[Papillary thyroid carcinoma metastasis to parapharyngeal lymph nodes: interest of the PET scan].
Thyroid cancer rarely metastasizes to the parapharyngeal space. A inconsistent lymphatic drainage pathway is involved, as described by Rouvière.


OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate the interest of [18 F]-FDG PET in early diagnosis of metastasis and in the follow up of the patient.


METHODS
40 y.o. male with papillary carcinoma who had a secondary parapharyngeal metastasis. The diagnosis of recurrence was difficult, as the plasmatic thyglobulin was low, and the iodine scan was not informative. In this case, [18 F]-FDG PET-CT was informative (clear parapharyngeal fixation) and led to the diagnosis of recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
It appears that 18F FDG PET has a good diagnostic value and that its sensitivity is better than CT scan and MRI. Some authors recommend the use of [18 F]-FDG PET and scintigraphy with Iodine 131 to screen patients with thyroid cancer recurrences.
Turner
Fl
F
CHU La Timone, Fédération d'ORL et de Chirurgie Cervico-Faciale, Service du Pr Zanaret, Marseille, France.
Paris
J
J
Giovanni
A
A
Zanaret
M
M
D000328:Adult; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery