Large, compressive goiters treated with radioiodine.

<bold>Objective: </bold>To evaluate the effectiveness of radioiodine therapy as an alternative for surgery in elderly patients with a large, compressive goiter using objective methods for measuring thyroid volume and tracheal compression.<bold>Design: </bold>Prospective study.<bold>Setting: </bold>University hospital in the Netherlands.<bold>Patients: </bold>19 patients (mean age +/- SD, 66 +/- 14 years) with a large, compressive multinodular goiter who had a high operative risk or refused to have thyroid surgery.<bold>Intervention: </bold>A single intravenous dose of 131I at 2.6 +/- 1.0 GBq (70 +/- 28 mCi) (3.7 MBq or 100 microCi/g of thyroid tissue), followed by daily administration of L-thyroxine in doses that did not suppress thyroid-stimulating hormone.<bold>Measurements: </bold>Clinical evaluation and measurements of thyroid volume, maximal tracheal deviation, and the smallest cross-sectional area of the tracheal lumen with magnetic resonance imaging before and 1 year after 131I treatment.<bold>Results: </bold>No exacerbation of compressive symptoms after 131I therapy was observed. Thyroid volume was 269 +/- 153 mL before treatment and 154 +/- 73 mL 1 year after treatment (P < 0.001). Thyroid volume was reduced 40% +/- 15% (range, 19% to 68%). Maximal tracheal deviation (1.9 +/- 0.8 cm before and 1.5 +/- 0.7 cm 1 year after therapy) had decreased by 20% +/- 20% (range, -4% to 73%; P < 0.001), and the smallest cross-sectional area of tracheal lumen (0.78 +/- 0.38 cm2 before and 1.04 +/- 0.48 cm2 1 year after therapy) had increased by 36% +/- 38% (range, -3% to 125%; P < 0.001). Clinical signs and symptoms improved in 8 of 12 patients with dyspnea and inspiratory stridor and in both patients with compression of the superior vena cava.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Therapy with 131I is an effective alternative to surgery for elderly patients with a large, compressive multinodular goiter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]