It's been 5 years, and I'm finally making progress on my thyroid journey. I have a thyroid uptake Jan 19th,. YES !! My major complaint has been fatigue !!! But, I thought fatigue only relates to hypo. I've read that thyroid uptake scans for hyper. Okay, I'm confused.
Can someone clarify thyroid uptake scan for me? Is thyroid uptake scan the same as RAI?
Thanks
Radioactive Iodine Uptake (RAIU) measures how much radioactive iodine is taken up by the thyroid gland. This test is used to find the cause of hyperthyroidism.
A low uptake can mean the hyperthyroidism is caused by thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland), taking too much thyroid medicine, or another rare condition.
A high uptake spread evenly in the thyroid gland can mean that hyperthyroidism is caused by Graves' disease (autoimmune hyperthyroidism).
An uneven spread (low or high areas of uptake) in the thyroid gland can mean that hyperthyroidism is caused by a multinodular goiter or a benign tumour called a toxic adenoma.
Radioactive iodine (RAI) is one of the treatments for hyperthyroidism. The primary risk of RAI is permanent hypothyroidism. Check out the article - "Can Hyperthyroid Patients Avoid Radioactive Iodine (RAI)" - By Mary Shomon.