;

.
HOSPITAL OF THE
BROOKHAVEN
UPTON,
Area Code

Rongelap 45

MEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER.
NATIONAL LABORATORY
NEW YORK 11973
S16 YAphank 4~4252

8-45-41R

AME)
[UNIT NO)

DISCHARGE SUMMARY

ADMITTED:

June 2,

1973

DISCHARGED:

June 10, 1973

‘

This 5l-year-old Marshallese woman was
brought to this Hospital for study of
possible thyroid nodularity and evaluation of physical status for thyroid surgery.
MEDICAL HISTORY:

The examination in March revealed a
suspicious area of firmness about 2.5
centimeters in diameter in che region of the lower right thyroid pole. There was

>

uncertainty as to whether iC was in the thyroid gland, but because of her radiation

history it waa thought surgical exploration was indicated.
adenopathy and she appeared euthyroid.

There was no lymph-

.4

4
+
*%
a

‘Y
4
=a

She was exposed to fallout radiation in
1954, receiving about 69 rads whole-body ~~ ~~
gamma radiation and about 134 rads to her thyroid gland from absorption of radio=:
iodines from the fallout. She had mild radiation effects with slight transient
a
hematological depression and superficial beta burns to the skin. She recovered from
4
these effects within the year and in subsequent years only minor medical findings
?
were noted, Among these were pleural thickening of the right hemidiaphragm, chronic
J
’
endocervicitis, gonorrhea, pingueculae (left) and partial prolapse of the vaginal
i
'
wall. She has always appeared euthyroid and several thyroxin levels were in the
i
normal range, though the March level was somewhat low,
‘
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION:

This lady was well-nourished and somewhat
overweight. The thyroid examination
revealed an area of firmness as described above, in the lower right thyroid region
near the clavicle. Again, it was uncertain as co whether this was actually thyroid
tissue being palpated.

The patient appeared euthyroid and no lymphadenopathy was

noted. The physical examination was otherwise generally negative except for slight
cardiac enlargement and eye findings noced above.
LABORATORY AND X-RAY DATA:

3
_ ft
4

2

a

"4

-4

The thyroid scans showed no evidence of
thyroid nodularity and the thyroid gland
appeared normal. The RAI uptake was normal and the response to TSH stimulation was
good. Her. chest x-ray showed slight cardiac enlargement and some tenting of the
diaphragm on the right from scarring, probably due to an old inflammatory disease.
The hemogram was normal except for a high sedimentation rate (which is frequently __
seen in the Marshallese, particularly the women). The blood chemistry findings
.. ©
were generally normal.
aa
PITAL

.

During her 3-day stay here, she remained

generally asymptomatic except for slight

4

4
7

reer rary ee

pain in the right shoulder at night relieved by aspirin, and nasal congestion on
several occasions which was relieved by nose drops.
She was discharged

ONL 720A

- 124 -

Select target paragraph3