Simulation study on iodine thyroid blocking in Koreans with high dietary iodine consumption

Area of Science:

• Radiological Protection
• Nuclear Medicine
• Biokinetics

Background:

• High dietary iodine intake in the Korean population necessitates a specific biokinetic model for accurate radiation dose assessment.
• Existing international models may not fully capture the unique physiological responses to iodine thyroid blocking in Koreans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To simulate iodine thyroid blocking in the Korean population using a Korean biokinetic model.
• To evaluate the thyroid protective effects of stable iodine administration.
• To generate population-specific thyroid retention functions and dose coefficients.

Main Methods:

• Development and application of a Korean biokinetic model for simulating iodine uptake and retention.
• Comparison of simulation results with the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) reference model.
• Calculation of thyroid protective effects, retention functions, and dose coefficients.

Main Results:

• The Korean model showed faster recovery from thyroid blocking due to higher blood iodide concentrations, leading to reduced protective effects (66% vs. 86% for 100 mg stable iodine).
• Higher thyroid retention functions were observed in the Korean model, especially with stable iodine administration near exposure time.
• Thyroid dose coefficients were up to 1.5 times greater in the Korean model compared to the ICRP model.

Conclusions:

• The Korean biokinetic model reveals significant differences in thyroid blocking effects and dose coefficients compared to international standards.
• Population-specific models are crucial for accurate radiation dose assessment and effective thyroid protection strategies in high-iodine intake populations.
• Current Korean thyroid protection guidelines remain valid but should consider broader assessments including risk-benefit analyses.