A method has been devised which is free of many of the shortcomings of serial epithyroid counting techniques as an index of the rate of
thyroid hormone secretion. By means of this method, the effect of treatment with
Lugol's iodine on the rate of thyroidal secretion of
thyroxine (T(4)) has been assessed in eight patients with
thyrotoxicosis due to diffuse or multinodular
goiter. The technique involves administration of a tracer dose of inorganic (125)I followed several days later by an intravenous tracer dose of (131)I-labeled T(4). Serial observations of
serum protein-bound (PB) (125)I and (131)I are accompanied by frequent measurements of endogenous serum T(4) (T(4)-(127)I) concentration. Regardless of whether or not its administration was anteceded and accompanied by the administration of large doses of
methimazole,
iodine induced a rapid decrease in serum T(4)-(127)I concentration which could not be explained by an increase in the peripheral turnover of T(4), as judged from the metabolism of the (131)I-labeled
hormone. Hence, the decreased serum T(4) concentration could only have resulted from decreased secretion of the
hormone by the gland. Analyses of specific activity relationships between PB(125)I or T(4)-(127)I and PB(131)I made possible estimations of the extent to which
iodine had decreased the rate of secretion of T(4). From such analysis, and in view of other considerations, it is concluded that the rapid decrease in T(4) secretion induced by
iodine is not the result of an acute, sustained inhibition of T(4) synthesis, but rather results from an abrupt decrease in the fractional rate of thyroidal T(4) release.