The History of the Development of Radioiodine Therapy in Russia

Abstract

This article traces the history of the development of radioiodine therapy (RIT) as one of the leading methods for treating thyroid disorders. The relevance of the topic is determined by the high efficacy of RIT in managing thyrotoxicosis and differentiated thyroid cancer, as well as the ongoing efforts to refine dosimetric strategies and molecular imaging techniques. Based on a systematic review of historical publications and monographs from 1923 to 2022, the study analyzes key milestones in the clinical implementation of iodine-131 — from the pioneering experiments of Hertz and Seidlin in the United States in 1937 to the widespread adoption of the method in the USSR beginning in the 1950s and its subsequent advancement at the National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The reviewed literature highlights the significant contributions of Russian researchers to the formation of personalized theranostic approaches and underscores the need for further improvement in planning methods, dynamic treatment monitoring, and the broader expansion of radionuclide therapies for thyroid diseases.