[Intrathyroid iodine in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer].

The stable intrathyroid iodine concentrations characteristic of nodular goiter, thyroid adenoma and cancer were determined by means of neutron activation analysis of resected material, Mean iodine levels in the destruction focus in cancer, adenoma and nodular goiter were 32 +/- 5, 174 +/- 38 and 344 +/- 43, respectively. while 960 +/- 91, 527+/-138 and 639+/-66 micrograms of iodine per 1g of wet weight were found in the surrounding apparently intact tissues of thyroid parenchyma. The importance of the difference between the absolute value of iodine concentration in the destruction focus and that in intact tissue for differential diagnosis of thyroid cancer is discussed.