Hyperthyreoidie, radioactief jodium en daarna.

The cause of hyperthyroidism is unknown. The methods available for treating this disease are thus limited to decreasing the hyperfunction of the gland by drugs, or eliminating a large pan of the gland by surgical removal or radiation. From 1959 to 1967 268 cases of hyperthyroidism were treated with radioactive iodine at the Dniycrsitv Hospital in Groningen. The results of this treatment were studied in a retrospective survey, for which 208 patients were available. The effect of internal irradiation on function and size of the thyroid was investigated, and in addition an explanation for the with time increasing incidence of hypothYroidism was sought. A possible relationship between the radiation dosage and the incidence of thYroid hypofunction was investigated. It was studied, whether, or with what frequency, immunological changes arise after treatment... During this follow up studv, attention was paid to the effect of treatment on the symptoms, including those of the cardiovascular system, the Achilles tendon reflex, on carbohydrate metabolism and on a numbc'r of laboratory investigations directly or indirectly related to thyroid function. This investigation was carried out in the Division of Endocrinology (Prof. Dr. H. Doorenbos) of the Department of Internal Medicine (Prof. Dr. E. Mandema) of the University Hospital in Groningen..