title: Diagnosis of incidental thyroid nodules on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging: are these significant?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of thyroid malignancy in the first UK case series of patients with incidentally detected thyroid lesions on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 235 patients were evaluated with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging. Incidental focal uptake in the thyroid gland was identified in nine patients (3.8 per cent). A retrospective review of their case notes was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of malignancy was 55 per cent. The mean and standard deviation of the maximum standardised uptake value was 13.1 ± 7.3 in those patients with malignancy and a nodule identified as positive on positron emission tomography. This value was 2.8 ± 1.2 in those patients without malignancy but with a nodule identified as positive on positron emission tomography (p = 0.01). A palpable thyroid nodule was more likely in those with malignant lesions (p = 0.14).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of incidental thyroid lesions found on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in patients with other primary malignancies is low, but the incidence of malignancy in these patients is high. Patients with a palpable thyroid nodule, focal uptake on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and an increased maximum standardised uptake value require further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology,Southend Hospital,UK.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology,Southend Hospital,UK.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jacques
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology,Southend Hospital,UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology,Southend Hospital,UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: Thyroid Cancer