Diffuse Thyroid Uptake Incidentally Found on 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography in Subjects without Cancer History.
10.3348/kjr.2013.14.3.501
- Author:
Ji Young LEE
1
;
Joon Young CHOI
;
Yoon Ho CHOI
;
Seung Hyup HYUN
;
Seung Hwan MOON
;
Su Jin JANG
;
Yearn Seong CHOE
;
Kyung Han LEE
;
Byung Tae KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Nuclear Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 463-712, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Positron emission tomography;
18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose;
Diffuse thyroid uptake;
Autoimmune thyroid disease
- MeSH:
Adult;
Aged;
Aged, 80 and over;
Antibodies/blood;
Female;
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/*diagnostic use/pharmacokinetics;
Humans;
*Incidental Findings;
Male;
Microsomes/immunology;
Middle Aged;
Neoplasms;
Positron-Emission Tomography/methods;
Radiopharmaceuticals/*diagnostic use/pharmacokinetics;
Retrospective Studies;
Thyroid Gland/metabolism/*radionuclide imaging/ultrasonography;
Thyrotropin/blood;
Young Adult
- From:Korean Journal of Radiology
2013;14(3):501-509
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: We investigated the clinical significance of incidental diffuse thyroid uptake (DTU) on 18F-FDG PET in subjects without a history of cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 2062 studies from adults who underwent 18F-FDG PET as a cancer screening program. Subjects were divided into the following two groups: with (group I) or without (group II) DTU. The presence of DTU and the thyroid visual grading score were compared with thyroid function tests, serum anti-microsomal antibody (AMA) levels, and the presence of diffuse parenchymal change (DPC) on ultrasonography (USG). RESULTS: DTU was found in 6.6% of the scans (137/2062). Serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and AMA levels were significantly higher in group I than in group II. Increased AMA level (55.1%) and DPC (48.7%) were more frequently found in group I (p < 0.001). The proportion of subjects with any abnormal results in serum free thyroxine, triiodothyronine, TSH, or AMA levels or DPC on USG was significantly higher in group I than in group II (71.5% vs. 10.6%, p < 0.001), and was significantly and gradually increased according to the visual grading score group (0 vs. 1-2 vs. 3-4 = 10.6% vs. 58.5% vs. 90.9%, p < 0.001). TSH and is AMA levels were significantly increased according to the visual grading score. CONCLUSION: The presence or degree of incidental DTU on 18F-FDG PET is closely correlated with increased serum AMA and TSH levels, and the presence of DPC on USG. Therefore, the most plausible pathological cause of DTU may be cell damage by an autoimmune mechanism.
