Introduction
Radioiodine is one of the important entities in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid conditions. Greater numbers of patients are receiving increasing amounts of radioiodine. In the treatment of functioning carcinoma of the thyroid the doses of radioiodine being used are large and are steadily being made larger. This study of the penetration of radioiodine to the aqueous, vitreous, and lens of rabbits was undertaken to determine the probability of significant corneal and lenticular damage resulting from the intrinsic radiation inherent in treatment doses of radioiodine.
Methods and Material
Eleven rabbits, five white albino and six brown Flemish giants, weighing between 2.1 and 3.25 kg. were given approximately 4.5 mc. (millicuries) of I131. On the basis of millicuries per kilogram body weight, this approximates the dose which is presently being used in our isotope unit for the treatment of thyroid cancer.Four of the rabbits were not in a