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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
Author(s) -
Yeo Jeong Seok,
Chung JuneKey,
So Young,
Kim Sukki,
Lee Eunju,
Lee Dong Soo,
Youn Yeo Kyu,
Hong Suk Joon,
Ahn IlMin,
Lee Myung Chul,
Cho Bo Youn
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0347(200102)23:2<94::aid-hed1004>3.0.co;2-r
Subject(s) - medicine , thyroid carcinoma , positron emission tomography , cervical lymph nodes , lymph , radiology , fluorodeoxyglucose , lymph node , carcinoma , thyroidectomy , metastasis , nuclear medicine , thyroglobulin , thyroid cancer , thyroid , pathology , cancer
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(≤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. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 23: 94–103, 2001.