No abstract

No abstract

III \s=b\Only 15% to 25% of cold nodules on conventional static thyroid scans are malignant. Radionuclide angiography of the thyroid and conventional static scans using sodium pertechnetate Tc 99m were performed on 114 patients who underwent thyroid surgery within a five-year period. The combined use of radionuclide angiography and conventional static scans increased the specificity for the diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma from 42% to 79% over static scans alone. The incidence of carcinoma in solitary cold nodules in our population was increased from 26% on static scans to 60% if the lesion was hypervascular on radionuclide angiography. Eighty-seven percent of hypervascular solitary cold nodules were neoplasms (carcinomas and adenomas). Hypervascularity as demonstrated by radionuclide angiography is predictive of thyroid neoplasia. The finding of a hypervascular, solitary cold nodule makes a recommendation for surgery predictive and reasonable. (Arch Otolaryngol 1984;110:717-720) Thyroid nodules have been evalu¬ ated for nearly 20 years with stat¬ ic radionuclide thyroid scans using sodium pertechnetate (Tc 99m). Stud¬ ies have shown that 15% to 25% of all cold (hypofunctioning) nodules are malignant. A lower incidence of malignant neoplasms has been re¬ ported in solitary, warm or hot nod¬ ules and in multinodular thyroid glands. Numerous methods, including patient selection techniques,1·2 ultrasonography,3 fluorescent scanning, needle biopsy, and use of other radionuclides,4 6 have been examined to fur¬ ther differentiate benign from malig¬ nant thyroid nodules.Conventional contrast angiogra-

No abstract