A QUESTION FOR THE DOCS RE: THYMUS

June 12, 2001

Your opinion and suggestions on the following would be greatly

appreciated.

I had a tt in Feb '99, 3.5cm pap & met to 9 lymph nodes, RAI 150mci

in

Apr. 99 (clean). Problem getting TSH and tg suppressed so ultrasound

of neck (clean) and CT chest scan (without contrast) March '00. Four

tiny spots found on lungs (largest less than 3mm in size). Not

thought to be thyca-related. Tg still not suppressed, so repeat RAI

of 220mci in May '00 (with bad gastric reaction, clean I-131 scan).

Follow-up CT scans Nov. '00 & May '01- no change in lung

" spots " (therefore confirmed to be " nothing " )... but, report says my

thymus is enlarged and denser than it was in the first CT scan.

My endo is concerned and showed my report & pictures to a thorasic

surgeon who says my thymus should come out (a major chest-opening

surgery). I will of course see this doc to get details and look for

a

second opinion too... but, is there possibly another explanation for

my enlarged thymus? A reaction to the high dose of RAI? A reaction

to the T3 (I take .225 Synthroid)? I have done an internet search

for

info and little is available. I did find one abstract that says

iodine

excess stimulates thymus development.

Again, your opinion and resource suggestions would be extremely

appreciated.

Rita (Toronto)

tt Feb '99

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