Incidental discovery of pulmonary metastases during I-131 scintigraphy after total thyroidectomy

Clin Nucl Med. 2003 Oct;28(10):807-10. doi: 10.1097/01.rlu.0000089521.56809.e7.

Abstract

We report the case of a 40-year-old man with radiographically silent pulmonary metastases of papillary thyroid cancer discovered during I-131 scintigraphy following total thyroidectomy performed 10 years after unilateral lobectomy. The residual lobe was histologically normal. After a dose of 11.1 GBq (300 mCi), there was no I-131 uptake in the thyroid bed and lung metastases, and serum thyroglobulin became undetectable. Conservative therapy could be associated with a delay in the possibility of diagnosing and treating extrathyroidal metastases.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / diagnostic imaging*
  • Carcinoma, Papillary / secondary*
  • Humans
  • Incidental Findings
  • Iodine Radioisotopes*
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Male
  • Postoperative Care
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Thyroid Gland / diagnostic imaging
  • Thyroid Gland / surgery
  • Thyroid Nodule / diagnosis
  • Thyroid Nodule / diagnostic imaging*
  • Thyroid Nodule / surgery*
  • Thyroidectomy
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed / methods

Substances

  • Iodine Radioisotopes
  • Radiopharmaceuticals