Analysis of predictability of F‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose‐PET/CT in the recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma. (19th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Suk Kyeong; So, Young; Chung, Hyun Woo; Yoo, Young Bum; Park, Kyung Sik; Hwang, Tae Sook; Kim, Bokyung; Lee, Won Woo
• Is Part Of: Cancer medicine. Volume 5:Number 10(2016:Oct.)
• Page Start: 2756
• Page End: 2762
• Publication Date: 2016-08-19
• Subjects: F‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission tomography/computed tomography -- lymph node metastasis -- papillary thyroid carcinoma -- prognosis -- recurrence; 616.994005
• DOI: 10.1002/cam4.867
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2045-7634

Abstract

Abstract: Whether preoperative F‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)‐positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) can predict recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains unclear. Herein, we evaluated the potential of primary tumor FDG avidity for the prediction of tumor recurrence in PTC patients. A total of 412 PTC patients (72 males, 340 females; age: 47.2 ± 12.2 years; range: 17–84 years) who underwent FDG‐PET/CT prior to total thyroidectomy ( n = 350), subtotal thyroidectomy ( n = 2), or lobectomy ( n = 60) from 2007 to 2011 were analyzed. The predictive ability for recurrence was investigated among various clinicopathological factors, BRAF V 600E mutation, and preoperative FDG avidity of the primary tumor using Kaplan–Meier (univariate) and Cox proportional hazards regression (multivariate) analyses. Of the 412 patients, 19 (4.6%) experienced recurrence, which was confirmed either by pathology ( n = 17) or high serum thyroglobulin level ( n = 2), during a mean follow‐up period of 43.9 ± 16.6 months. Of the 412 patients, 237 (57.5%) had FDG‐avid tumors (maximum standardized uptake value, 7.1 ± 7.0; range: 1.6–50.5). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that tumor size ( P = 0.0054), FDG avidity of the tumor ( P = 0.0049), extrathyroidal extension ( P = 0.0212), and lymph node (LN) stage ( P < 0.0001) were significant predictors for recurrence. However, only LN stage remained a significant predictor in the multivariate analysis ( P < 0.0001). Patients with FDG‐avid tumors had higher LN stage ( P < 0.0001), larger tumor size ( P < 0.0001), and more frequent extrathyroidal extension ( P < 0.0001). In conclusion, FDG avidity of the primary tumor in preoperative FDG‐PET/CT could not predict the recurrence of PTC. LN stage was the only identified predictor of PTC recurrence. Abstract : FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose)‐avid papillary thyroid carcinomas showed worse pathological prognostic factors. Lymph node metastasis was the only predictor of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) recurrence. Preoperative FDG‐PET/CT may play a potential role for the prediction of papillary thyroid carcinoma recurrence.