title: Follicular thyroid carcinoma metastasis to the esophagus detected by 18FDG PET/CT.
abstract: We report an unusual case of an esophageal metastasis demonstrated on integrated 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning. A 55-year-old male with treated well-differentiated follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) had persistently raised thyroglobulin levels despite both negative whole-body CT scan and 131I scans. An initial 18FDG PET/CT scan showed moderate focal uptake in the esophagus, which was initially thought to be physiological. A subsequent comparative 18FDG PET/CT scan showed more intense uptake. A diagnostic endoscopy revealed a pedunculated esophageal polyp, which histological examination confirmed to be metastatic FTC. Such a case has not previously been reported.
authors.affiliation: Thyroid Unit, Clinical Oncology Department, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nutting
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18