Vertebral hemangioma mimicking a metastatic bone lesion in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
The authors report a case of abnormal accumulation of I-131 in a thoracic vertebra in a patient with a well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The presumptive diagnosis was metastatic bone disease. Further diagnostic work-up confirmed a benign bone lesion. Bone metastasis, when shown on I-131 whole-body scintigraphy, usually supports a change in the staging and therapeutic approach to a patient with thyroid carcinoma. The authors believe that, although an infrequent lesion, the differential diagnosis of abnormal accumulation of I-131 in the body of a vertebra in patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma should raise the possibility of a benign hemangioma. Complete work-up of the suggested bone metastatic lesion should be performed before tumor restaging and I-131 therapy is recommended.
Laguna
R
R
Radiological Science Department, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, USA.
Silva
F
F
Vazquez-Sellés
J
J
Orduña
E
E
Flores
C
C
D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014915:Whole-Body Counting
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals