scholarly journals Neck Lymph Node Metastasis Detection in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma (DTC) in Long-Term Follow-up: a ¹³¹I-SPECT/CT Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Spanu ◽  
Susanna Nuvoli ◽  
Andrea Marongiu ◽  
Ilaria Gelo ◽  
Luciana Mele ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The prognostic importance of neck lymph node (LN) metastases in differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is controversial even if their presence at surgery often correlates with tumor recurrences that it is mandatory to identify. To this purpose, in the present study, we used 131I-SPECT/CT as a diagnostic imaging procedure. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 224 consecutive DTC patients already submitted to total thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy, all of them with ascertained neck radioiodine-avid foci at ¹³¹I-SPECT/CT during long-term follow-up; at surgery, 62 patients were classified at high risk (H), 64 at low risk (L) and 98 at very low risk (VL). All patients underwent ¹³¹I-Whole body scan (WBS) followed by SPECT/CT. Results: In the 224 patients, 449 neck iodine avid foci were ascertained at SPECT/CT, while 322 were evidenced at WBS in 165/224 patients. WBS classified as residues 263/322 foci and as unclear 59/322 foci; among the former foci SPECT/CT correctly characterized 8 LN metastases and 3 physiologic uptakes and among the latter, it pinpointed 26 LN metastases, 18 residues, and 15 physiologic uptakes. SPECT/CT also classified 127 foci occult at WBS as 59 LN metastases and 68 residues. Globally, SPECT/CT identified 93 LN metastases in 59 patients (26 H, 20 L, 13 VL), while WBS evidenced 34 in 25 cases. All 13 VL patients, T1aN0M0, 5 of whom with LN near sub-mandibular glands, had thyroglobulin undetectable or <2.5 ng/ml. Globally, SPECT/CT obtained an incremental value than WBS in 45.5 % of patients, a more correct patient classification changing therapeutic approach in 30.3 % of cases and identified WBS false-positive findings in 8% of cases. Conclusions: ¹³¹I-SPECT/CT proved to correctly detect and characterize neck LN metastases in DTC patients in long-term follow-up, improving WBS performance. SPECT/CT routine use is suggested; its role is particularly significant in patients with WBS inconclusive, VL, T1aN0M0 and with undetectable or very low thyroglobulin levels. Keywords: Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), Neck lymph node metastases, Long-term follow-up, 131I-Whole body scan (WBS), 131I-SPECT/CT

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Spanu ◽  
Susanna Nuvoli ◽  
Andrea Marongiu ◽  
Ilaria Gelo ◽  
Luciana Mele ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The identification of neck lymph node (LN) metastases represents a very important issue in the management of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). To this purpose, in the present study, we used 131I-SPECT/CT as a diagnostic imaging procedure. Methods: A consecutive series of 224 DTC patients with ascertained neck radioiodine-avid foci at ¹³¹I-SPECT/CT during long-term follow-up was evaluated. All patients had already undergone total thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy and had been classified as follows: 62 at high risk (H), 64 at low risk (L) and 98 at very low risk (VL). ¹³¹I-Whole body scan (WBS) followed by SPECT/CT was performed in all cases. Results: In the 224 patients, 449 neck iodine avid foci were ascertained at SPECT/CT, while 322 were evidenced at WBS in 165/224 patients. WBS classified as residues 263/322 foci and as unclear 59/322 foci; among the former foci SPECT/CT correctly characterized 8 LN metastases and 3 physiologic uptakes and among the latter, it pinpointed 26 LN metastases, 18 residues, and 15 physiologic uptakes. SPECT/CT also classified 127 foci occult at WBS as 59 LN metastases and 68 residues. Globally, SPECT/CT identified 93 LN metastases in 59 patients (26 H, 20 L, 13 VL), while WBS evidenced 34 in 25 cases. All 13 VL patients, T1aN0M0, 5 of whom with LN near sub-mandibular glands, had thyroglobulin undetectable or <2.5 ng/ml. Globally, SPECT/CT obtained an incremental value than WBS in 45.5 % of patients, a more correct patient classification changing therapeutic approach in 30.3 % of cases and identified WBS false-positive findings in 8% of cases. Conclusions: ¹³¹I-SPECT/CT proved to correctly detect and characterize neck LN metastases in DTC patients in long-term follow-up, improving the performance of planar WBS. SPECT/CT routine use is thus suggested; its role is particularly relevant in patients with WBS inconclusive, VL, T1aN0M0 and with undetectable or very low thyroglobulin levels. Keywords: Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), Neck lymph node metastases, Long-term follow-up, 131I-Whole body scan (WBS), 131I-SPECT/CT


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Spanu ◽  
Susanna Nuvoli ◽  
Andrea Marongiu ◽  
Ilaria Gelo ◽  
Luciana Mele ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The prognostic importance of neck lymph node (LN) metastases in differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is controversial even if their presence at surgery often correlates with tumor recurrences that it is mandatory to identify. To this purpose, in the present study, we used 131 I-SPECT/CT as diagnostic imaging procedure. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 224 consecutive DTC patients already submitted to total thyroidectomy and radioiodine therapy, all of them with ascertained neck radioiodine-avid foci at ¹³¹I-SPECT/CT during long-term follow-up; at surgery, 62 patients were classified at high risk (H), 64 at low risk (L), 98 at very low risk. All patients underwent ¹³¹I-Whole body scan (WBS) followed by SPECT/CT. Result: In the 224 patients, 449 neck iodine avid foci were ascertained at SPECT/CT, while 322 were evidenced at WBS in 165/224 patients. WBS classified as residues 263/322 foci and as unclear 59/322 foci; among the former foci SPECT/CT correctly characterized 8 LN metastases and 3 physiologic uptakes and among the latter it pinpointed 26 LN metastases, 18 residues and 15 physiologic uptakes. SPECT/CT also classified 127 foci occult at WBS as 59 LN metastases and 68 residues. Globally, SPECT/CT identified 93 LN metastases in 59 patients (26 H, 20 L, 13 VL), while WBS evidenced 34 in 25 cases. All 13 VL patients,T1aN0M0, 5 of whom with LN near sub-mandibular glands, had thyroglobulin undetectable or <2.5 ng/ml. Globally, SPECT/CT obtained an incremental value than WBS in 45.5 % of patients, a more correct patient classification changing therapeutic approach in 30.3 % of cases and identified WBS false positive findings in 8% of cases. Conclusion: ¹³¹I-SPECT/CT proved to correctly detect and characterize neck LN metastases in DTC patients in long-term follow-up, improving WBS performance. SPECT/CT routine use is suggested, its role being particularly significant in patients with WBS inconclusive, VL, T1aN0M0 and with undetectable or very low thyroglobulin levels.


2013 ◽  
Vol 38 (10) ◽  
pp. 765-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana Souza Cruz Caminha ◽  
Denise Prado Momesso ◽  
Fernanda Vaisman ◽  
Rossana Corbo ◽  
Mario Vaisman

2009 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. 874-879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Eduarda Mello ◽  
Rodrigo C. Flamini ◽  
Rossana Corbo ◽  
Marcelo Mamede

The radioactive iodine has been used with great value as a diagnostic and therapeutic method in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma previously submitted to total thyroidectomy. False-positive whole-body scans may occur due to misinterpretation of the physiologic distribution of the radioisotope or lack of knowledge on the existence of other pathologies that could eventually present radioiodine uptake. Thymic uptake is an uncommon cause of false-positive whole-body scan, and the mechanism through which it occurs is not completely understood. The present paper reports five cases of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer who presented a mediastinum uptake of radioiodine in a whole-body scan during follow-up. The patients had either histological or radiological confirmation of the presence of residual thymus gland. It is very important to know about the possibility of iodine uptake by the thymus in order to avoid unnecessary treatment, such as surgery or radioiodine therapy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (11) ◽  
pp. 1431-1441
Author(s):  
Montserrat Negre Busó ◽  
Amparo García Burillo ◽  
Marc Simó Perdigó ◽  
Pere Galofré Mora ◽  
Maria Boronat de Ferrater ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectivesThe aims were to analyze the clinical features, response to treatment, prognostic factors and long-term follow-up of children and adolescents with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).MethodsEighty patients with DTC were studied retrospectively. All underwent total or near-total thyroidectomy, and in 75 cases, ablative iodine therapy was recommended. Patients were assessed periodically by tests for serum thyroglobulin levels and whole-body iodine scans. Age, gender, initial clinical presentation, histology, tumor stage, postoperative complications, radioiodine treatment protocol, treatment response, thyroglobulin (Tg), recurrence and long-term disease progression were evaluated.ResultsSeventy patients completed >2 years of follow-up (23 males, 47 females; median age: 14 years; range: 3–18 years). Sixty-two patients showed papillary DTC and eight, follicular DTC. Sixty-five percent presented nodal metastasis and 16%, pulmonary metastasis at diagnosis. Six months after first radioiodine treatment, 36.2% of patients were free of disease. Seven recurrences were documented. At the end of follow-up, overall survival was 100%, and 87.2% of patients were in complete remission. Nine patients had persistent disease. We found a significant association between stage 4 and persistent disease. Hundred percent of patients with negative Tg values at 6 months posttreatment were documented free of disease at the end of the follow-up. The analysis of disease-free survival based on radioiodine treatment protocols used showed no statistically significant differences.ConclusionsDTC in children and adolescents is frequently associated with presence of advanced disease at diagnosis. Despite this, complete remission was documented after treatment in most cases, with a good prognosis in the long-term follow-up. Negative posttreatment thyroglobulin and stage 4 at diagnosis were significant prognostic variables.


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