PATIENT NO. 65 (continued)
followed two weeks later by the development of marked beta burns of the skin
She had
and epilation of the scalp and leukopenia and thrombocytopenia.
recovered from these effects by one year. Her subsequent medical history
revealed no serious illnesses, but the child was thin and appeared to be somewhat retarded in growth and development. Menarche had not yet occurred. She
had recurrent impetigo infections of the skin. On discovery of her thyroid
nodule in September, 1965, she was placed on thyroid hormone therapy. The
nodule did not reduce in size on this therapy and therefore she was brought

here for treatment.

Until recently she had been thought to be euthyroid with

normal PBI and cholesterol levels.

However, by March of this year her thyroxine

iodine level was down to 1.9 ug%, and she showed increased TSH levels suggestive
of a hypofunctioning thyroid gland.

Physical Examination:

This slender girl appeared younger than her stated age.

A l cm thyroid nodule was noted in the lower pole of the right thyroid. No
lymphadenopathy was noted. The remainder of the physical examination was
essentially negative,

except for the presence of a small pilonidal sinus.

Laboratory and X-Ray Data:

Thyroid Work-Up:

Iodine fractionation studies on

ney

her plasma revealed thyroxine iodine of 3.5 wg% (however, she had only been off

of thyroid hormone therapy for about two weeks).
Her TSH levels were quite
elevated (125 mg/ml). Antithyroglobulin titre was under 1:16. Thyroid scan
using

IT¢ showed a small but apparently normal thyroid.

Though 99mp¢ uptake

was normal, the 132] uptake at 6 hours was somewhat low and little increase was

noted after TSH stimulation.
These findings are in conformity with a hypofunctioning gland.
A chest plate was negative except for suggestive extrinsic pressure
on the right side of the trachea at the level of T-1.
Alkaline phosphatase

level was elevated (13.0 units).

Hospital Course:
The patient's hospital course here was uneventful. On June 5
she was transferred to the New England Deaconess Hospital, and on June 6,
Dr. Bentley P. Colcock of Lahey Clinic performed thyroid surgery in that hospital.
A right subtotal thyroidectomy was performed with removal of the lower right pole
of the thyroid as well as a small cyst from the left lobe, The microscopic
diagnosis of removed tissues by Dr. W. A. Meissner of the New England Deaconess

Hospital was "adenonatous goiter." She was returned to Brookhaven on June 11,
and her recovery from surgery was uneventful. She was placed on desiccated thyroid,
180 mg daily, to be continued indefinitely.
asymptomatic.

Diagnosis:

The wound healed nicely, and she was

Adenomatous goiter.

Discharge Medication:

To continue thyroid hormone therapy indefinitely.

This patient was seen in September, 1966, in the Marshall Islands, and
she was found to be euthyroid on the hormone treatment,with no complications.

109

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