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Focal uptake of 18 F‐fluorodeoxyglucose by thyroid in patients with nonthyroidal head and neck cancers
Author(s) -
Nam Soon Yuhl,
Roh JongLyel,
Kim Jae Seung,
Lee Jeong Hyun,
Choi SeungHo,
Kim Sang Yoon
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2007.02850.x
Subject(s) - medicine , thyroid , malignancy , fluorodeoxyglucose , positron emission tomography , radiology , biopsy , incidentaloma , thyroidectomy , thyroid carcinoma , pathology
Summary Objective To evaluate the prevalence and significance of focal thyroid lesions identified by 18 F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)‐positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with nonthyroidal head and neck cancers (HNC). Patients and measurements Patients with histologically identified HNC who underwent FDG‐PET and computed tomography (CT) were reviewed retrospectively. We evaluated the prevalence of patients with focal thyroid FDG uptake and the risk of malignancy and proper management in these patients. Results Of 689 HNC patients, 19 (2·8%) had focal thyroid FDG uptake. Of the 12 patients with a histological diagnosis by surgery or needle biopsy, 5 (41·7%) had carcinomas, 4 papillary and 1 follicular, whereas the others had benign thyroid lesions. The maximum standardized uptake value on PET was not sufficient to discriminate between malignant and benign thyroid lesions (8·4 ± 13·2 vs. 4·2 ± 4·0; P > 0·4). The identification of incidental thyroid diseases helped guide patient counselling and combined surgery with HNC and thyroidectomy. Conclusion Focal thyroid lesions incidentally found on FDG‐PET in patents with nonthyroidal HNC have a high probability of malignancy. These lesions deserve further diagnostic examination before HNC treatment to ensure adequate therapy for incidental thyroid cancers.