Endemic goiter in Greece: Effects of iodized oil injection

Iodine metabolism has been studied in patients with endemic goiter in Greece following the injection of iodized oil, which reduced the size of the glands, more markedly in the diffuse goiters than in the nodular ones. Injection of labeled iodized oil resulted in a very slow diffusion from the injection site, and the local radioactivity decreased with a mean biological half-life of 70 days. Serial studies over 12 months in 34 patients with endemic goiter injected with 1 ml. of iodized oil showed an increase in the Plasma Inorganic Iodine (PII) and the urinary iodine, and a decrease in the thyroidal 131I uptake and clearance. The excess urinary iodine was in inorganic form. Extrapolation of the data suggests that a 1 ml dose would give adequate prophylaxis from iodine deficiency for 25 months. Following the iodized oil injection, the Absolute Iodine Uptake (AIU) by the thyroid increased, and so did the BEI and serum thyroxine (Tetrasorb) values whereas the Triosorb test did not show consistent results. The serum PBI increased out of proportion to the BEI, the difference being accounted for by the presence in the circulation of an iodinated albumin-like protein.