title: Comparison of whole-body 18F-FDG SPECT and posttherapeutic 131I scintigraphy in the detection of metastatic thyroid cancer.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong Liang
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Jia Ning
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ren Jian
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hui Gu
authors.forename: Jing Chuan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18