Postoperative radioactive iodine administration for differentiated thyroid cancer patients

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Radioactive iodine (RAI) is administered postoperatively to the majority of thyroid cancer patients. No available study has demonstrated any benefit in low-risk patients. RECENT FINDINGS: RAI should be used selectively in low and intermediate-risk patients, based on the surgical and pathological reports and on postoperative serum thyroglobulin level and neck ultrasonography. When used, a low activity (30 mCi) is administered following recombinant human thyrotropin stimulation. High-risk patients are treated with a high activity of RAI (100 mCi or more). SUMMARY: RAI is not administered in many low-risk patients who can be reliably followed up with serum thyroglobulin determination on L-thyroxine treatment and neck ultrasonography. RAI may be administered in case of abnormality, and this delay will not reduce the chance of cure.