Fukushima Health Management Survey & thyroid

Findings of thyroid ultrasound examination within three years after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident: The Fukushima Health Management Survey

Hiroki Shimura Tomotaka Sobue Hideto Takahashi Seiji Yasumura Tetsuya Ohira Akira Ohtsuru Sanae Midorikawa Satoru Suzuki Toshihiko Fukushima Shinichi Suzuki ... Show more

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, jc.2017-01603,

Published:

14 December 2017

https://academic.oup.com/jcem/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1210/jc.2017-01603/4630428?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Abstract

Context

Childhood thyroid cancer is of great concern after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident. The baseline analytical data on thyroid ultrasound examination in children is quite important for future examination.

Objective

We analyzed the age and sex distribution of findings from the thyroid ultrasound examinations of children and adolescents in the Fukushima Health Management Survey (FHMS).

Design, Setting, and Participants

From October 2011 through March 2014, 294,905 participants aged 18 years or younger at the earthquake voluntarily had thyroid ultrasound examinations in the first round of the FHMS. A secondary confirmatory examination was performed in 2,032 subjects. Age- and sex-dependent prevalence and size of thyroid cysts, nodules, and caners were analyzed.

Main Outcome Measures

Age, sex, and size distribution of findings were analyzed.

Results

Thyroid cysts, nodules, and cytologically suspected cancers were detected in 68,009, 1,415, and 38 subjects in males and 73,014, 2455, and 74 subjects in females, respectively. There was an age-dependent increase in the detection rate of thyroid nodules and cancer, but that of cysts reached a peak at 11–12 years. Sex affected the prevalence of thyroid nodules and cancers after the onset of puberty, but only a small difference was exhibited in that of cysts.

Conclusions

The thyroid cancer detection rate in Fukushima was clarified and the proportion of those with thyroid nodules and cysts varied substantially by age. The results of this study will make a valid contribution to future epidemiological researches on nodular thyroid diseases in children and adolescents.