[Thyroid cancer metastasis to the lumbar spine successfully treated by embolization and radioiodine. A case report].

A 82-year-old woman suffered from a metastatic lesion of follicular carcinoma of the thyroid to the fourth lumbar spine, which compressed the spinal nerves and caused lumbar pain and paresthesis of the lower limb. External irradiation, 5200 RAD, was carried out. Total thyroidectomy was done for the preparation of radioiodine(131I) therapy. Two weeks later, embolization of lumbar arteries was performed to prevent the progression of the spinal cord damage during a period waiting for 131I administration. The size of the lumbar lesion decreased, and lumbal pain and spinal cord symptoms disappeared. After administration of 131I, the metastatic lesion became further smaller.