Comparison of whole-body 18F-FDG SPECT and posttherapeutic 131I scintigraphy in the detection of metastatic thyroid cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The usefulness of fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) imaging in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) has been demonstrated by investigators. The aim of this study is to compare the ability of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to detect metastatic DTC with posttherapeutic iodine131 ((131)I) scintigraphy.


METHODS
239 patients (78 men, 161 women; age range, 23-76 years, mean 45 years); All patients underwent FDG-SPECT and (131)I whole-body scan.


RESULTS
The sensitivity of (18)F-FDG and (131)I imaging in the patients with high hTg levels is 48.7% (114/234) and 50.4% (118/234) respectively. However, the combined sensitivity of both protocols is 89.7% (210/234). In the patients with (131)I Imaging negative, the sensitivity of (18)F-FDG is 79.3%,but in the patients with (131)I imaging positive, the sensitivity of (18)F-FDG is only 18.6%.


CONCLUSIONS
This study with (131)I and (18)F-FDG in FDG-SPECT further demonstrates the single study of (131)I whole body scan or (18)F-FDG imaging can not provide a high enough sensitivity for the detection of metastatic thyroid cancer. But, the combined protocols can get better results for the staging of thyroid carcinoma with the alternating uptake of (131)I and (18)F-FDG.
Wang
Hui
H
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Fu
Hong Liang
HL
Li
Jia Ning
JN
Zhou
Ren Jian
RJ
Hui Gu
Zhen
Z
Wu
Jing Chuan
JC
Huang
Gang
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014915:Whole-Body Counting
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18