Carotid artery rupture following radioiodine therapy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Radioiodine therapy for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer aims at reducing tumor recurrence by eradicating residual macro- and microscopic foci. Side effects are generally rare, tenuous and transient, with little clinical significance.


OBJECTIVE
To report a rare case of differentiated thyroid carcinoma presenting a large expansive solid mass at the base of the skull, with invasion of the left masticatory muscle and adjacent subcutaneous tissue, and without invasion of the carotid space, which evolved to carotid artery rupture following radioiodine therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Side effects are uncommon after radioiodine therapy and when present, have mild intensity. Serious adverse events are very rare, especially those arising from structures not directly invaded by metastatic tissue with radioiodine uptake, as occurred in this case. This occurrence serves to raise awareness of the need for increased care when using radioiodine therapy on high-avidity masses located close to important structures.
Department Nuclear Medicine, Hospital de Câncer de Barretos, Barretos, SP, Brazil.
Danilo da Silva
Dda S
Cunha
Maria Izilda Previato
MI
Simões
Dionísio Nepomuceno
DN
Viviani
Domingos
D
Boldrini
Euclides Timóteo da
ET
Rocha
Sandra Regina
SR
Morini
Sonia Marta
SM
Moriguchi
D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D020212:Carotid Artery Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D012421:Rupture / Q000209:etiology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes