The use of X-ray fluorescence determination of the concentration of intrathyroid iodine in thyroidology

Abstract

The results of 7-year utilization of a Russian analyzer for noninvasive x-ray fluorescent measurement of intrathyroid stable iodine for diagnosis and monitoring the treatment efficiency in patients with thyroid diseases are analyzed. A total of 400 adults (130 men and 270 women) aged 20-50years and 67children (12 boys and 55 girls) aged 5-16 years with various thyroid diseases were examined. Control group consisted of 60 women and 30 men without thyroid diseases (according to clinical and laboratory studies). Ultrasonography and scintigraphy of the thyroid, measurements of the blood pituitary thyrotropic hormone, thyroid hormones, antibodies to thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase, cytological and h istological studies, and a new method for thyroid iodine measurements were used.

The results indicate the need in a new diagnostic method based on analysis of intrathyroid iodine. Such a method is needed for 1) prophylactic screening of population, including children, pregnant and nursing women in order to detect (with an accuracy of 7095%) subjects with suspected autoimmune thyroid diseases; 2) accurate evaluation of the degree of thyroid involvement in autoimmune thyroiditis and identification of the pathogenesis of hypothyrosis or thyrotoxicosis; 3) monitoring the efficiency of treatment with iodides, thyroxin, and their combinations and for thyroid function recovery after mercazolil therapy of diffuse thyroid goiter; and 4) differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid diseases.