title: Value of venous catheterization and calcitonin studies in the treatment and management of clinically inapparent medullary thyroid carcinoma.
abstract: Seventeen patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) underwent venous catheterization (VC) for sampling and serum calcitonin (CT) assay. The VC was performed either after an initial treatment in order to detect cervical recurrences and metastases (16 patients) or to prove abnormal CT thyroid secretion before any treatment (one patient). In 16 of the 32 tumoral localizations suspected by VC (50%), a tumoral focus was proven. For selective/peripheral CT gradient value superior to 2.50, 12 localizations of 12 (100%) were proven and for CT gradient value between 1.50 and 2.50, four localizations of 15 (26.6%) were proven. In six patients with exclusive cervical MTC secreting sites, treatment induced a total remission in two cases (12%) and improved in four cases (23%). The authors conclude that VC has a real value to localize MTC secreting sites. A total remission or an improvement can be obtained after treatment when VC detects exclusive cervical tumors.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital de Bicêtre, Service de Radiologie, France.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ben Mrad
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gardet
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rougier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calmettes
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Motte
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parmentier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D002116:Calcitonin