Radioiodine ablation treatment induced pill esophagitis: A case report

Abstract

Capsule form of the drugs is more risk for pill-induced esophagitis. Radioiodine ablation is recommended for well differentiated thyroid cancer primary tumors >1 cm in diameter. In ablation, it is aimed to "ablate" the remaining healthy thyroid tissue. We present a case of a 23-year-old woman with complaints of severe odynophagia, dysphagia and retrosternal pain 3 days in which radioiodine ablation treatment was the cause of pill-induced esophagitis. She complained after she had undergone to radioiodine ablation treatment for papillary thyroid carcinoma. She had a history of swallowing I-131 capsule with about 150 ml water in the upright position. An upper endoscopic examination demonstrated two superficial kissing ulcers about 1 cm diameter in the middle of the esophagus. Pantoprazole and sucralfate treatment was started. Symptoms improved seven days after starting this treatment. The esophagus was completely normal in control endoscopy after two weeks. Radioiodine ablation treatment with I-131 capsule may cause esophageal lesions; therefore, patients should be educated by nuclear medicine physicians about the possible side effects of this treatment.