ROLE OF COMBINED 18-FLUORODEOXYGLUCOSE POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY/COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH DIFFERENTIATED THYROID CANCER

Abstract

Owing to the setting up of new nuclear medicine centers, not only choiceless treatment, such as radioactive iodine therapy, but also an indispensable technique in examination, such as 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18FDG PET/CT), has become available to many patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). The purpose of this review was to analyze numerous studies of new trends in and current recommendations for the use of PET/CT for DTC. Elevated thyroglobulin (TG) levels and negative 131I whole-body scintigraphy data remain a main indication for these techniques. However, PET/CT is also able to change treatment and diagnostic tactics in patients with iodine-sensitive tumors. The minimum TG level, at which it is clinically appropriate to perform PET/CT, has not so far been determined. Whether there is the need for PET/CT during thyroid-stimulating hormone stimulation remains to be solved.

Keywords

• review
• differentiated thyroid cancer
• combined 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/ computed tomography
• standardized accumulation level
• 131i whole-body scintigraphy
• thyroglobulin