title: Clinical significance of diffuse hepatic visualization and thyroid bed uptake on post-ablative iodine-131 whole body scan in differentiated thyroid cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether diffuse hepatic and thyroid bed uptake of (131)I on post-ablative whole body scans (PAWBS) of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) have any relevance for clinical outcome and parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 838 patients with DTC, who were treated at Pusan National University Hospital from 2004 to 2009. Grades of hepatic and thyroid bed uptake on (131)I whole body scan were classified from 0 to 3 by visual assessment. Recurrence-free survival was evaluated with the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male patients having tumors larger than 4 cm (p = 0.005), multiple tumor foci (p < 0.001), involved margins (p = 0.006), and a higher TNM stage (p < 0.001) were more likely to relapse. Thyroid bed grade (p < 0.001) and liver uptake grade (p = 0.002) were also revealed as significant prognostic factors. Intense thyroid bed uptake and faint hepatic activity were related to poor prognosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that increased retention of (131)I in the thyroid bed and less visualization of liver on PAWBS mean poor prognosis. This would be related to the amount of remnant thyroid tissue and ineffective destruction of it.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Keunyoung
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seong-Jang
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In-Joo
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong-Ki
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Bum Soo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyoungjune
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D051598:Whole Body Imaging; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes