The effects of thyroid ablation treatment usually take between one and three months to manifest. The maximum benefit is typically seen three to six months after the procedure. In most cases, a single dose of radioactive iodine is enough to cure hyperthyroidism, with thyroid hormone levels returning to normal within 8 to 12 weeks. In rare cases, a person may require a second or third dose of radioactive iodine.
This type of therapy is now standard practice for those with papillary or follicular thyroid cancer (differentiated thyroid cancer) that has spread to the neck or other parts of the body. Radioactive iodine kills both cancerous and normal thyroid cells, while having minimal effects on the rest of the body. Iodine is essential for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland, which uses it to produce hormones. Radioactive iodine is often recommended for those with Graves' disease over 50 years old, or those with thyroid nodules (toxic multinodular goiter) that release too much thyroid hormone.
Antithyroid medication can be used to reduce hormone levels and lower the risk of a more serious problem called a thyroid storm. Radioactive iodine (ARI) may also be used to treat hyperthyroidism and certain types of thyroid cancer. Radioactive iodine (also known as I-131 or IAR) may be administered a few weeks after surgery to remove any remaining papillary or follicular thyroid cancer cells or normal thyroid tissue that the surgeon was unable to remove. I-123 is the common isotope used for taking pictures and determining the activity of the intact thyroid gland (thyroid scan and radioactive iodine absorption, RAIU), as it is harmless to thyroid cells.
Radioactive iodine often destroys an excessive amount of thyroid cells, resulting in an inability to produce enough hormones - the opposite problem than it had before. I-131 may also be used for imaging purposes, although it is rarely used due to its harmful effects on thyroid cells. This is done after the remaining thyroid cells (including cancer cells) are stimulated by raising TSH levels through removal of thyroid hormone pills or treatment with recombinant human TSH. Although radiation can cause thyroid cancer, treating hyperthyroidism with radioactive iodine does not increase the risk of developing it.
A short-term low-iodine diet, recommended by ThyCa medical advisors and other specialists in the field, as well as by the American Thyroid Association, increases the effectiveness of radioactive iodine treatment. In some cases, total destruction of the thyroid may be necessary in order for hyperthyroid symptoms to be relieved. The radiation emitted by each form of iodine can be detected from outside the patient in order to obtain information about thyroid function and take pictures of the size and location of thyroid tissues. Additionally, increasing TSH levels helps as cancer cells do not absorb iodine as well as normal thyroid cells do.
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