The thyroid scan in Hashimoto's thyroiditis: the great mimic.
We have reviewed our experience over the past 5 years of 32 thyroid scans in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. A wide variety of images were obtained, the most common finding being that of an enlarged gland with diffusely increased tracer uptake, a pattern identical to that found in Graves' disease (eight patients). Of the remainder, four scans were normal, four showed an enlarged gland with normal tracer uptake, five a multinodular gland with normal tracer uptake, five a multinodular gland with high tracer uptake, five a single non-functioning nodule and in one patient there was low tracer uptake by the gland. It is apparent that the thyroid scan in Hashimoto's thyroiditis can mimic a wide range of thyroid disorders. Thus, taken in isolation, the scan findings can be misleading and should be evaluated in conjunction with current biochemistry.
Ramtoola
S
S
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.
Maisey
M N
MN
Clarke
S E
SE
Fogelman
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m