Diuretic-enhanced I-131 clearance after ablation therapy for differentiated thyroid cancer.
The authors assessed whether the whole-body radiation burden can be reduced with diuretic enhancement of iodine-131 excretion in patients with thyroid cancer and slow clearance. Whole-body imaging and quantitative I-131 clearance data obtained before and after ablation therapy were evaluated in 56 patients. Fourteen patients with slow pre-ablation therapy clearance (> 50% retention at 24 hours) received oral diuretics after I-131 therapy. Nine patients began taking furosemide 24 hours after I-131 treatment. Five patients had been receiving thiazide diuretics and were continued on the same dose after treatment. The mean half-time of I-131 clearance for the patients treated with furosemide decreased by 12 hours (P < .05) but was not significantly decreased for those who received thiazides or for the patients who did not receive diuretics. Administration of diuretics can improve I-131 clearance in patients with thyroid cancer and slow clearance, reducing the radiation burden and shortening the hospital stay.
Seabold
J E
JE
Department of Radiology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242.
Ben-Haim
S
S
Pettit
W A
WA
Gurli
N J
NJ
Rojeski
M T
MT
Flanigan
M J
MJ
Ponto
J A
JA
Bricker
J A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001581:Benzothiadiazines; D001822:Body Burden; D002648:Child; D004232:Diuretics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005665:Furosemide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016634:Radiosurgery; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014915:Whole-Body Counting
D001581:Benzothiadiazines; D004232:Diuretics; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors; D005665:Furosemide