When it comes to hyperthyroidism, Shanghai people are not unfamiliar with it, and the common people call it a big neck disease. Hyperthyroidism is an endocrine disease caused by increased thyroid function, increased secretion of thyroid hormones or increased levels of thyroid hormones in the blood circulation. Patients are characterized by diffuse enlargement of the thyroid gland with varying degrees of protrusion of the eyes, as well as symptoms such as fear of heat and sweating, hyperphagia, weight loss, palpitations and hand tremors. It should be said that hyperthyroidism is not a terminal disease, but it is a stubborn disease, which is very unpleasant, especially if it is accompanied by comorbidities, which can make treatment very difficult. Currently, there are three main treatments for hyperthyroidism: the first is medical medication, which uses anti-thyroid drugs to inhibit the synthesis of thyroxine, thus achieving the purpose of treatment. Although anti-thyroid medication is safer, the course of treatment is long and requires regular medication for about 2 years, which is often difficult for patients to adhere to. Some patients have poor memory and often forget to take their medication, and their treatment results are poor. Even with regular medication, their remission rate is only 40-60%. The second type is surgical treatment, which can treat hyperthyroidism by removing part of the thyroid tissue and reducing the secretion of thyroxine. The main complications of surgical treatment are wound bleeding, infection, nerve damage, and even severe thyroid crisis, and for young girls, leaving unsightly scars on the neck is a great pity. The third method is the use of isotope 131I to treat hyperthyroidism. Iodine (I) is the raw material for the synthesis of thyroxine. 131I is an isotope of iodine, which has the same properties as iodine and can be taken up by the thyroid gland and remain in the thyroid gland. The difference is that 131I is a radionuclide that emits β rays. Through its radiobiological effect, β radiation can destroy part of the thyroid tissue, thereby suppressing the secretion of thyroid hormones. Because of the short range of βradiation in the tissue, it is very safe and has little effect on the surrounding tissue. Surgical operation is to remove part of the thyroid tissue, while our isotope 131I is to destroy part of the thyroid tissue by using invisible rays, they actually achieve the same purpose, therefore, isotope 131I treatment for hyperthyroidism is called a surgery without surgery. Because there is no surgery, there are no complications of surgery and no unsightly scars, so it is more popular among young girls. Some people may be concerned about the radiation, but there is no need to be. Because the dose of isotope 131I for hyperthyroidism is very small, only about 5 mCi, patients can be treated on an outpatient basis without hospitalization. After decades of observation of hundreds of thousands of cases worldwide, it has been proven that isotope 131I treatment for hyperthyroidism is very safe and will not affect the patient’s future fertility or lead to an increase in tumor incidence. At present, about 80% of hyperthyroidism patients in the United States are treated with isotope 131I, including former U.S. President George W. Bush and his wife, whose hyperthyroidism was cured with isotope 131I. In China, with the full promotion of health insurance, isotope 131I treatment for hyperthyroidism is gaining increasing attention because of its high benefit-to-price ratio. Compared with internal drug treatment, isotope 131I treatment for hyperthyroidism usually results in significant improvement of symptoms 2~3 weeks after taking the drug, and the disease stabilizes in 2~3 months, and most patients can be cured after one treatment. Because of the short duration of the disease, it is especially suitable for the fast-paced needs of modern society. On the other hand, compared with surgery, the cost of isotope 131I treatment is very low, which can save a lot of medical insurance costs and has good social benefits. In addition, isotope 131I treatment for hyperthyroidism is particularly suitable for patients with comorbid hyperthyroidism, whose symptoms of hyperthyroidism will improve along with their symptoms of hyperthyroid heart disease and muscle weakness. In addition, for hyperthyroidism patients with poor liver and kidney function, isotope 131I treatment is also very safe. However, isotope 131I treatment has its limitations, and one of the biggest side effects is hypothyroidism. Although the incidence is not high, the occurrence of hypothyroidism cannot be eliminated due to individual differences and other uncontrollable factors. Once it occurs, patients can be treated with thyroxine replacement therapy under the guidance of a doctor. If the dosage of the drug is appropriate, the symptoms of hypothyroidism can be controlled and the patient is no different from a normal person. Even with long-term thyroxine replacement therapy, the patient’s quality of life and life expectancy are the same as those of a normal person.