title: Role of neck ultrasonography in the follow-up of patients operated on for thyroid cancer.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of neck ultrasonography in follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Sixty-three patients had total thyroidectomy and 131I ablation for differentiated thyroid cancer and had a negative whole body scan during follow-up. They were admitted for a high resolution neck ultrasound examination. Sixteen of 63 patients presented images suspicious for lymph node metastasis and/or for local recurrences (4 cases). Fine needle aspiration confirmed the suspicion of malignancy in 12 patients: only lymph node metastasis in 8 cases, local recurrence and lymph node metastasis in 3 cases, and in one case only local recurrence. Fine needle aspiration was suspicious for lymphadenitis in 4 cases. Thyroglobulin levels were very high in all patients with local recurrence and/or lymph node metastasis but undetectable in 2 cases presenting node metastasis and in 4 cases with lymphadenitis. All but one patient were admitted for surgery and the cytological diagnosis was confirmed. Early identification of a pathologic mass in the neck is a desirable goal; high resolution echography can play an important role in the follow-up of these patients and can detect local recurrences even when there is a negative whole body scan or undetectable thyroglobulin level.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine II, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Miccoli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferdeghini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Coscio
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alberti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iacconi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Baldi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fallahi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baschieri
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000601:surgery*; D018265:Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D014463:Ultrasonography