What is it about?
Ionizing radiation induces and/or accelerates development of atherosclerosis when arteries are exposed to such radiation. Due to the close anatomical relationship between the thyroid and the carotid arteries, radiation from radioiodine therapy of benign thyroid disease can perhaps induce atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries. This could lead to increased risk of stroke. Whether there is an increase in the risk of stroke after radioiodine is investigated in this article.
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Why is it important?
Increased risk of stroke would probably be an unacceptable adverse effect for many thyroid patients, especially for those where alternative treatment options exists.
Perspectives
Perhaps radioiodine therapy of goitres for cosmetic reasons only should be disregarded until the issue of radiation induced atherosclerosis has been finally resolved.
Dr Jeppe Lerche la Cour
Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Radioiodine therapy increases the risk of cerebrovascular events in hyperthyroid and euthyroid patients, April 2015, Bioscientifica,
DOI: 10.1530/eje-14-1105.
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