Thyroid uptake of 67Ga-citrate is associated with thyroid autoimmunity and hypothyroidism in patients with sarcoidosis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association of gallium-67 ((67)Ga)-citrate thyroid uptake with the presence of thyroid disorders in patients with sarcoidosis (S patients).


METHODS
Eighty-four S patients were evaluated by a complete thyroid work-up (neck ultrasound, circulating thyroid hormones and anti-thyroid antibodies, fine-needle aspiration).


RESULTS
In S patients with (67)Ga thyroid uptake (respect those without): serum thyroid-stimulating hormone, the titre of anti-thyroid peroxidase (AbTPO) and/or anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (AbTg), and the prevalence of S patients with hypothyroidism or with positive AbTg or AbTPO was significantly higher; a thyroid hypoechoic pattern was more frequent. The prevalence of thyroid nodules was not significantly different between the two groups. Two cases of papillary thyroid cancer were observed in S patients without (67)Ga thyroid uptake, whilst no case in those with (67)Ga thyroid uptake.


CONCLUSIONS
(67)Ga thyroid uptake is associated with the presence of aggressive autoimmune thyroiditis and hypothyroidism in S patients; thyroid function and ultrasonography should be performed in the presence of (67)Ga thyroid uptake.
Antonelli
Alessandro
A
Metabolism Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa and CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology, Via Roma, 67, 56126, Pisa, Italy. a.antonelli@med.unipi.it
Fazzi
Piera
P
Fallahi
Poupak
P
Ferrari
Silvia Martina
SM
Grosso
Mariano
M
Boni
Giuseppe
G
Ferrannini
Ele
E
Mariani
Giuliano
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D015551:Autoimmunity; D002951:Citrates / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D005708:Gallium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D014463:Ultrasonography
D001323:Autoantibodies; D002951:Citrates; D013972:Thyrotropin; D005708:Gallium; C103850:gallium citrate