Follow-Up Study of Persons Who Had Iodine-131 and Other Diagnostic Procedures during Childhood and Adolescence

摘要

A prospective study of 3,503 children and adolescents who received diagnostic doses of Iodine-131 was conducted to evaluate the risk of radiation-induced thyroid neoplasia. The exposed group was followed for a total of 93,442 person-years. Thyroid doses received by the exposed group ranged from less than 10 rads to slightly more than 2,000 rads. The majority received less than 100 rads. A group of 2,594 children and adolescents who were not exposed to radioactive iodine comprised the control group for the study. Members of the control group were followed for a total of 66,797 person-years. An elevated risk of malignant thyroid tumors was observed in the exposed group. An increased risk of benign thyroid conditions was also noted in the exposed group. The results described above failed to fulfill the requirements for statistical significance because of the small number of cases but are suggestive of a radiation effect.