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Rongelap
people of the Utirik and Rongelap comparison populations. These latter cases were
in people over 50 years of age, whereas in
the Rongelap exposed adults, the nodules
occurred before the age of 50 years.
In view of the seriousness of this development, the highest exposure group on Rongelap was started on thyroid hormone
therapy in order to protect the glands
against further thyroid-stimulating hormone
(TSH)stimulation and hopefully to reducd
the possibility of further development of
nodules as well as to cause regression of
+
os
.
‘
existing nodules. Accordingly, in September
of 1965 daily treatment was begun with
synthetic thyroxine, 0.3 mg to those under
50 years of age and 0.2 mg to those over 50
"oS
o
years
*
Surgery has been performed on 11 subjects. Three were taken to Guam in 1964,
where thyroidectomy was carried out at the
.
3 3
3 2's
ge 4
ried out a numberof thyroid studies before
surgery was done in Boston. These studies
included iodine uptake, serum TSH level,
f E
3
serum thyroxine level. Thyroglobulin anti-
©
seen. Dr. Robbins will speak
further about
P
Be haven National Laboratory where we car-
@=-3
00 wn
* body tests were made, but no increase was
2
~% 54 these studies. Subtotal thyroidectomy was
J
{3 s
&
|8%
na
=
©
=
several nodules have been detected in older
taken back to the United States to Brook-
By
7
=
represents 12.5%. It should be noted that
24thyroid scan, basal metabolic rate, PBI, and
et ee
c
Ailinginae group there was 1 case that
E
lo
me g us =
‘> y
10 years, there have been 3 adults with
thyroid nodules (5.5%). In the smaller
“$2 Naval Hospital. Eight other cases were
oo
Z
among those exposed at an age greater than
5
2
% 288
o
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o
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I 700-1 ,400
12
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»
rads
9
2
oss
19
Dose*
Thyroid
Group
I 350-600
rads
Group
Dose*
Thyroid
%
14
1 54
rads
I 160
y 175
%
14.3
co“
0.0
Dose*
Group Thyroid
Abnormalities
Estimated
No.
in
Abnormalities
Estimated
No.
in
a
y 69
Group
%
0.0
10
Abnormalities
Abnormalities
in
No.
-
No.
in
Estimated
so
=
Island Group
Age (1954) 20-40 years Age (1954) >40 yearst
Age (1954) 10-19 years
Age (1954) <10 years
Thyroid Abnormalities (Nodules and Hypothyroidism )-—Marshallese Populations Examined 1964 Through 1966
TABLE 4.
malities have been noted. On Rongelap,
} In estimating the thyroid doses to the Ailinginae and Utirik exposed groupsit was assumedthat such doses were proportional to the thyroid doses of the
%
*~
Annals of
Internal Medicine
same age range, again no thyroid abnor«os
Ww
30.9
S
55
Abnormalities
No.
_
Som
—
All Ages
i
Ny
No
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH CLINICAL STAFF
.
«
= carried out in Boston by Dr. Bentley Col-
22a cock. Total. thyroidectomy was carried
out
*
:
8% on the patient who showed a mixed papil{9-284 lary andfollicular carcinoma of the thyroid.
Sa /e 60'S
vo
B.5
a
£8
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Clinically these nodules have appeared in
.
= some cases to be single nodules, but at sur-
s Pls a gery they were nearly all found to be multi-
@
nodular. They were usually soft to firm in