Use of iodinated contrast media in imaging procedures appears to affect thyroid function

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/bawh-uoi012312.php

[font face=Times, Serif]Public release date: 23-Jan-2012

Contact: Marjorie Montemayor-Quellenberg
[e-mail]
617-534-2208
Brigham and Women's Hospital

[font size=5]Use of iodinated contrast media in imaging procedures appears to affect thyroid function[/font]

[font size=3]CHICAGO—Exposure to iodinated contrast media during imaging procedures is associated with changes in thyroid function, and increased risk of developing hyperthyroidism, according to a report in the January 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

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A total of 178 patients with incident hyperthyroidism and 213 patients with incident hypothyroidism were matched to 655 and 779 euthyroid persons, respectively. The authors found that iodinated contrast media exposure was associated with incident hyperthyroidism, but no statistically significant association was found with incident hypothyroidism.

Secondary analysis indicated an association between iodinated contrast media exposure and incident overt (clinical; diagnosed based on characteristic clinical features) hypothyrodism and incident overt (clinical) hyperthyroidism.

"In summary, these data support association between ICM exposure and incident hyperthyroidism, incident overt hyperthyroidism and incident overt hypothyroidism," the authors conclude. "Given the pervasive use of ICM in contemporary practice and the known sequelae of thyroid functional derangements, further studies are needed to confirm and evaluate generalizability of these findings, to establish causality and to explore mechanisms."

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2011.677

[MineralMan]

1. That's interesting. It does sound as though further study is called for.

Since that contrast media imaging is also important as a diagnostic tool, it sounds like the decision whether or not to use it may need to be modified, if these findings are corroborated. Lots of tradeoffs in medicine between risks and benefits, it seems.