CERVICAL LYMPH-NODE METASTASIS OF THYROID PAPILLARY CARCINOMA IMAGED WITH FLUORINE-18-FDG, TECHNETIUM-99M-PERTECHNETATE AND IODINE-131-SODIUM IODIDE

A 49-yr-old white woman with diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary c arcinoma of the thyroid revealed abnormal [F-18]FDG accumulation withi n cervical lymph node metastases prior to thyroidectomy. The abnormal cervical foci of glucose metabolism corresponded to similar areas of a bnormal [Tc-99m]pertechnetate and radioiodine accumulation on presurgi cal scans. The primary thyroid tumor within the thyroid gland was not delineated as a focal defect on any of the three imaging studies. The relative thyroid-to-background soft-tissue ratio in the [(18F)]FDG stu dy, however, appeared higher than usual. As with I-131 and [Tc-99m]per technetate, this case demonstrates that [F-18]FDG PET can detect cervi cal lymph node metastases in the preoperative thyroid cancer patient.