 131 I therapy the treatment of choice in most countries?
In many European countries, 131 I therapy has replaced surgery as the treatment of choice in most patients. 89,106 However, the optimum treatment remains to be established, ideally through comparative randomized trials, including data on effect, side effects, cost, and patient satisfaction.
What are the health risks of I-131 exposure?
3 Health Risks of I-131 Exposure 1 The biology of the thyroid gland. 2 The relationship of exposure to ionizing radiation and the occurrence of thyroid cancer. 3 The effect of radiation on the frequency of nonmalignant thyroid disease. 4 Projections of the risk of thyroid cancer through the lifetime of exposed individuals.

What is the benefit of iodine 131?
Because of this, radioactive iodine (RAI, also called I-131) can be used to treat thyroid cancer. The RAI collects mainly in thyroid cells, where the radiation can destroy the thyroid gland and any other thyroid cells (including cancer cells) that take up iodine, with little effect on the rest of your body.
What are side effects of radioactive iodine therapy I-131?
What are the side effects of radioactive iodine?Neck tenderness and swelling.Nausea.Swollen salivary glands.Loss of taste or taste change.Dry mouth/insufficient salivary production.Dry eyes.Excessive tearing from the eyes.
What is the main drawback of radioactive iodine in treatment of Graves disease?
While it is generally safe to give RAI, patients may experience some side effects of therapy. The risk of eventual hypothyroidism is high, especially after treatment of GD. There can be transient exacerbation of hyperthyroid symptoms due to radiation thyroiditis.
What are the risks of radioactive iodine treatment?
Possible long term side effects include:Ability to have children (fertility) Some women may have irregular periods after radioactive iodine treatment. ... Inflammation of the salivary glands (where spit is made) ... Tiredness. ... Dry or watery eyes. ... Lower levels of blood cells. ... Lung problems. ... Second cancers.
Can your thyroid start working again after radioactive iodine?
RAI therapy is administered as a single dose or multiple doses over months to achieve remission. The endpoint of successful treatment is sustained hypothyroidism or occasionally euthyroidism. Once hypothyroidism has been achieved, it is usually irreversible with the patient requiring lifelong thyroid replacement.
Does radioactive iodine treatment shorten your life?
Quality of life is worse at 6-10 years after radioactive iodine therapy of Graves' disease compared with treatment with antithyroid drugs or surgery. Quality of life is worse at 6-10 years after radioactive iodine therapy of Graves' disease compared with treatment with antithyroid drugs or surgery.
Can radioactive iodine cause kidney problems?
The renal cast formation and tubular damage are evaluated by a pathologist in a blinded manner. Results: Ablative radioiodine-131 therapy induced renal tubular damage was significantly higher in the radioactive iodine fifth day group (RI-5) when compared with the Sham group (p=0.01) and Amifostine group (p=0.01).
What happens to your thyroid after radioactive iodine?
Radioactive iodine is taken up by the thyroid, and destroys the cells in the thyroid gland. This has the effect of reducing the amount of thyroxine made by the thyroid gland and may also reduce the size of the gland.
How successful is radioactive iodine treatment?
Conclusion: Radioactive iodine treatment is an effective modality for definitive treatment of hyperthyroidism with long-term cure approaching 80%.
Can radioactive iodine treatment cause other cancers?
Patients treated with radioactive iodine also have an increased risk of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), stomach cancer, and salivary gland cancer.
Which is better thyroid surgery or radioactive iodine?
Surgery for hyperthyroidism was associated with a lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death as compared to radioactive iodine therapy during long-term follow-up, particularly in men.
Will I gain weight after radioactive iodine treatment?
Treatment of hyperthyroidism with RAI or anti-thyroid medications is associated with an increased risk of gaining weight and even developing obesity. This risk is slightly higher with RAI therapy compared to medications.
What is 131 used for?
Benefits...: Iodine 131 is often used to treat conditions such as graves' disease, plummer's disease, or thyroid cancer. Iodine 131 is a beta emitter and emits beta radiation to damage hyperthyroid tissue or thyroid cancer.
What is 131 iodine?
Iodine 131 is a beta emitter and emits beta radiation to damage hyperthyroid tissue or thyroid cancer. 90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now: 24/7 visits - just $39!
What is I-131 used for?
Background: I-131 has been used in the therapy of well-differentiated thyroid cancer for over 50 years. Although the benefits and risks of I-131 remain issues of controversy and research, our understanding of them continues to improve. This review presents an overview of the benefits of I-131 therapy for ablation, adjuvant treatment, and treatment of locoregional and/or metastasis of well-differentiated thyroid cancer and considers the risks of complications of I-131 therapy. Summary: The benefits of I-131 remnant ablation include: [1] facilitating the interpretation of subsequent serum thyroglobulin levels, [2] increasing the sensitivity of detection of locoregional and/or metastatic disease on subsequent follow-up radioactive iodine whole-body scans, [3] maximizing the therapeutic effect of subsequent treatments, and [4] allowing a postablation scan to help identify additional sites of disease that were not identified on the preablation scan or when a preablation scan was not performed. The potential benefits of I-131 adjuvant treatment include decreasing recurrence and disease-specific mortality for unknown microscopic, locoregional, and/or distant metastatic disease. The potential benefits of I-131 treatment of known locoregional and/or distant metastases are [1] decreasing recurrence, and [2] decreasing disease-specific mortality and/or palliation. The more significant risks and side effects involve organ systems including eye/nasolacrimal, salivary, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, hematopoietic, and gonads as well as secondary primary malignancies. Conclusions: Although there are never-ending controversies regarding I-131 therapy in well-differentiated thyroid cancer, the benefits and risks are becoming better understood. This in turn helps the treating physician and patient in making decisions regarding therapy.
What is the purpose of I-131?
Initial management consists surgery and ablation. I-131,which is used to damage surgically unremoved thyroid tissue or treat metastases, is a source for ionizing radiation (IR ), also generates potential mutagenic and carcinogenic effects.The purpose of research is to investigate the damage on chromosomes at the I-131 treatment of thyroid cancer patients exposed to the same dose of genotoxic agent.Methods:Peripheral blood of 20 patients and 20 healthy control individuals were used in study. Materials were collected from patients before the I-131 treatment and three times on the 15th day, the first and second month after the I-131 treatment. All chromosome abnormalities, spontaneous chromosomal breakages, and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) were analyzed by cytogenetic methods in the samples.Results:The results obtained from peripheral blood of patiens who received ablation therapy revealed no significant increase for chromosome breakages, chromosome abnormalities, and SCE. Karyotyped metaphase spreads showed none of the structural and numerical chromosome abnormalities.The results of chromosome breakages and SCE have been statistically assessed by Aspin Welch test and did not differ from the control group.The t values of this variability were found to be -1.001,-1.654, respectively, and p>0.05.Conclusion:Our results demonstrate that applied therapeutic clinical dose does not show cytogenetic abnormalities risks of the early period in patients.I-131 treatment is a good option for the treatment of thyroid cancer,but also we recommend that physicians should perform long term follow-up examinations for IR exposed patients and prevent possible complications.
What is radioiodine used for?
Radioiodine (131I) is the classic radiotheragnostic agent used for the diagnosis and treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) based on sodium-iodine symporter expression in normal and neoplastic thyroid tissue. Application of radiotheragnostics principles in thyroid cancer involves using pre-ablation diagnostic scans (Dx Scans) for detection of iodine-avid regional and distant metastatic disease and patient-individualized targeted 131I therapy with goal of maximizing the benefits of the first therapeutic 131I administration. Clinically available nuclear medicine imaging technology has significantly evolved over the past 10 years with the introduction of hybrid SPECT/CT and PET/CT systems, as well as advances in iterative image reconstruction with modeling of image degrading physical factors. This progress makes possible the acquisition of accurate diagnostic radioiodine scintigraphy capable of identifying regional and distant metastatic disease, which can be used for 131I treatment planning and delivery of activity adjusted 131I therapy for achieving intended treatment goals (e.g. remnant ablation, adjuvant 131 I treatment and targeted 131-I treatment). The overarching aim of thyroid cancer radiotheragnostics is to optimize the balance between 131I therapeutic efficacy and potential side-effects on non-target tissues.
What is RAI for thyroid cancer?
We identified women diagnosed with differentiated thyroid cancer between January 2000 and December 2013 in the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry (CCR). CCR records were linked to state birth certificate files to identify livebirths to thyroid cancer survivors through December 2014. Person-years of follow-up were accrued from 6 months after diagnosis to first birth, 46 (th) birthday, death, or December 31, 2014, whichever came first. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazards ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for first livebirth. Among 2,360 women with a differentiated thyroid cancer diagnosis, 53% received RAI. The cumulative incidence of birth at the end of follow-up (maximum 14.5 years) was 30.0% and 29.3% among those who were and were not treated with RAI, respectively. Overall, first birth rates did not significantly differ between groups (HR=1.00; 95% CI: 0.82, 1.23). In our observational cohort, treatment with RAI was not associated with a reduced birth rate. Our findings add to the evidence available for counseling thyroid cancer patients with concerns about future fertility. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
What is RAI ablation?
This study aimed to compare quality of life (QoL) parameters between patients with PTMC who underwent total thyroidectomy (TT) alone and those who underwent TT with RAI ablation. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, patients with PTMC who underwent TT with/without RAI remnant ablation were prospectively enrolled between June 2016 and October 2017. All patients completed three questionnaires: the 12-item short-form health survey (SF-12), thyroid cancer-specific quality of life (THYCA-QoL) questionnaire, and fear of progression (FoP) questionnaire. Results: The TT and TT with RAI groups comprised 107 and 182 patients, respectively. The TT with RAI group had significantly lower serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels than the TT group. However, after matching for TSH levels between the groups (n=100 in both groups), there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics. According to the SF-12, the score for general health was significantly lower in the TT with RAI group than in the TT group (P=0.047). The THYCA-QoL also showed a significant difference in the "felt chilly" score between groups (P=0.023). No significant differences in FoP scores were observed between the groups. Conclusion: Patients with PTMC who underwent TT with RAI ablation experienced more health-related problems than those managed with TT alone. These findings support the idea that RAI ablation should be carefully considered in patients with low-risk DTCs.
What is RAI therapy?
Background Radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy is the standard adjuvant treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer (i.e. papillary and follicular). RAI is associated with troublesome early, intermediate and late adverse effects. Although glucocorticoids are used for the management of these adverse effects, there is little evidence regarding the effectiveness of prophylactic glucocorticoids to prevent these complications. This trial will evaluate the efficacy of a short course of prophylactic glucocorticoids in the prevention of adverse effects of RAI treatment in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Methods A phase II/III, single centre, randomized, double blinded, placebo controlled, parallel arm clinical trial will be conducted. Patients with differentiated thyroid cancer who are referred to RAI therapy at the National Cancer Institute, Sri Lanka will be randomised into two arms consisting of 200 patients each. The experimental group will receive prophylactic oral prednisolone 0.5mg/kg and omeprazole 20mg single dose 6 hours before RAI therapy followed by oral prednisolone 0.5mg/kg and omeprazole 20mg daily for 3 days. The control group will receive oral placebo and omeprazole 20mg single dose 6 hours before RAI therapy followed by oral placebo and omeprazole 20mg daily for 3 days. Clinically significant adverse effects assessed as related to RAI as well as prednisolone therapy and the quality of life parameters will be compared between the two groups. Discussion If proven beneficial, this intervention can be incorporated into the standard practice to reduce early and intermediate adverse effects of RAI for thyroid cancer with a potential improvement of quality of life. Trial registration Registration ID: Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry: SLCTR/2020/009 Registered prospectively on 23 February 2020. Url: https://slctr.lk/trials/slctr-2020-009
What is 131 I?
... Radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy using iodine-131 ( 131 I) is a targeted therapy against thyroid cancer of follicular origin [4]. Treatment modalities are stratified according to risk factors for disease persistence/recurrence or poor outcome, in order to improve outcome, limit cumulative radiation dose exposure and preserve quality of life [5]. Besides its impact on disease-free survival, the role of adjuvant 131 I therapy in dynamic restratification of patients has also been taken into consideration. ...
What are the risks of I-131?
The risks of I-131 therapy to the salivary glands includesialoadenitis of the salivary glands and obstruction of Sten-son’s and=or Warthon’s duct with resulting pain and=orswelling. The incidence of sialoadenitis ranges from 10% to67% (78), and the variability of frequency and severity is againmultifactorial. Sialoadenitis may result in xerostomia, the in-cidence being 2–55%, and xerostomia may result in significantproblems with oral hygiene, resulting in increased incidenceof dental caries and candidiasis. Obstruction of Stenson’sand=or Warthon’s duct may occur from inflammation of theduct with resulting fibrosis and narrowing, which may be-come obstructed by thickened saliva. This can present withsudden swelling and=or severe pain.
What is the purpose of I-131?
This is the use of I-131 to destroy normal residual func-tioning thyroid tissue with the objectives of [1] facilitating theinterpretation of subsequent serum thyroglobulin levels, [2]increasing the sensitivity of detection of locoregional and=ormetastatic disease on subsequent follow-up RAI whole-bodyscans, [3] maximizing the therapeutic effect of any subsequentI-131 treatments, and [4] facilitating a postablation scan that
How long does ageusia last after I-131?
Altered taste (ageusia) and smell may be experienced in2–58% ofpatients after therapy with I-131 (78), and this mayoccur as early as 24 hours after therapy (79). Although typi-cally the ageusia is transient, it may last from 4 weeks to 1 yearin as many as 37% of patients (69).
What is the objective of 131 ablation?
The objective of I-131 ablation is to destroy normal re-sidual thyroid tissue. Thus, radiation thyroiditis, which oc-curs in some patients, might not be considered a true sideeffect but rather related to the objective. The signs andsymptoms of radiation thyroiditis include swelling, tender-ness, and pain of the normal residual thyroid tissue as wellas neck and ear pain, dysphagia, and painful swallowing. Inpatients who had I-131 for ablation of a lobectomy, Burme-isteret al. report that 60% had neck pain or tenderness (83).When more extensive surgery, such as a total or near-totalthyroidectomy, is performed, radiation thyroiditis is lessfrequent.
Is hair loss secondary to I-131?
Hair loss secondary to I-131 therapy is very rare. When ahair loss is noted in patients who have received I-131 therapy ,it is more likely secondary to the development of hypothy-roidism (69).
Is facial nerve paralysis attributed to I-131?
Rarely, facial nerve paralysis has been attributed to I-131therapy (80). The proposed mechanism is a radiation sialoa-denitis with swelling of the gland around the facial nerve thatpasses through the parotid gland.
Treatment by Radiotherapy
This therapy is generally considered the safest and most effective method of treatment for feline hyperthyroidism.
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Treatment is a one-time event (only two to four percent of cats require a second treatment) and no on-going therapy is required.
Radiotherapy Facilities
Most general practices do not have radiation areas. Your veterinarian will refer you to a nearby facility
What is iodine 131?
Overactive thyroid (or hyperthyroidism) In the case of an overactive thyroid, the radioactive iodine dose destroys part of the thyroid gland so that the remaining part of the thyroid functions at a normal level. Iodine-131 therapy is usually given in a hospital outpatients department or private radiology practice that offers nuclear medicine ...
How long after taking iodine 131 can you work?
Depending on the size of your dose of Iodine-131, you may be required to alter your living and work arrangements for a period of time after taking the capsule (usually 2-4 days) so that you have minimal contact with other people.
How long does iodine therapy last?
It usually involves admission into hospital for a period of 3-5 days. This is to prevent close contact between the person receiving the radioactive iodine therapy and other people, who would be exposed to the radioactivity within the patient’s thyroid gland if they were in close contact.
How long does it take for iodine to kill thyroid cancer?
It will also destroy any cancerous thyroid tissue that may have moved elsewhere in the body. It usually involves admission into hospital for a period of 3-5 days. This is to prevent close contact between the person receiving the radioactive iodine therapy and other people, who would be exposed to the radioactivity within the patient’s thyroid gland if they were in close contact. Once the radiation levels within the body have fallen to acceptable limits, patients are allowed to go home. While there may still be some radioactivity within the body, patients can leave the hospital providing they follow some important precautions (see below).
How long do you have to fast for iodine treatment?
You will be asked to fast (not eat or drink) for 2 hours prior to the treatment. You should make contact with the hospital nuclear medicine department or private practice where you are having the therapy to find out what you can take into the iodine treatment room with you.
How long do you have to fast before taking iodine 131?
On the day of the therapy you will be asked to fast (not eat or drink) for 2 hours before being given the Iodine-131 capsule.
Can Iodine 131 be given outpatient?
Overactive thyroid: Iodine-131 therapy will usually be given to you as an outpatient. Once the relevant blood tests have been taken and results obtained, the technologist will spend a few minutes with you going through the precautions you need to take once you leave to go home.
Why is 131 I given?
131 I therapy is given postoperatively for three reasons: it destroys normal thyroid remnants, thereby increasing the sensitivity of subsequent 131 I total body scans and the specificity of measurements of serum thyroglobulin for the detection of persistent or recurrent disease; it may destroy occult microscopic carcinoma, thereby decreasing the long-term recurrence rate , and it permits a postablative 131 I total body scan, a sensitive tool for persistent carcinoma.
Why is 131 I used for thyroid cancer?
For this reason, 131 I is used for the treatment of thyrotoxicosis (hyperthyroidism) and some types of thyroid cancer that absorb iodine.
How long does 131 I last?
The 131 I isotope has a half-life of 8 days and emits γ radiation and β particles. Given orally, it is concentrated in the thyroid, where the β particles destroy the gland. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism begin to improve in a few days to a few weeks, but 2 to 3 months are often required for a complete effect.
How long does it take for 131 I to work?
This may be achieved by rendering the patient either euthyroid or hypothyroid. 131 I typically takes 6 to 8 weeks to produce its effects, and euthyroidism is expected 3 to 6 months after 131 I administration.
Is MIBG 131 I still in the experimental stage?
131 I-MIBG therapy is still in the experimental stage. It can be considered as an option in chemotherapy-resistant tumors and patients where chemotherapy doses cannot be increased due to clinical limitations like decreased hematopoiesis, mucosal toxicity, and so on. Other therapy options are required in cases of high-risk neuroblastoma. When 131 I is tagged with MIBG, it selectively targets tumors cells with limited effect on normal cells. In many cases, the therapeutic dose of 131 I-MIBG diagnosed new metastatic lesions, which was not seen previously in the diagnostic 131 I-MIBG scan ( Fig. 8.6) [87–89]. Previous studied demonstrated a 37% response rate in relapsed cases of neuroblastoma [90]. Another study showed stable disease in 34% of patients [91].
Is 131 I a thyroid hormone?
Because adequate thyroidal io dine (and hence 131 I) uptake is a prerequisite for 131 I therapy, it is not an appropriate treatment modality for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-dependent hyperthyroidism and for other causes of hyperthyroidism with low iodine uptakes such as thyroiditis.
Is 131 I ablation safe?
In low-risk patients, the long-term prognosis after surgery alone is so favorable that 131 I ablation is not usually recommended. However, patients who are at high risk of recurrence are routinely treated with 131 I, because it decreases both the rate of recurrence and the rate of death. Table III.
How long does radioactive iodine therapy last?
The biggest drawback to radioactive iodine therapy is the fact that you are radioactive for up to a week after you receive this treatment.
Is radioactive iodine safe?
One of the benefits that radioactive iodine therapy offers is that there is less chance of damaging other tissues. Some other treatment options do not have this benefit, and may cause accidental damage and side effects that are not intended.
Is radioactive iodine good for thyroid?
Radioactive iodine therapy can be a very effective treatment for thyroid problems and conditions, but before you choose this treatment option you should be aware of all the pros and cons that this treatment has.
Can you eat iodine if you have hyperthyroidism?
You can follow a diet for hyperthyroidism, but this method has many drawbacks at times.
Does iodine kill thyroid cells?
One benefit of radioactive iodine therapy is that underactive thyroid cells are not affected at all. Because these cells are not pulling in much iodine they are not really affected by the radiation in the iodine, and will not die off.
