Radiojodering

Radiojodering is a medical procedure that utilizes radioactive iodine to diagnose and treat certain thyroid conditions. Specifically, it involves the administration of a small, safe dose of radioactive iodine, usually in the form of a capsule or liquid. The thyroid gland, which naturally absorbs iodine, takes up the radioactive form.

For diagnostic purposes, a scanner is used to measure the amount of radioactive iodine the thyroid has absorbed and where it has accumulated. This helps doctors identify conditions like hyperthyroidism, where the thyroid is overactive, or thyroid nodules, which can be benign or cancerous. The uptake patterns can reveal specific functional abnormalities within the gland.

In therapeutic applications, a higher dose of radioactive iodine is given. This larger dose is designed to destroy overactive thyroid cells or cancerous thyroid tissue. For conditions like Graves' disease, a common cause of hyperthyroidism, the radioactive iodine targets and reduces the size and activity of the enlarged thyroid gland. For differentiated thyroid cancer, it can eliminate any remaining cancer cells after surgery. Patients undergoing radioiodine therapy are typically required to follow specific precautions to minimize exposure to others due to the radioactivity. The body naturally eliminates the radioactive iodine over time.