Predictive value of the preablation serum thyroglobulin level after thyroidectomy is combined with postablation 131I whole body scintigraphy for successful ablation in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical importance of the combined use of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels measured just before ablation (ablation-Tg) and postablation 131I whole body scintigraphy (WBS) patterns for predicting ablation success in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma who received total thyroidectomy and 131I ablation therapy.


METHODS
We retrospectively studied the early clinical outcomes for 81 differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients treated with total thyroidectomy and high-dose 131I ablation therapy between June 2001 and July 2004.


RESULTS
Ablation success was achieved in 42 (97.7%) of the 43 patients with uptake in the thyroid bed only and ablation-Tg levels less than 10 ng/mL, whereas successful ablation was achieved in 9 (75.0%) of the 12 patients with uptake in the thyroid bed only and ablation-Tg levels equal to or greater than 10 ng/mL (P = 0.029). Among 15 patients with uptake including a lymph node and ablation-Tg levels less than 10 ng/mL, 14 patients (93.3%) showed ablation success, whereas successful ablation was achieved in only 2 (18.2%) of the 11 patients with uptake including a lymph node and ablation-Tg levels equal to or greater than 10 ng/mL (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that the combined use of serum Tg levels measured just before ablation and the 131I WBS patterns after ablation may be an early predictor of ablation success in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma who received total thyroidectomy and high-dose 131I ablation therapy.
Lee
Hyo Jin
HJ
Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
Rha
So Young
SY
Jo
Young Suk
YS
Kim
Seong Min
SM
Ku
Bon Jeong
BJ
Shong
Minho
M
Kim
Young Kun
YK
Ro
Heung Kyu
HK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D013954:Thyroglobulin