• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.493-501
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• 1999

Purpose: We conducted a comparative study to evaluate the diagnostic values of T1-201, Tc-99m MIBI and I-131 scans in the follow-up assessment after ablative I-131 therapy in differentiated thyroid cancer. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of 20 patients who underwent surgical removal of thyroid cancer and ablative radioactive iodine therapy, and followed by one or mote times of I-131 retreatments (33 cases). In all patients, T1-201, Tc-99m MIBI, diagnostic and therapeutic I-131 scans were performed and the results were analyzed retrospectively. Also serum thyroglobulin levels were measured in all patients. The final diagnosis of recurrent or metastatic thyroid cancer was determined by clinical, biochemical, radiologic and/or biopsy findings. Results: Positive rates (PR) of Tc-99m MIBI, T1-201, diagnostic and therapeutic I-131 scans in detecting malignant thyroid tissue lesions were 70% (19/27), 54% (15/28), 35% (17/48) and 63% (30/48), respectively. The PR in the group of 20 cases (28 lesions) who underwent concomitant T1-201 and I-131 scans were in the order of therapeutic 131 scan 71%, T1-201 scan 54% and diagnostic I-131 scan 36%. There was no statistically significant difference between T1-201 and diagnostic I-131 scans (p>0.05). In the group of 20 cases (27 lesions) who underwent concomitant Tc-99m MIBI and I-131 scans, the PR were in the order of Tc-99m MIBI scan 70%, I-131 therapeutic scan 52% and I-131 diagnostic scan 33%. The PR of Tc-99m MIBI was significantly higher than that of diagnostic I-131 scan (p<0.05). Conclusion: Tc-99m MIBI scan is superior to diagnostic I-131 scan in detecting recurrent or metastatic thyroid cancer following ablation therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. T1-201 scan did not showed significantly higher positive rate than diagnostic I-131 scan. Instead of diagnostic I-131 scan before the I-131 retreatment, Tc-99m MIBI scan without discontinuing thyroid hormone replacement would be a prudent and effective approach in the management of these patients.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.356-364
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• 1997

To evaluate the clinical utility of Tc-99m MIBI scan in the detection of residual thyroid tissue or metastatic lesion in postoperative thyroid cancer patients, we compared Tc-99m MIBI scan with I-131 diagnostic and therapeutic scan in 30 postoperative well-differentiated thyroid cancer patients. Thyroglobulin levels of both on and off thyroid hormone medication and antithyroglobulin antibody were tested [Tg(on), Tg(off)]. Positive rates for I-131 diagnostic and Tc-99m MIBI scan were 81% and 68% respectively. Concordance between I-131 diagnostic and Tc-99m MIBI scan was observed in 15 cases; 12 positive and 3 negative respectively. Among the 6 cases with negative I-131 diagnostic scan and positive Tc-99m MIBI scan, 4 were Positive in the therapeutic I-131 scan We concluded that Tc-99m MIBI scan maybe a useful complementary modality to the currently established method of I-131 scan and serum thyroglobulin level in the detection of recurrent or metastatic thyroid cancer, especially in the case of negative I-131 diagnostic scan.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.120-127
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• 2003

Purpose: To evaluate diagnostic sensitivity of nuclear imaging in the detection of residual thyroid tissue and metastatic lesion, we have compared neck scintigrams with Tc-99m pertechnetate (Tc-99m scan) and high dose I-131 iodide (I-131 scan) in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Subjects and Methods: One hundred thirty-five thyroidectomized patients for differentiated thyroid cancer were enrolled in this study. Twenty-three had a previous history of radioiodine therapy. Planar and pin-hole images of anterior neck with Tc-99m were acquired at 20 minutes after injection, followed by I-131 scan three days after high-dose radioiodine therapy within 7 days interval. Patients were asked to discontinue thyroid hormone replacement more than 4 weeks. Results: All subjects were in hypothyroid state. Seventy out of 135 patients (51.9%) showed concordant findings between Tc-99m and I-131 scans. I-131 scan showed higher number of uptake foci in all of 65 patients showing discordant finding. Tc-99m scan showed no thyroid bed uptake in 34 patients, whereas 23 of them (67.6%) showed bed uptake in I-131 scan. Tc-99m scan did not show any uptake in thyroid bed in 11 of 112 patients without previous history of radioiodine therapy, but 9 of them showed bed uptake in I-131 scan. Tc-99m scan showed no bed uptake in all of the 23 patients with previous history of radioiodine therapy, in contrast 14 of them (60.9%) showed bed uptake in I-131 scan. Conclusion: These results suggest that Tc-99m scan has poor detectability for residual thyroid tissue or metastatic lesion in thyroidectomized differentiated thyroid cancer patients, compared to high dose I-131 therapy scan. Tc-99m scan could not detect any remnant tissue or metastatic lesion in patients with previous history of radioiodine treatment, especially.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2009

Purpose: A whole body scan using a radioactive iodine (I-131) for the patients with differentiated thyroid cancer is generally an useful method to detect the remnant thyroid tissue, recurred lesion or metastasis lesion after a surgery. The high dose treatment using the radioactive iodine recently tends to increase, and a hospitalization wait for the treatment has been delayed for several months. In this hospital, the treatable patients per week were increased in number through expanding a water-purifier tank and the examination time also increased as the I-131 whole body scan patients increased. Improvement for this problem, this research reduce the existing examination time and classifying the lesion's exact position intended to by fabricating and utilizing the transmission scan tool and an excellent resolution for whole body imaging. Materials and Methods: After conducting the whole body scan for patients who visited the department from February to July 2008 and received the I-131 whole body scan using the ORBITER Gamma Camera. A rail was installed in the examination table for the transmission scan for show a contour of surface area and then the transmission image was obtained and fused to the whole body scan through fabricating the tool to put a flood phantom of diluted 2 mCi $^{99m}Tc$-pertechnetate. Results: Fused image of I-131 whole body scan and the transmission scan had the excellent resolution to discriminate an oral cavity or salivary gland region, neck region's lesion, and metastasis region's position through a simple marking, and could reduce the examination time of 8~28 minutes because without the additional local image. Conclusions: In I-131 whole body scan, the transmission scan can accurately show a contour of surface area through the attenuation of radioactivity, and is useful to indicate the remnant thyroid tissue or metastasis lesion's position by improving the resolution through the fusion image with alreadyexecuted I-131 whole body scan. Also, because the additional local image is not necessary, it can reduce the time required for the examination. It will extensively apply to other clinical examinations to be helpful for identifying an anatomical position because it shows the contour of surface area.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.51-52
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• 2006

A 39-year-old female patient who had undergone a total thyroidectomy for a papillary thyroid carcinoma underwent a whole body scan with I-131. The I-131 scan was performed 72 hours after administering 185 MBq (5 mCi) of an I-131 solution. The anterior image of the head, neck, and upper chest showed multiple areas of increased uptake in the mediastinal area considering of functional metastasis. However, radioactivity was not evident in the image taken after removing her clothes and muffler. The image obtained after placing the muffler on the pallet showed that the radioactivity was still present. It is well known that artifacts on an I-131 scan can be produced by styling hair sputum, drooling during sleep, chewing gum, and paper or a cloth handkerchief that is contaminated with the radioactive iodine from either perspiration or saliva. This activity might be mistaken for a functional metastasis. Therefore, it is essential that an image be obtained after removing the patient's clothes. In this study, artifacts due to a contaminated muffler on the I-131 scan were found. These mimicked a functional metastasis of the mediastinal area in a patient with a papillary thyroid carcinoma.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.80-86
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• 1990

Fifty seven patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma were performed radioactive iodine-131 whole body scans after administration of diagnostic dose $(2\sim10\;mCi)$ and therapeutic dose $(30\sim150\;mCi)$ within three months. We evaluated the state of radioactive iodine-131 uptakes in whole body scan to detect correct metastasis of thyroid carcinoma. The results are as follows: 1) In 20 of the 57 patients (35%), the therapeutic scan showed the additional uptakes that were not seen in the diagnostic scan. 2) In 9 (64.2%) of the 14 patients who had been received the thyroid ablation theraphy with I-131 previously, new additional lesions were found in the therapeutic scan but only 11 (25%) of the 32 patients who had not been received the thyroid ablation theraphy disclosed new uptake lesions (p < 0.01). 3) The additional uptake lesions of therapeutic scan were significantly more common in the bony metastatic foci (55.7%) than other areas (p < 0.01). In 11 (55%) of 20 patients, additional uptake regions were anterior neck areas (thyroid bed or regional lymph node). We conclude that diagnostic scan with $2\sim5$ mCi I-131 is inadequate in evaluating residual iodine avid tissues of patients with thyroid carcinoma. Also post-theraphy I-131 whole body scan would be important to evaluate the correct staging and prognosis of thyroid carcinoma, and to follow-up patients.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.206-211
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• 2000

Objectives: Any uptake of I-131 after total thyroidectomy means the remant thyroid tissue or distant metastasis of the thyroid cancer. However diffuse hepatic uptake of I-131 without abnormal uptake was showen in many cases on I-131 whole body scan. The aim of this study was to classify the liver uptake after I-131 scan and to evaluate the analysis of this finding. Materials and Methods: Between 1982 and 1998, 104 patients(l4 males, 90 females) with normal liver function underwent I-131 scan after total thyroidectomy. Prospectively we reviewed the films of the whole body scan and analysed the correlations between results of radioiodine uptake, pathologic diagnosis, prognostic factors, lymphatic metastasis, and thyroid function test. Result: Diffuse hepatic uptake was found in 44 of 104(42%) patients. 10 of 39(26%) patients on I-131 100mCi, and 34 of 63(54%) on I-131 150mCi showed hepatic uptake. 52 of 104(50%) patients was locally invasive thyroid cancer. The rate of the hepatic uptake was no significant differences with the thyroid hormone levels(T3, Free T4) and thyroglobulin between uptake group and non-uptake group. Conclusion: The rate of I-131 uptake was high in high-dose radioiodine treatment group. However, we can not find any correlation among the thyroid functions, the extent of metastasis or the extent of local invasion. We need further study to find out the causes of the hepatic uptake of I-131 after total thyroidectomy, besides liver metabolism of I-131 attached thyroid hormones.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 1986

Thyroid scans using $Na^{131}I\;and\;^{99m}TcO_4^-$ in two (anterior and anterior oblique) projections were done simultaneously in 50 patients with single palpable nodule and in euthyroid state(nodular nontoxic goiter) and 20 normal subjects to evaluate the imaging ability of each radionuclide and the necessity of oblique view. In detection of a nodule as a cold or cool area, $^{99m}TcO_4^-$ was slightly superior to $^{131}I$(82 % to 78% with anterior view alone, 92% to 84% when oblique view is added in detectability), with addition of an oblique view, 5 more cold or cool area in $^{99m}Tc$ scan and 3 more $^{131}I$ scan were detected. In normal subjects $^{99m}TcO_4^-$ scan was significantly superior to $^{131}I$ scan(90% to 70%) in getting normal pattern of tracer uptake in the glands. For routine imaging study of the thyroid, $^{99m}Tc$ pertechnetate scan with multiple projection is considered to be a preferable method.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2000

Objectives: To demonstrate effective diagnostic method and proper management of recurrent thyroid cancer through to compare treatment and surveillance of $I^{131}$ scanning detected recurrence and clinically detected recurrence. Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical information about 46 patients who has recurrent thyroid cancer of 298 patients who have been primarily operated due to thyroid cancer in PMC at the over 10 years between 1986 and 1995. We examine incidence of recurrence due to pathologic types, site of recurrence, disease free interval, detection method of recurrence, and also treatment and progression of recurrence. A patients in which the clinical examination was entirely negative and the $I^{131}$ scan demonstrated either a new area of $I^{131}$ uptake or an increased area of concentration, compared to the previous scan, was designated as a recurrence detected by $I^{131}$ scan only. Recurrences that were obviously by physical examination or chest x-ray, etc were considered clinically detected recurrence, regardless of the the results of the thyroid scan. Results: Mean of disease tree interval(DFI) is 36months. When mean DFI of $I^{131}$ scan detected recurrence is 28months, whereas mean DFI of clinically detected recurrence is 47months. In statiscal analysis, p-value is 0.043 as significantly. In progression of recurrent patient, NED is 28case, AWD is Sease, DOD is 13case. Among the 13case, scan detected recurrence is lease of 20 patients(5%), whereas clinically detected recurrence is l2case of 26 patient(46%). In statiscal analysis, p-value is 0.003 as significantly. Conclusion: Early detection of the recurrent thyroid cancer by $I^{131}$ scanning leads to good progress compare with detection by clinical examination. NED: No Evidence of Disease AWD : Alive With Disease DOD : Dead Of Disease DOC: Dead of Other Cause

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.365-370
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• 1992

Pheochromocytomas are catecholamine producing tumors of neuroectoderrnal origin. Diagnosis of pheochromocytoma is significant due to potentially curable hypertension. But they have a significant associated morbidity due to uncontrolled hypertension and mortality since 10% are malignant. From Aug. 1989 to Jul. 1992, 12 patients of our institution had $^{131}I-MIBG$ scan during work up of suspected primary or recurrent pheochromocytoma. In our studies conclude that $^{131}I-MIBG$ scan is recommended as the initial localizing study of choice (especially for the detection of extraadrenal disease and postoperative recurrence) as a guide for CT and/or MR and specific functional confirmation of their findings.