Combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging of recurrent thyroid cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The study goal was to evaluate the use of combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging for localization of recurrent disease in thyroid cancer patients.


METHODS
Eight patients with suspected recurrence of thyroid cancer on the basis of elevated serum thyroglobulin or calcitonin levels underwent combined PET/CT imaging on a prototype device. All 8 patients had previously undergone total thyroidectomy and (131)I ablation for thyroid carcinoma. Patients with papillary carcinoma had negative (131)I scans.


RESULTS
Eight patients underwent combined PET/CT scanning. Four (50%) of 8 patients underwent PET/CT indicating recurrence in the head and neck. A total of 11 lesions in these 4 patients were suspicious for recurrence on combined PET/CT imaging. Three patients with 8 lesions suspicious for recurrence on PET/CT underwent surgical removal of disease. All 3 patients had pathologic confirmation of recurrence, with 6 (75.0%) of 8 lesions being positive.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined PET/CT imaging is a valuable tool for the diagnosis and anatomic localization of recurrent thyroid cancer.
Zimmer
Lee A
LA
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery,University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2546, USA. leezimmer@hotmail.com
McCook
Barry
B
Meltzer
Carolyn
C
Fukui
Melanie
M
Bascom
Daphne
D
Snyderman
Carl
C
Townsend
David W
DW
Johnson
Jonas T
JT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D002116:Calcitonin; D013954:Thyroglobulin