Radioactive Iodine Ablation for Hyperthyroidism

If the use of antithyroid medications doesn’t lead to remission, your NYU Langone doctor may prescribe radioactive iodine ablation or may consider performing a minimally invasive interventional procedure.

Radioactive iodine ablation therapy may be used for people with Graves’ disease or for those with toxic nodular or toxic multinodular goiter.

With this therapy, you take a dose of radioactive iodine by mouth. A single dose is usually all that is needed.

Thyroid cells need iodine to make thyroid hormone, so they vigorously absorb any iodine found in the bloodstream, including radioactive iodine. Because radioactive iodine has destructive properties, the thyroid cells that absorb it are destroyed.

Over a period of several weeks to months, radioactive iodine ablation leads to a decrease in thyroxine production. As a result, hyperthyroidism goes away.

During treatment, your thyroid hormone levels are monitored periodically to assess how your thyroid is responding to the radioactive iodine. Most people experience a reduction in symptoms after just a few weeks to months of treatment. Most people tolerate this therapy very well.