Clinicopathological characteristics including BRAF V600E mutation status and PET/CT findings in papillary thyroid carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the associations between FDG uptake in primary papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) and clinicopathological features, including the BRAF V600E mutation, using quantitative and qualitative analyses of preoperative PET/CT data.


METHODS
This was a retrospective review of 106 patients with PTC who underwent PET/CT scans between February 2009 and January 2011 before undergoing total thyroidectomy. Data collected from surgical specimens were compared with FDG uptake in the primary tumour using quantitative and qualitative analyses of preoperative PET/CT data. Clinicopathological data included the primary tumour size, subtype, capsular invasion, extrathyroid extension, multifocality, BRAF V600E mutation status, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis.


RESULTS
The SUVmax of the primary tumour was significantly higher in patients with a primary tumour >1 cm, extrathyroid extension or the BRAF V600E mutation than in patients without these features (P<.001, .049 and <.001). Univariate analyses showed that primary tumour size, extrathyroid extension and BRAF V600E mutation status were associated with the SUVmax of the PTC. Multivariate analysis indicated that primary tumour size and the BRAF V600E mutation were associated with the SUVmax of the PTC. In a visual assessment, the primary tumour size was larger in FDG-avid than in non-FDG-avid PTCs (P<.001). There was no significant difference in the presence of multifocality, thyroid capsular invasion, extrathyroid extension, BRAF V600E mutation, lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis between FDG-avid and non-FDG-avid PTCs.


CONCLUSIONS
Primary tumour size and the BRAF V600E mutation are significant factors associated with the SUVmax on preoperative PET/CT in patients with PTC.
Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Eun Kyoung
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0865-1425
EK
Choi
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea.
Ari
A
Chong
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea.
Jung-Min
JM
Ha
Department of Hospital Pathology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Chan Kwon
CK
Jung
Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Joo Hyun
JH
O
Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Sung Hoon
SH
Kim
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D047368:Tumor Burden; D055815:Young Adult
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf
BRAF mutation; fluorodeoxyglucose F18; positron emission tomography; thyroid neoplasms