title: Brain metastases with exceptional features from papillary thyroid carcinoma: report of three cases.
abstract: We present three papillary thyroid carcinoma PTC patients with brain metastases who are unusual in many aspects. The first case is a unique 3mm papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) patient with metastases to the cerebrum and lung. The solitary cerebral lesion was identified by iodine-131 whole- body scan ((131)I-WBS) and (131)I single photon emission tomography/computed tomography (SPET/CT). Almost complete response achieved after radiosurgery. The second case is a unique PTC patient with coexistent (131)I-negative cerebrum, adrenal gland and ilium metastases, which were identified by (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Partial response achieved after radiosurgery. The third case is a patient with an incident solitary cystic cerebellar mass as a primary presentation of follicular variant of PTC and absent other distant metastases. In conclusion, widespread metastases from small PTMC may occur. Concomitant brain and adrenal metastases may occur in a same PTC patient. Brain metastasis may present as a cystic lesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shangai Jiao Tong University, 600 Yishan Rd, 200233, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hong-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Zhong-Ling
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Quan-Yong
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000556:secondary*; D002277:Carcinoma; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D051598:Whole Body Imaging