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Current Medical Imaging

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1573-4056
ISSN (Online): 1875-6603

Research Article

Diagnostic Capabilities of MRI Versus 18F FDG PET-CT in Postoperative Patients with Thyroglobulin Positive, 131I-negative Local Recurrent or Metastatic Thyroid Cancer

Author(s): Cesur Samanci*, Yilmaz Onal , Sait Sager, Sertac Asa, Fethi Emre Ustabasioglu, Deniz Alis, Canan Akman and Kerim Sonmezoglu

Volume 15, Issue 10, 2019

Page: [956 - 964] Pages: 9

DOI: 10.2174/1573405614666180718124739

Price: $65

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Abstract

Background: The detection of recurrence or metastasis might be challenging in patients, who underwent total thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine therapy for Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma (DTC), with increased serum Thyroglobulin (Tg) levels and negative 131I whole body scan (131I-WBS) results.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (18F FDG PET-CT) to detect recurrence or cervical and upper mediastinal metastases in postoperative DTC patients who had negative 131I-WBS despite elevated serum Tg levels.

Study Design: This study has a retrospective study design.

Methods: We evaluated cervical and upper mediastinal MRI and 18F FDG PET-CT of 32 postoperative patients with DTC (26 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma and 6 patients with follicular thyroid carcinoma).

Results: We evaluated 44 lesions in 32 patients. For all lesions, the Positive Predictive Value, (PPV) Negative Predictive Value (NPV), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MRI were 81.4%, 76.4%, 84.6%, 72.2%, and 79.5% respectively. The PPV, NPV, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 18F FDG PET-CT were 100.0%, 85.7%, 88.4%, 100.0%, and 93.1%, respectively.

Conclusion: Although we could not replace 18F FDG PET-CT, MRI might be used as an adjunct to 18F FDG PET-CT for the evaluation of recurrent or cervical and upper mediastinal metastatic thyroid cancers; however, MRI is inadequate for the detection of metastases in small lymph nodes.

Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, thyroid cancer, metastasis, positive predictive value, sensitivity.

Graphical Abstract
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