Rare images of an intense 18F-FDG PET-scan uptake in an incidentally discovered thyroid lesion: A case report

Abstract

Thyroid carcinoma is a type of cancer that starts in the cells of the thyroid gland, which plays a crucial role in regulating the body's metabolism. Thyroid cancer can manifest in various forms. We report the case of an 89 year-old patient presenting an incidental intense Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET-computed tomography (PET-CT) uptake within a thyroid lesion and the role of 18F-FDG PET-CT guiding the anatomopathological examination. The prevalence of FDG-avid thyroid incidentaloma ranges between 0.2% and 8.9%. Higher risks of cancer seems to be related to focal or unilateral uptake of 18F-FDG. Lesions with higher standardized uptake values or suspicious CT are more likely to be cancers. The diagnosis is clinically challenging. Nuclear and radiological images can guide practitioners.

Keywords

• Thyroid lesion
• 18F-FDG PET/CT
• Intense uptake
• Case report