RECURRENCE OF DIFFERENTIATED THYROID CARC INOMAS - VALUE OF MRI

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of MRI to detect recurrent differentiated thyroid carcinomas developed in the neck or the upper mediastinum. Results : MRI was performed in 25 patients, and was compared in 5 cases with surgery. In 20 cases it was compared wit h I-131 scintigraphy (100 mCi in 14 cases and 5 mCi in 6 cases). The s ensibility, specificity and overall accuracy of MRI was respectively : 100%, 66.6%, 82.6%. Commentary MRI is a good technique to detect recu rrent thyroid carcinomas. It is specially interesting to investigate p atients with a biological suspicion of recurrence and a negative scint igraphy. Mediastinal localisations that cannot be detected by US can b e detected by MRI.