STUDIES IN IODINE METABOLISM OF THE THYROID GLAND IN SITU BY THE USE OF RADIO-IODINE IN NORMAL SUBJECTS AND IN PATIENTS WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF GOITER

Abstract

Each subject received 14 mg of I by mouth as NaI and a known quantity of radio-I. The y rays from the radio-I in the thyroid were measured by placing a Geiger counter against the neck directly over the gland. The radio-I in the thyroids of 5 normal subjects rose slowly for 2 days to a maximum of l%-5%, and thereafter decreased less than 0.1% per day. In 2 patients with non-toxic goiters the pattern was similar with a maximum of 10% and 12%. The maximum in the thyroids of 5 thyro-toxic patients occurred at 1-4 hrs. after adm. and ranged from 7%-20%; these values rapidly fell in 24 hrs. to 1/2 to 1/5 of the maximum, but thereafter did not change significantly. The uptake pattern of 1 patient with a goiter and hypo-thyroidism was similar to those of the thyrotoxic patients. The uptake of radio-I by the thyroids of 4 hypothyroid children without goiters ranged from 0.02%-0.08%.