Abstract
Radioiodine is often seen to accumulate within breast tissue in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Although the risk of secondary breast malignancy in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer treated with radioiodine is controversial, the identification and reduction of this uptake is prudent to minimize the radiation absorbed dose to the breast tissue. This article reviews the literature describing the etiology, frequency and patterns of radioiodine uptake in breast tissue. Approaches and techniques to help minimize the radioiodine uptake in lactating and nonlactating breasts are presented.
Highlights
Radioiodine uptake in the breasts is frequently seen in radioiodine scanning done before and after radioiodine therapy for differentiated thyroid cancer
I-131 is used as a standard method of diagnosis and treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer
Van Nostrand et al reported that radioiodine administered for a whole-body scan in patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC) may localize in breast tissue in as many as 6% of patients, and this raises the possibility of delivering a significant, unintended radiation absorbed dose to breast tissue [27]
Summary
Radioiodine uptake in the breasts is frequently seen in radioiodine scanning done before and after radioiodine therapy for differentiated thyroid cancer. With a thorough understanding of the frequency, patterns, etiology, and mechanism of radioiodine breast uptake as well as the techniques to potentially reduce radioiodine uptake in the breast, the nuclear medicine physician, nuclear radiologist or endocrinologist can help decrease or even eliminate the uptake of radioiodine in the breast. This is turn may potentially reduce the radiation absorbed dose to the breast from 131-I therapies
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