Solitary focus in the liver in a thyroid cancer patient after a whole body scan with 131 iodine.
A 51-year-old woman diagnosed with follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma underwent a total thyroidectomy followed four weeks later by an ablative dose of 3.7 GBq of 131I. A whole body scan 5 days after ablation showed an intense uptake within the thyroid bed and a focal uptake located in the right lung base or liver dome. Computed tomography examination revealed a hypodense hepatic node in segment VII resembling a liver metastasis. Histological examination after ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration characterized the lesion as a liver abscess. The abscess regressed after antibiotic therapy. Liver metastases from papillary thyroid carcinoma are uncommon. On the other hand, false positive findings of 131I whole body scans have been described. A focal hepatic uptake might represent a metastasis (rare in papillary carcinomas) or be related to other causes (cysts, inflammation or infection, non-thyroidal neoplasms, etc.).
Pena Pardo
F J
FJ
Medicina Nuclear, Plataforma de Oncología, USP Hospital San Jaime, Torrevieja, Alicante, España. patxi.pena@usphospitales.com
Crespo de la Jara
A
A
Fernández Morejón
F J
FJ
Sureda González
M
M
Forteza Vila
J
J
Brugarolas Masllorens
A
A
D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008100:Liver Abscess / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes