Evaluation of Bromine, Calcium, Chlorine, Iodine, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, and Sodium Content in the Thyroid Adenomas using Neutron Activation Analysis

Abstract

The aim of this exploratory study was to examine the content of Bromine (Br), Calcium (Ca), Chlorine (Cl), Iodine (I), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), and Sodium (Na) in the normal and adenomatous Thyroid (TA). Thyroid tissue levels of eight Chemical Elements (ChE) were prospectively evaluated in 19 patients with TA and 105 healthy inhabitants. Measurements were performed using non-destructive instrumental neutron activation analysis with high resolution spectrometry of short-lived radionuclides. Tissue samples were divided into two portions. One was used for morphological study while the other was intended for ChE analysis. A reduced content of I and Mg, as well as an elevated content of Br, Cl and Na in TA in comparison with normal thyroid was found. The study showed that the adenomatous transformation was accompanied by considerable changes in ChE contents of affected thyroid tissue.