Characteristics of thyroid incidentalomas detected by pre-treatment 18F-FDG PET or PET/CT in patients with cervical cancer.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Considering the increased use of [18F]FDG PET or PET/CT, the clinical significance of thyroid incidentalomas is the subject of controversy. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of malignancies associated with thyroid incidentalomas detected by pre-treatment PET or PET/CT in patients with cervical cancer.0aMETHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with cervical cancer who had thyroid incidentalomas detected0aby pre-treatment PET or PET/CT and were treated at our institute between January 2001 and December 2009.0aRESULTS: Of 327 patients who underwent pre-treatment PET or PET/CT, 33 patients had thyroid incidentalomas (10.1%) and 4 patients were diagnosed with thyroid malignancies by percutaneous needle aspiration (PCNA) or surgery. To put it concretely, of 33 patients with thyroid incidentaloma, 16 patients had a diffuse uptake and 17 patients had a focal uptake. Four of 17 patients with focal uptake were diagnosed with thyroid malignancies (23.5%). One patient with a focal uptake had an atypical cell based on PCNA, but did not undergo additional studies. The mean SUVmax of thyroid malignancies did not differ from that of benign thyroid diseases.0aCONCLUSION: Thyroid incidentalomas are frequently detected by pre-treatment PET or PET/CT in patients with cervical cancer. Focal uptake on PET or PET/CT has a high risk of thyroid cancer.