The Treatment of Hyperthyroidism

Treatment with Radioactive IodineRadioactive iodine has created a revolution in the treatment of hyperthyroidism. Whereas surgical treatment gained pre-eminence through the early decades of the century, especially after the beneficial effects of iodine were re-established, it was about mid-century that ablation of the thyroid gland by means of orally administered ionizing radiation gained recognition as a neat and less troublesome therapy. The past decade has seen a rapid rise in its use so that, by 1961, it is estimated that almost 100,000 persons have been treated with radioactive iodine (I131). After twenty years of use, the fear of . . .