Clinical Meaning of Incidental Thyroid Uptake on F-18 FDG PET-CT.
- Author:
Jong Ryeal HAHM
1
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine and Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea. jrhahm@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Editorial
- Keywords:
18F-FDG;
Thyroiditis;
Incidentaloma
- MeSH:
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18;
Humans;
Hypothyroidism;
Positron-Emission Tomography;
Thyroid Gland;
Thyroiditis
- From:Korean Journal of Medicine
2011;81(5):592-594
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Thyroid nodular lesions and thyroiditis are commonly observed in population over thirties. Since the whole-body F18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET-CT) system is widely utilized in clinical application, the detection of incidental thyroid uptake has increased significantly. Unexpected thyroid uptake on PET-CT can be divided into three distinguishable patterns: focal, diffuse, or diffuse plus focal. Focal uptake, incidentaloma, is clinically significant because of its high risk of malignancy at the range of 25-50%. Therefore, the cytologic diagnosis should be additionally performed in these patients. Diffuse pattern of thyroid uptake is very likely secondary to thyroiditis and/or hypothyroidism. Although the clinical meaning of diffuse plus focal uptake of thyroid observed on PET-CT is not clear, the risk of malignancy was increased when it compared with diffuse uptake pattern only. However, further evaluation is required to define its clinical significance.
