Radiation-associated thyrotoxicosis.
We studied 154 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis seen at Roswell Park Memorial Institute from 1963 to 1982. The retrospective review of the clinical materials revealed that 23 (15%) had a previous history of therapeutic radiation for various diseases. The radiation dose ranged from several to 3600 rads to the thyroid with a mean latency of 14.2 +/- 3.0 years. In 11 out of 16 patients who were tested for antithyroglobulin and antimicrosomal showed positive titers of either or both antibodies (69%). In a small number of patients, thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins were studied; long-acting thyroid stimulators (LATS) were positive in one of six tested and thyrotrophin binding inhibitory immunoglobulins (TBII) in five of eight. The radiation-associated thyroidal dysfunction appears to be associated with the organ-specific autoimmune processes and could manifest as either hypo- or hyperfunction of the gland.
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000532:radiotherapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005094:Exophthalmos / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000209:etiology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013971:Thyrotoxicosis / Q000209:etiology*