Nuclear Medicine Using Radioactive Iodine
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: TH
Context: Nuclear medicine using radioactive iodine (¹³¹I) is gaining prominence in India as a non-invasive, effective treatment for thyroid disorders and differentiated thyroid cancers.
About Nuclear medicine using radioactive iodine:
• What It Is? Radioactive iodine therapy (RAI) uses isotopes like iodine-131 (¹³¹I) to diagnose and treat overactive thyroid glands and thyroid cancers. It forms a core part of nuclear medicine’s theranostic approach (therapy + diagnostics).
• Radioactive iodine therapy (RAI) uses isotopes like iodine-131 (¹³¹I) to diagnose and treat overactive thyroid glands and thyroid cancers. It forms a core part of nuclear medicine’s theranostic approach (therapy + diagnostics).
• Discovery & Development:
• First proposed in 1936 by Saul Hertz, following a lecture at MIT by Karl Compton. Iodine-131 was discovered by Glenn Seaborg and John Livingood in 1938 at UC Berkeley. Marked the beginning of nuclear medicine, integrating physics and biology.
• First proposed in 1936 by Saul Hertz, following a lecture at MIT by Karl Compton.
• Iodine-131 was discovered by Glenn Seaborg and John Livingood in 1938 at UC Berkeley.
• Marked the beginning of nuclear medicine, integrating physics and biology.
• How It Works?
• Patients ingest a capsule or liquid form of radioactive iodine. The hyperactive thyroid tissue absorbs the iodine. The emitted beta particles destroy thyroid cells, reducing hormone production. Gamma rays allow imaging to track progress.
• Patients ingest a capsule or liquid form of radioactive iodine.
• The hyperactive thyroid tissue absorbs the iodine.
• The emitted beta particles destroy thyroid cells, reducing hormone production.
• Gamma rays allow imaging to track progress.
• Key Features: Precise targeting: Radioactive iodine is absorbed only by thyroid cells, sparing healthy tissue from exposure. Minimally invasive: The therapy involves swallowing a capsule or liquid—no surgical procedure is needed. Safe & regulated: Treatment is administered in specialized wards under strict radiation safety norms. Customisable doses: Dosage varies from mild for hyperthyroidism to high for thyroid cancer ablation. Contraindicated in pregnancy: Pregnant or nursing women are excluded to avoid fetal radiation exposure.
• Precise targeting: Radioactive iodine is absorbed only by thyroid cells, sparing healthy tissue from exposure.
• Minimally invasive: The therapy involves swallowing a capsule or liquid—no surgical procedure is needed.
• Safe & regulated: Treatment is administered in specialized wards under strict radiation safety norms.
• Customisable doses: Dosage varies from mild for hyperthyroidism to high for thyroid cancer ablation.
• Contraindicated in pregnancy: Pregnant or nursing women are excluded to avoid fetal radiation exposure.
• Significance: First-line treatment for hyperthyroidism: Conditions like Grave’s disease and toxic goitre respond well to RAI. It lowers hormone levels effectively without surgery. Essential for thyroid cancer follow-up: Post-surgical patients use it to destroy residual or metastatic thyroid tissue. It ensures long-term remission and reduces recurrence risks. Cost-effective and widely available: RAI is affordable and accessible in many Indian public and private hospitals.
• First-line treatment for hyperthyroidism: Conditions like Grave’s disease and toxic goitre respond well to RAI. It lowers hormone levels effectively without surgery.
• Essential for thyroid cancer follow-up: Post-surgical patients use it to destroy residual or metastatic thyroid tissue. It ensures long-term remission and reduces recurrence risks.
• Cost-effective and widely available: RAI is affordable and accessible in many Indian public and private hospitals.