Rongelap 40
Puasa)

MOSFITAL OF THE ageCan BESLARCH CINTER
BQOKHAYIN NATIONAL LABORATIORT
WHION, Now YORE 11979

08-45-42

Aree Code 51d WAphenh 4-4742

Mul NO)

OISCHARGE SUMMARY

ADMITTED: June 2, 1973

PISCHARCED: June 10, 1973

This 48*year old Marshallese man
who had been exposed ta radivuactive
fallout tn 1956 was admitted for evaluation of thyroid nodulacity and physical status
for possible thyroid surgery.
HESTORY:

A small nodule in the righe lobe of the
thyrold was

firse detected

in

1965.

He,

along with other people of Rongelap who had been exposed to radiation had been phaced on
L-thyroxin treatment and the nodule disappeared on this treatment.
However, during the
recent examinations in March, he was again discovered to have a hardened area in the

righe lobe with indiwcince boundaries. Na lymphadenopachy was noted. He has always
appeared euthyrold and his thyroxia levels have generally been in the normal range, with
only one reading slightly slow.
He was exposed to 175 rad of gamma
radiation from accldential fallout of 1954
and his thyroid gland probably received about JW) rads partly from radioactive bodines

absorbed,

He had early acure effects with hemlogical depression and mild “beta” burns

of the skin which he recovered from within a year. Examinations over the pase 19 years
have revealed only a few findings: The history of yawa in childhood, measles, occasion=
ally bronchitia, one possible attack of pneumonia, a fiscula-ineano which was surgically
corrected, He has remained in very good health and is a hard worker and leader of nls
people. He was magistrate of the village at the time of the fallout. iia wife was
Operated for cancer of the thyroid, three sons for benign thyroid lesions, and 1 son
died at 19 years of age with acute leukemia (possible from radiation cxposure).

FHYSICALEXAMINATION:

This well developed, muscular, alert man
appeared quite healthy and euthyroid, The
thyroid findings noced were the same as were reported above for the Murch examinativn.
The only other findings were bilateral prted. ~¢ , missing teeth and gingivitis,

JDABORATORYANDX-RAYDATA:

Thyroid scans showed no distinet modularity
but slightly increased size of the right
lobe. Radicaceive lodine uptake was normal and response to TSH stimulation was fair.
TeS levels are noe reported yee. Serum was nonreactive for antithyroid globulin antibodies. Chest X-Ray was normal. Hemogram was normal. Syphilis servlegy was reactive
(elter of 4) but Chis low level was not considered algnificane in view of his history
of having iad the yawea. Tests of kidney function and liver function were normal. Elec*
trolytes normal, EKG nurmal,

were positive for whipworm,.
HOSPITALCOURSE:

proteins normal, electrolytes and

Lipids normal.

Stvovls

During the 8 daya of his hospital stay,
the patient was a symptomatic until

the 5th day when foilowlng TSH injection (given the previous day) he developed an
acute thyroiditis with low grade fever, nausea, anorexia and slight neutruphilia. Scan
showed some enlargement of the gland... The thyroiditis reduced rapidly and at the

ma 7204

Select target paragraph3