Skip to main content

Painful acute radiation thyroiditis induced by 131I treatment of Graves' disease.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Shah, KK; Tarasova, V; Davidian, M; Anderson, RJ
Published in: BMJ Case Rep
January 9, 2015

A 44-year-old woman, chronic smoker with Graves' disease was treated with radioactive iodine ablation (RAI). One week after the treatment, she presented with severe pain in the anterior neck with radiation to the angle of the jaw associated with fatigue, tremor and odynophagia. Physical examination demonstrated an asymmetric and exquisitely tender thyroid gland. There was no laboratory evidence of thyrotoxicosis. Acute radiation thyroiditis was diagnosed. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hydrocodone-acetaminophen started initially were ineffective for pain control. Prednisone provided relief and was continued for 1 month with a tapering dose. Symptoms completely resolved after 1 month at which time the thyroid remained diffusely enlarged and non-tender. Three months following RAI ablation she developed hypothyroid symptoms. Levothyroxine was initiated. The patient has remained asymptomatic on continued follow-up care.

Duke Scholars

Published In

BMJ Case Rep

DOI

EISSN

1757-790X

Publication Date

January 9, 2015

Volume

2015

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Thyroiditis
  • Radiation Injuries
  • Prednisone
  • Pain
  • Iodine Radioisotopes
  • Hydrocodone
  • Humans
  • Graves Disease
  • Female
  • Drug Combinations
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Shah, K. K., Tarasova, V., Davidian, M., & Anderson, R. J. (2015). Painful acute radiation thyroiditis induced by 131I treatment of Graves' disease. BMJ Case Rep, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2014-207670
Shah, Kinjal K., Valentina Tarasova, Michael Davidian, and Robert J. Anderson. “Painful acute radiation thyroiditis induced by 131I treatment of Graves' disease.BMJ Case Rep 2015 (January 9, 2015). https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2014-207670.
Shah KK, Tarasova V, Davidian M, Anderson RJ. Painful acute radiation thyroiditis induced by 131I treatment of Graves' disease. BMJ Case Rep. 2015 Jan 9;2015.
Shah, Kinjal K., et al. “Painful acute radiation thyroiditis induced by 131I treatment of Graves' disease.BMJ Case Rep, vol. 2015, Jan. 2015. Pubmed, doi:10.1136/bcr-2014-207670.
Shah KK, Tarasova V, Davidian M, Anderson RJ. Painful acute radiation thyroiditis induced by 131I treatment of Graves' disease. BMJ Case Rep. 2015 Jan 9;2015.

Published In

BMJ Case Rep

DOI

EISSN

1757-790X

Publication Date

January 9, 2015

Volume

2015

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Thyroiditis
  • Radiation Injuries
  • Prednisone
  • Pain
  • Iodine Radioisotopes
  • Hydrocodone
  • Humans
  • Graves Disease
  • Female
  • Drug Combinations