Rongelap 8
HOSPITAL OF THE MEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER,

(NAME)

BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LASORATORY
UPTON, NEW YORK 11973
Area Code 516 YAphank 4-6262

08-42-34

R
(UNIT NO.)

DISCHARGE SUMMARY
ADMITTED:

7? November 1972

DISCHARGED:

13 November 1972

This 19-year-old Marshallese girl was

admitted to this Hospital for evaluation

of thyroid, nodularity and physical condition prior to thyroid surgery.
MEDICAL HISTORY:

thyroid gland.

Examination in September revealed

nodularity in the right upper lobe of the
One nodule was fairly firm and about 1 cm. in diameter and the

other was smaller and soft in consistency.

No lymph nodes were palpated, and the

patient appeared to be euthyroid.
Previous exams over the past 18 years have not
revealed any thyroid abnormalities and she has always appeared euthyroid with
thyroxin levels in the normal range,

was noted to be anemic, cause unknown.

During the September 1972 examination she

She was 17 months of age at the time
of exposure to fallout and received
an estimated whole-body dose of 69 rads of gacma radiation and a thyroid dose of
about 500 rads, largely from absorption of radioiodines in the food and water
consumed, This is the first case of thyroid nodularity in children of this
lower Rongelap exposure group (Ailingnae group),
Immediate effects of fallout were few:

*

development of mild superficial beta

burns of the skin and slight epilation which healed within a few weeks, with normal
regrowth of hair; development of mild platelet depression and leukopenia which

returned to normal levels by one year,

Since 1954 she has been in good health

with no significant illnesses or injuries and her growth and development have
been normal,
Another stater, who was also exposed to fallout, developed benign

thyroid adenomatous nodules which were removed surgically several years ago.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION:

This slender girl is well-developed

and well-nourished,
The thyroid
examination revealed the upper part of the right lobe to be irregular with a

soft, 1.5-cm, nodule in the upper part. The left lobe was barely palpable. No
cervical nodes were palpated and she appeared tc be euthyroid, The remainder
of the Physical Examination was essentially negative except for a small
papilloma in the perineum.
LABORATORY & X-RAY DATA:

Thyroid scans uaing 99m, showed

nodularity with reduced function in

the upper right lobe. T™% level was normal (9.3 g%) and showed good increase
after TSH stimulation. Tie 1231 uptake was slightly elevated and the response
to TSH was fair, ‘The Laboratory and X-ray data were otherwise normal except for
the presence of Trichuris Trichuria in the stools,
-1-

ant 720A

- 120 -

Select target paragraph3