The Netherlands journal of medicine
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Case Reports
Positron emission tomography for the detection of metastases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
To show the value of positron emission tomography (PET) with 18-F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18-FDG) for the detection of metastases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in selected patients. ⋯ In selected patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma with an increasing serum concentration of thyroglobulin, PET is an important diagnostic option when scintigraphy with (131)iodine is negative or uncertain. In the four presented case histories, the results of PET led to a therapeutic decision: surgery in three patients and discontinuation of (131)iodine in one patient. The development of guidelines for the use of PET in the diagnosis of recurrent thyroid cancer is discussed.