The prognostic value of 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography in patients with suspected residual or recurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the prognostic value of 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with suspected residual or recurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).


METHODS
This retrospective study included all patients with MTC examined with FDG-PET at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, from October 1999 to March 2008. The PET results were compared with other imaging studies and clinical findings, including carcinoembryonic antigen and calcitonin levels.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine patients with MTC were included. PET was positive in 14 patients, with follow-up information for 11; six died from metastatic disease, four had disease progression, and one remained in stable condition. PET was negative in 15 patients, with follow-up for 12; one had recurrent disease, and 11 had no evidence of clinical disease. Calcitonin doubling time was shorter for PET-positive than for PET-negative patients.


CONCLUSIONS
FDG-PET has high prognostic value in patients with suspected residual or recurrent MTC.
Bogsrud
Trond Velde
TV
Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Karantanis
Dimitrios
D
Nathan
Mark A
MA
Mullan
Brian P
BP
Wiseman
Gregory A
GA
Kasperbauer
Jan L
JL
Reading
Carl C
CC
Björo
Trine
T
Hay
Ian D
ID
Lowe
Val J
VJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012008:Recurrence; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18