LATE RESULTS OF I-131 TREATMENT OF HYPERTHYROIDISM IN SEVENTY-THREE CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.

Abstract

The ages and sex of these children are shown in Table I. In most cases the diagnosis was established on clinical findings and elevated serum PBI. In 60 children whose PBI determinations pre-therapy were made, the values were as follows: 12 were less than 10 mcg per cent; 25 were from 10 to 15 mcg per cent; 11 were from 16 to 19 mcg per cent, and 12 were over 20 mcg per cent. In 13 cases, the diagnosis was based on clinical findings and 1131 uptake studies. In this group of children the uptake values ranged from 41.5 to 99 per cent in 24 hours. Of the 69 children, including these 13 who had 24 hour uptakes of 1131 tracer doses pre-therapy, 4 had uptakes below 40 per cent; 39 were be tween 40 and 75 per cent; and 26 were above 75 per cent. In 21 children BMR's were run; of these, 15 were well above normal, but in three patients the metabolic rates were only +2, +8, and +8 per cent. In these three, the serum PBI measure ments were 9.4, 13.3 and 12.4 mcg per cent respectively. Table II indicates the gland size, when recorded, presence of nodularity if noted, and the dates and amounts of 1131given. The glands of 5 children (#9, 56, 57, 61 and 65) were listed as being nodular; in #10 and #70 nodularity was questionable at the time of diagnosis. No further mention is made of a nodule on subsequent examinations in most of these cases. There was one substemal goiter (#15) and in two instances (#31 and #32), the isthmus was described as en larged. The child with the substernal extension had had surgery on two occasions, with recurrent thyrotoxicosis; subsequent administration of 1131 was successful.