Stimulation With 0.3-mg Recombinant Human Thyrotropin Prior to Iodine 131 Therapy to Improve the Size Reduction of Benign Nontoxic Nodular Goiter

Abstract

Stimulation with recombinant human thyrotropin prior to (131)I therapy improves thyroid size reduction by 35%, with a 5-fold higher rate of hypothyroidism. These effects are, at least partially, mediated through mechanisms other than an increase in retained (131)I thyroid dose. Further recombinant human thyrotropin dose-finding studies are warranted before routine use.