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European Radiology

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01-10-2012 | Head and Neck

Detection of neck recurrence in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer: comparison of ultrasound, contrast-enhanced CT and ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT using surgical pathology as a reference standard: (ultrasound vs. CT vs. ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in recurrent thyroid cancer)

Authors: Young Lan Seo, Dae Young Yoon, Sora Baek, You Jin Ku, Young-Soo Rho, Eun-Jae Chung, Sung Hye Koh

Published in: European Radiology | Issue 10/2012

Abstract

Objectives

To compare the diagnostic performance of ultrasound, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and ¹⁸F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET)/CT for detecting recurrent differentiated thyroid cancer in the neck.

Methods

Twenty patients who had undergone previous surgery for differentiated thyroid cancer (19 papillary carcinomas; 1 medullary carcinoma) and presented with pathologically proven recurrence in the neck were included. All patients had undergone ultrasound, CT and PET/CT in the 2 months before further surgery. In each patient, ultrasound, CT and PET/CT images were retrospectively reviewed to determine the presence of loco-regional recurrence by level-by-level analysis. Imaging results were correlated with the histological evaluation of the neck dissection as a standard of reference.

Results

Recurrences were found at 52 out of 110 cervical nodal levels surgically explored. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 69.2 %, 89.7 % and 80.0 % for ultrasound; 63.5 %, 94.8 % and 80.0 % for CT; and 53.8 %, 79.3 % and 67.3 % for PET/CT, respectively. ROC analysis revealed higher diagnostic performance with ultrasound than with PET/CT for detecting recurrent tumour.

Conclusions

Although no significant difference was found among the three techniques, the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound and CT were higher than those of PET/CT for the evaluation of cervical recurrence in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

Key Points

• Ultrasound, CT and ¹⁸ F-FDG PET/CT can all detect recurrent thyroid cancer.

• Ultrasound and CT have higher sensitivity and specificity.

• Ultrasound, CT and ¹⁸ F-FDG PET/CT frequently demonstrated discordant findings

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Title: Detection of neck recurrence in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer: comparison of ultrasound, contrast-enhanced CT and 18F-FDG PET/CT using surgical pathology as a reference standard: (ultrasound vs. CT vs. 18F-FDG PET/CT in recurrent thyroid cancer)
Authors: Young Lan Seo
Dae Young Yoon
Sora Baek
You Jin Ku
Young-Soo Rho
Eun-Jae Chung
Sung Hye Koh
Publication date: 01-10-2012
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Radiology / Issue 10/2012
Print ISSN: 0938-7994
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1084
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-012-2470-x

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Springer Medicine

Detection of neck recurrence in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer: comparison of ultrasound, contrast-enhanced CT and ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT using surgical pathology as a reference standard: (ultrasound vs. CT vs. ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT in recurrent thyroid cancer)

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Key Points

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Key Points

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