Comparison of the effectiveness between a single low dose and fractionated doses of radioiodine in ablation of post-operative thyroid remnants.
Due to the lack of radiation isolation wards in most hospitals in Taiwan, high-dose (exceeding 30 mCi) radioiodine therapy is usually performed in a fractionated manner (successively administering multiple low doses). This study compared the ablating efficacies of post-operative thyroid remnants using a single low dose (30 mCi) and fractionated doses (four doses of 30 mCi given at weekly intervals) in 59 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer who received total or near-total thyroidectomy. Successful ablation was obtained in 20 of 38 patients (52.6%) treated with a single low dose compared with 14 of 21 patients (66.7%) treated in a fractionated manner. There was no statistically significant difference between these two treatment protocols (P = 0.296). As the fractionated-dose protocol has the drawbacks of a much longer hypothyroid state and a higher total expense, we suggest that a single low dose is more feasible than fractionated doses for outpatient ablation therapy.
Hung
Guang-Uei
GU
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, 135 Nansiao street, Changhua 500, Taiwan. 106143@cch.org.tw
Tu
Shih-Te
ST
Wu
Iuan-Sheng
IS
Yang
Kwang-Tao
KT
D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes