Note the absence of such findings in the less exposed 6 Ailingnae children that received an estimated thyroid dose of 345-620 rads, the 40 Utirik children who received an estimated thyroid dose of 69-124 rads and the 61 unexposed children of comparable age. Though these numbers are small they do give an idea of the dose-response relationship for these thyroid effects. Thyroid surgery was performed on 9 children and 2 adults. All nodules were found to be benign in the children. One adult, a 41 year old woman in the higher exposure group had a cancer. In addition to those cases with thyroid nodules, 2 boys showed atrophy of the thyroid gland with signs of hypothyroidism. Interestingly enough these 2 boys were the ones who were the most retarded in growth and development. gross appearance of the nodules at surgery. The next slide shows the Note the varied size of the nodules from several millimeters to several centimeters, some being cystic, and some hemorrhagic. The next slide shows the microscopic characteristics of these benign nodules. They resemble closely adenomatous goiter usually seen with iodine deficiency and definite radiation effects were not identified in the glands by most pathologists. The next slides show the gross and microscopic appearance of the mixed papillary and follicular cancer with localized metastases that occurred in the woman referred to above. It has become increasingly clear that the growth retardation noted in the children is probably associated with thyroid deficiency, even * though a hypothyroid tendency was not detected in earlier years when the growth retardation was first noted. It has since been discovered that a high level of iodoprotein is normally present in the Marshallese people which gives a falsely high PBI level. sgg1z49 This may have masked a low degree of hormone