title: Effectiveness of Radioiodine Treatment for Toxic Nodular Goiter.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the treatment outcomes in patients with toxic nodular goiter (TNG) that received radioiodine treatment (RAIT) and to determine the influence of age, gender, nodule size, I-131 dose, underlying etiology and antithyroid drugs on the outcomes of RAIT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred thirty three patients (mean 64±10 years old) with TNG that received RAIT were included in the study. Treatment success was analyzed according to demographic (age and gender) and clinical data (thyroid function tests before and after RAIT, thyroid sonography and scintigraphy, I-131 dose, antithyroid drugs). A fixed dose of 555 MBq was administered to patients with nodules smaller than 2 cm in diameter and of 740 MBq to patients with nodules larger than 2 cm. Hyperthyroidism treatment success was defined as achieving hypothyroidism or euthyroidism six months after RAIT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study, the cure rate was 93.9% six months after RAIT. Hypothyroidism was observed in 74 (31.7%) patients, and euthyroidism was achieved in 145 (62.2%) patients while 14 (6%) patients remained in hyperthyroid state. Age and gender did not affect treatment outcomes. No correlation was found between underlying etiology or antithyroid drugs and therapeutic effectiveness. The effectiveness of RAIT was better in patients with nodules smaller than 2 cm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed that high cure rates were obtained in patients with TNG with 555 MBq and 740 MBq doses of I-131. While nodule diameter and RAI dose are important factors for treatment efficacy; age, gender, underlying etiology and antithyroid drugs do not affect the outcome of RAIT.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Şakı
authors.affiliation: Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Aydın, Turkey Phone: +90 256 444 12 56 E-mail: arzukincengiz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Arzu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cengiz
authors.forename: Yakup
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yürekli