title: Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the preoperative assessment of thyroid nodules in an endemic goiter area.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET) in the preoperative assessment of suspicious thyroid nodules.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 43 patients were examined before surgical resection. In all patients, imaging was obtained at 70 minutes after the intravenous administration of 180 MBq (18)F-FDG. Standard uptake values (SUVs) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 16 patients with thyroid carcinomas (11 papillary, 3 follicular, 2 anaplastic), 23 thyroid adenomas (11 microfollicular, 10 Hurthle cell, 2 macrofollicular), and 4 patients with degenerative goiter were found. (18)F-FDG uptake in Hurthle cell adenoma, thyroid cancer, microfollicular adenoma, degenerative goiter, and macrofollicular adenoma was 4.4 +/- 2.2, 3.7 +/- 1.9, 1.6 +/- 0.3, 1.2 +/- 0.2, and 0.9 +/- 0.1, respectively. Significant differences were observed between thyroid carcinomas and both microfollicular adenomas and degenerative goiters (P < 0.05), and between Hurthle cell adenomas and both microfollicular adenomas as well as degenerative goiter (P < 0.05). For diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma, 100% sensitivity, 63% specificity, and 100% negative predictive value was found when a cutoff value for SUV of 2 was used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that thyroid carcinomas, in contrast to most benign thyroid nodules, demonstrate significantly increased glucose metabolism. (18)F-FDG PET is unlikely to differentiate successfully all benign tumors from malignant tumors, but it can help select patients who need surgery, especially if cytology is inconclusive or malignancy cannot be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Mathematics, University of Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria.
authors.forename: Ewald
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kresnik
authors.forename: Hans Juergen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gallowitsch
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mikosch
authors.forename: Haro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stettner
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Igerc
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: Gerhild
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kumnig
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lind
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006043:Goiter, Endemic / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18