Differentiated thyroid carcinoma: Incremental diagnostic value of 131I SPECT/CT over planar whole body scan after radioiodine therapy

Abstract

Editor-in-Chief: A. Giustina ▶ Covers leading topics in endocrinology ▶ Includes Hormones of reproduction, metabolism, growth, and ion balance ▶ Offers the latest on insulin and diabetes ▶ Presents newly-emerging endocrine-related topics ▶ 94% of authors who answered a survey reported that they would definitely publish or probably publish in the journal againWell-established as a major journal in today's rapidly advancing experimental and clinical research, Endocrine publishes full-length original articles devoted to basic (including molecular, cellular and physiological studies), translational and clinical (including proof of concept studies and clinical trials) research in all the different fields of endocrinology and metabolism. Endocrine covers the following leading topics in Endocrinology such as: Neuroendocrinology, Pituitary and hypothalamic peptides, thyroid physiological and clinical aspects, bone and mineral metabolism and osteoporosis, obesity, lipid and energy metabolism and food intake control, insulin, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, hormones of male and female reproduction, and of HPA axis, pediatric and geriatric endocrinology, endocrine hypertension and endocrine oncology.

Possible delayed diagnosis and treatment of metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer by adopting the 2015 ATA guidelines

“…Several authors have demonstrated the role of post-I-131 whole-body scan in the detection of occult distant metastases, mainly in bone and lung; distant metastases are the main cause of death and an early detection offers greater opportunities for a cure (15,16,17,18,19). Moreover, in recent years, the introduction in clinical practice of single photon computerized tomography-computed tomography (SPECT-CT) acquisition has significantly improved the accuracy and detection rate (20).…”

Two decades of SPECT/CT – the coming of age of a technology: An updated review of literature evidence

“…It detected unexpected sites of cervical LN or distant metastases in about 25% of patients, thus up-or down-staging over 20% and leading to change in planned management in about 25% of patients. [45][46][47][48][49][50][51].…”

Surgical management of the recurrent laryngeal nerve in thyroidectomy: American Head and Neck Society Consensus Statement

“…Despite meticulous attempts to remove all visible normal thyroid tissue during total thyroidectomy by experienced surgeons, high‐resolution postoperative radioactive iodine scanning can detect very small foci of uptake in the thyroid bed and/or pyramidal lobe in >95% of patients . The radioactive iodine uptake in these small foci is usually very low, being <2% in >90% of the patients in a multicenter randomized phase III trial and demonstrating a median of only 0.32% in a single high‐volume institution …”

“…Despite meticulous attempts to remove all visible normal thyroid tissue during total thyroidectomy by experienced surgeons, high-resolution postoperative radioactive iodine scanning can detect very small foci of uptake in the thyroid bed and/or pyramidal lobe in >95% of patients. [67][68][69][70] The radioactive iodine uptake in these small foci is usually very low, being <2% in >90% of the patients in a multicenter randomized phase III trial and demonstrating a median of only 0.32% in a single high-volume institution. 69,71 When evaluated using posttherapy high-resolution single photon emission computerized tomography-CT, discrete foci can be localized in the region of Berry's ligament in 87%, superior thyroid poles in 79%, paratracheal lobar regions in 67%, the isthmus region in 54%, and the pyramidal lobe in 46% of the patients 69 (Figure 10).…”