title: Tc-99m radio-guided completion thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to investigate whether or not radio-guided surgery has any beneficial effects on completion thyroidectomy (CT) and the associated complication rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven patients were scheduled for CT, for thyroid carcinoma, from December 2004 to June 2005, and were included in the study. All the patients had had initial thyroid surgery in other centers and been referred to our clinic for CT. Operation findings and the effectiveness of Tc-99m radio-guided CT were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intraoperative mean ratio of thyroid activity to background activity counted with a gamma probe was 1.3 ± 0.3. Average operation timing was 74 ± 9 minutes. Postoperatively, no residual tissue was detected in any of the patients with ultrasonography and thyroid scintigraphy. In the first postoperative month, serum TSH level was 61 ± 16.4 mIU / L, when preoperatively it was 7.3 ± 3.1 mIU / L (P < 0.001). In the postoperative period, one patient experienced temporary hypoparathyroidism (3.9%). Permanent hypoparathyroidism or recurrent laryngeal nerve damage was not detected in any patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tc-99 radio-guided CT is a reliable surgical method, which provides the detection and removal of residual thyroid tissues with minimal complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul, T.C.S.B. Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: Savaş
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karyağar
authors.forename: Oğuzhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karatepe
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mulazımoğlu
authors.forename: Tevfik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozpaçaci
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Uyanık
authors.forename: Sevda S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Karyağar
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yalçın
authors.forename: Yaşar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozdenkaya