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Can calcification predict 131I accumulation on metastatic lymph nodes in papillary thyroid carcinoma patients receiving 131I therapy? Comparison of CT, 131I WBS and 18F-FDG PET/CT

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Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to clarify the predictive significance of nodal calcification in terms of the therapeutic option of 131I therapy in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients.

Methods

We reviewed 19 computed tomography (CT) examinations of PTC patients on receiving 131I therapy for the presence of nodal calcification, and compared the 131I whole-body scintigraphy and 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT findings. The metastatic lymph nodes (mLNs) were divided into three groups: A, those with calcification; B, those without calcification but belonging to patients who had calcified mLNs; C, those without calcification and belonging to patients who had no calcified mLNs. The incidences of 131I accumulation and maximum standardised uptake values (SUV max) in the three groups were compared.

Results

A total of 70 mLNs were evaluated. Twelve mLNs belonged to group A, 13 to group B and 45 to group C. The incidences of 131I accumulation were significantly higher in groups A (100%) and B (100%) than in group C (11.1%) (p < 0.0001 for both). The SUVmax was significantly lower in groups A (4.1 ± 1.9) and B (3.9 ± 1.4) than in group C (7.1 ± 4.4) (p = 0.01, p = 0.002, respectively).

Conclusions

Our results indicated that calcification in mLNs related to the ability of 131I accumulation and less dedifferentiation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

    Koichiro Kaneko, Koichiro Abe, Shingo Baba, Yoshitaka Tanabe, Hidetake Yabuuchi, Masamitsu Hatakenaka & Hiroshi Honda

  2. Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan

    Masayuki Sasaki

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  1. Koichiro Kaneko
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  2. Koichiro Abe
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  3. Shingo Baba
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  4. Yoshitaka Tanabe
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  5. Hidetake Yabuuchi
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  7. Masayuki Sasaki
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  8. Hiroshi Honda
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Correspondence to Koichiro Kaneko.

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Kaneko, K., Abe, K., Baba, S. et al. Can calcification predict 131I accumulation on metastatic lymph nodes in papillary thyroid carcinoma patients receiving 131I therapy? Comparison of CT, 131I WBS and 18F-FDG PET/CT. Eur Radiol 20, 477–483 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1557-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1557-5

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