Abstract for presentation at 38th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine 2008

The Use of Recombinant TSH (Thyrogen) Allows Shorter Hospital Admissions for Thyroid Remnant Ablation in the Management of Thyroid Cancer

  • Trent Cook, Sydney West Area Health Service, Australia
  • Mr Vincent Hoang, Australia
  • Dr Robert Mansberg, Australia
  • Prof Jack Wall, Australia
  • Dr Diep Nguyen, Australia
  • Dr Chuong Bui, Bankstown/Lidcombe Hospital, Australia
  • Dr Stanley Seah, Australia

    • OBJECTIVE: To measure the reduction in time of admission to hospital to administer ablative I131 doses in patients treated with thyrogen. Traditionally patients have received thyroid remnant ablation with TSH stimulation using thyroid hormone withdrawal. The development of thyrogen allows TSH stimulation without thyroid hormone withdrawal which maintains the GFR and allows more rapid metabolism of I131 from the body.

    METHOD: Patients were commenced on thyroid hormone replacement following completion thyroidectomy and 4-6 weeks later received 2 doses of Thyrogen followed by an ablative dose of I131 in hospital. The levels of radioactivity were measured 24 hours later and compared with control patients not treated with thyrogen.

    RESULTS: The results of the initial and the controlled patients will be presented.

    CONCLUSION: Patients treated with thyrogen had lower levels of radioactivity than patients treated with thyroid hormone withdrawal allowing shorter hospital admissions and economical benefit to society.

    Conference Organiser - ICMS Pty Ltd