Head Neck 2001 Feb;23(2):94-103
F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography as a presurgical
evaluation modality for I-131 scan-negative thyroid carcinoma patients with
local recurrence in cervical lymph nodes.
Yeo JS, Chung JK, So Y, Kim S, Lee E, Lee DS, Youn YK, Hong SJ, Ahn IM, Lee MC,
Cho BY.
BACKGROUND: F-18-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)
has a supplementary role in localizing recurrent sites of differentiated thyroid
carcinoma. We evaluated whether FDG-PET is feasible as a presurgical evaluation
modality for I-131 scan-negative thyroid carcinoma patients. METHODS:
Preoperative FDG-PET results were compared with the pathologic findings of lymph
nodes specimens of 22 papillary thyroid patients. All patients had thyroidectomy
and I-131 ablation therapy beforehand and showed negative I-131 scans on
follow-up studies. RESULTS: In 85 cervical lymph node groups dissected, 56 lymph
node groups revealed metastasis. The sensitivity and specificity of FDG PET for
metastasis were 80% (45 of 56) and 83% (24 of 29), respectively. Among the
pathologically positive 33 lymph nodes with normal size(< or =1 cm), FDG-PET
detected 23 nodes. Serum thyroglobulin levels were elevated in 12 patients
(sensitivity, 55%). CONCLUSION: FDG-PET accurately detected the recurred
cervical lymph nodes of differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients who showed
negative I-131 scan. FDG-PET is suitable for the presurgical evaluation of these
patients.
